‘Starting to click’: White ball specialists ignite Kingston Hawthorn in Premier Cricket

Established stars and up-and-comers delivered as Kingston Hawthorn claimed back-to-back Twenty20 wins in Premier Cricket.

Thaveesh Attanayake cuts for Kingston Hawthorn. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Gloucestershire white ball specialist Jack Taylor lit the fuse with an explosive 71 off 42 balls.

Kingston Hawthorn started its Twenty20 double header with a bang at Walter Galt Reserve on Saturday, and more fireworks were to come as the Hawks defeated Northcote and Prahran to climb to eighth spot — equal on points with fifth — in Premier Cricket.

Taylor blasted 5 sixes and 4 fours as the Hawks rushed to 6-174 against Northcote. Skipper Josh Manning also hit the ball crisply as he made 34 off 27.

The Hawks also benefited from having Leicestershire seamer Roman Walker, who’s played in the Vitality Blast.

Jack Taylor of Gloucestershire hits out. (Photo by Sarah Ansell/Getty Images).

In reply, Northcote was held to 7-153, with emerging paceman Dylan Jacotine taking 3-18 and Walker 1-28.

Prahran’s Sam Harbinson hit a couple of massive sixes — one landing on the curator’s shed.

In the Round 11 match later in the day, Kingston Hawthorn dismissed Prahran for 138, with spinner Saad Khattak taking 3-19 off 2.4 overs and Walker (2-25) and Tyler Pearson (2-29) also making key strikes.

Prahran No. 6 Shanogeeth Shanmuganathan smacked four sixes in his 43 off 20 balls.

In reply, Hawks opener Thaveesh Attanayake struck three boundaries in the first five balls he faced, and then went six-hunting, putting three over the fence, as he made 64 off 42 balls.

Manning chimed in with 30 off 39 as the Hawks secured victory with a ball to go.

“It was a day that clicked for us,’’ Manning said.

The Hawks have zoomed into contenion nearing the Christmas break, equal on 23 points with fifth-placed Ringwood.

Josh Manning.

Thaveesh Attanayake. Pictures: Valeriu Campan

Manning, though, was quick to keep a lid on things.

“I won’t be saying the F word yet,’’ he said.

“But that’s definitely something we’re trying to strive to. If you don’t have that goal I don’t know how high you’re trying to achieve.

“Obviously finals is something you want to look at and just being able to get better and progress and have a goal.

“Things are starting to click after a couple of close matches at the start of the year. If we can just keep the ball rolling, finish off before the Christmas break and I guess see what happens after Christmas when it all gets serious and see how it all plays out.’’