MPCA: Chris Thewlis goes ballistic for Rye in Twenty20 game

A Victorian Premier Cricket big hitter smashed it to all parts before retiring hurt with an injury in a Mornington Peninsula association Twenty20 game.

Chris Thewlis was in blazing form for Rye.

The scoreboard at Rye showed the home side was 0-36 off the first over.

It should have actually read 0-34, but regardless, it was an incredible start by the Demons — and more particularly their marquee player, Camberwell Magpies swashbuckler Chris Thewlis.

Chasing Sorrento’s 87 in the opening round of the MPCA Twenty20 competition on Tuesday night, Thewlis went bang from the start.

He smashed Sorrento paceman Jake Wood to all parts of Rowley Reserve, the Demons describing it as “a display of hitting not seen at Rye for a very, very long time”.

Thewlis cracked 45 off 18 balls (5 fours, 3 sixes) before retiring hurt at the end of the sixth over, having injured his hamstring.

He later revealed he tweaked the hammy first ball when he slipped on the sandy pitch taking off for a run.

The Rye scoreboard afte one over.

Chris Thewlis

Thewlis was heard to say he’s done his hamstring 11 times in the past three years — one of those times during his headline-making 237 off 72 balls for Camberwell Magpies in a Premier seconds game last season.

Rye achieved victory in 11.1 overs, with seven wickets to spare.

Sorrento player Bobby Wilson described Thewlis’ jaw-dropping innings as brutal.

“Woody’s pace didn’t affect him at all,” he said.

“Like, Woody was bowling pretty quick but he was hooking him, cutting him. And then when Woody pitched it up he hit it over his head.”

Thewlis is mates with Rye player Jordan Blades. They’re both from Wangaratta.

Meanwhile, Barbados keeper-batter Alex Browne smashed 27 to set up Red Hill’s win over Main Ridge.

Browne has just returned to Australia and is the son of former West Indies wicketkeeper Courtney Browne, who played Test and one day international cricket in the 1990s and 2000s.

Some big hitting from Red Hill champ Glenn Collett (41no, with 2 fours and 3 sixes) helped the Hillmen to 7-126. Collett, obviously in good fettle, then snaffled 2-10 to help restrict Main Ridge to 8-111 off its 20, despite opener Taylor Harrison cracking 56.

Former Sri Lankan international spinner Jeevan Mendis took 3-12 off four overs as a marquee player for Pearcedale but the Dales went down to Crib Point by three runs in a thriller.

Melbourne Stars and Victorian all-rounder Tom O’Connell blasted 42 off 37 balls for Rosebud (4-133cc) in its win over Boneo (88).

O’Connell cracked three sixes before he was run out, and he also took 1-16 off three overs. Scott Hayes (39no off 29), Jarrod Hicks (2-7) and Nathan O’Sullivan (2-13) also did well for the Sharks.

Balnarring, without Luke and Jake Hewitt, scored a notable win over Flinders, Jon McGennisken (31), Mark Walles (30) and Brenton Taylor (33) setting up victory.