Premier Cricket: Ringwood and Monash Tigers throw everything into a frantic battle to get a result
On a remarkable day at Glen Waverley’s Central Reserve, some 17 wickets fell and both Ringwood and the Monash Tigers were within striking distance of first innings points.
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On a remarkable day at Glen Waverley’s Central Reserve, some 17 wickets fell and both Ringwood and the Monash Tigers were within striking distance of first innings points.
Unfortunately it will count for nought as, with just four games managing to get a start after wild weather battered suburban cricket, Premier Cricket officials drew a line through Saturday’s play.
MCKAY RELISHING ESSENDON CAPTAINCY
WATERS SHINE DESPITE WET WEATHER
THE DUTCHMAN TAKING FLIGHT AT MONASH TIGERS
The round will now be completed as a white-ball one-dayer this Saturday.
However, while there was the slimmest of chances to secure a result and steal a march on the rest of the competition, the Rams and Tigers threw themselves into an epic tussle.
After winning the toss, Ringwood sent the home side to the crease first, running through the Tigers for 104 in 55.2 overs before a desperate chase for first innings points went close, running out of time at 7-60 after a blazing 13-over stint.
The Rams made the most of the bowler-friendly conditions, Ian Holland (4-30) and Matt Fotia (2-10) crashing through the Monash top order to have a shell-shocked home side reeling at 7-44.
But, with a total in excess of a hundred seeming a longway distant, Tom O’Connell (22) and Blade Baxter (21) joined forces to staunch the bleeding with a 41-run eighth-wicket stand.
David King (3-15) then joined the fray and the Tigers were returned to the sheds for the afternoon.
In reply, the Rams set out after first innings points in a manner as wild and woolly as the weather itself, Holland scoring 27 in 17 balls at the top of the order to kick off the pursuit.
But, Mitchell Perry (4-38) and Fred Klaassen (3-22) dragged the Tigers back into the match and the day ended with honours shared.
Though disappointed to miss out on the win, Ringwood skipper Ian Holland was pretty happy with how well his “nice and disciplined” attack had set up the chance of an unlikely result.
“It would have been amazing,” he said. “We bowled them out and there was a unique opportunity to get one-up on everyone else.
“(But) it was a new ball wicket and it was nipping around a bit and it was getting a bit dark, so we shut up shop.”
Holland said he was confident the Rams’ attack would be one to respect this summer with the sharpish Matt Fotia and Zac Evans taking the new ball before the experience of Holland and King maintained the pressure. Throw in some very handy spinners in Jackson Freeman and Paddy Ashton and runs could well be hard to come by against Ringwood this summer.
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