By Casey O'Connor
Stanthorpe cricketers started off 2022 with two 40 over fixture games at the weekend. Souths and RSL went head to head at Sheehan Oval while on the CF White Wanderers played Valleys .
In the game on the CF White Turf, RSL won the toss and elected to bat. Opener Sam Scalia (1) was caught and bowled by Ned O’Reilly midway through the second over. With the score 1/5 it was not the start RSL were looking for. Despite losing a couple of wickets cheaply RSL posted a competitive total of 163.
Batting down the order Stephen Martin smacked 42 from 26 deliveries. Along with Martin, Matthew Rutley (35), Matt Paton (26) and Jye Wallis scored the bulk of the RSL runs. Wickets were shared evenly among the Wanderers bowlers.
Wanderers run chase hit a hurdle early in the innings when both openers were dismissed cheaply. Filmer went for a duck after facing only eight deliveries and his opening partner Kye Rashleigh (3) was back in the clubhouse midway through the fourth over – the score 2/13 the clubhouse.
Barry Bulow and captain Brock Patti steadied the ship taking the score to 77 before Patti (27) was dismissed. Bulow and O’Reilly added only another three runs to the total before Bulow was bowled by Rutley. The score 4/87 in the 30th over and the batsmen were under pressure to score. Unfortunately, it was all downhill after Bulow’s dismissal. The remaining six batsman managing to add only another 11 runs. Wanderers were all out for 98 in the 36th over.
The Valley’s bowlers had the upper hand throughout the game. Darcy Daddow had the Wanderers batsmen at sixes and sevens and finished with 4/3 from a three over spell that included one maiden. Sandro Stefanon also bowled economically picking up a pair and took two catches. Rutley was another who bowled well taking two wickets in a win for Valleys.
Souths took on RSL on Sheehan Oval and after winning the toss Souths sent RSL in.
It was a move that looked to have worked perfectly when RSL’s top three batsmen were dismissed cheaply. The score 3/33 after 12 overs.
With the fall of the important wicket of Sam Dowie (8) RSL captain Luke Brady joined his son Rohan at the wicket.
The pair combined well to take the score to 132 before Matt Burgess broke the partnership dismissing the Luke Brady for 42. It was Burgess’ third wicket having removed both openers earlier in the innings and there was more to come from the bowler. Just a few deliveries later he had the scalp of Rohan Brady out for 46. RSL looked to be in a solid position at 5/133 in the 34th over with batting to come.
Burgess had five when he removed Becker for a duck only a couple of deliveries later with just one run added to the RSL total.
Tailenders Hines (7), Mackenzie (12) and Haynes did their best to add to the score and at the end of the 40 overs RSL had set Souths 161 runs to chase.
The standout performance from the South’s bowlers was undoubtedly Matt Burgess with his five-wicket haul.
Souths run chase got off to a flyer with an excellent opening stand of 86 between Sachepal Singh and Lachlan Pill before Singh was dismissed for 28 caught by Rohan Brady off a Nick Lawer delivery. Pill was giving the RSL bowlers plenty of headaches as he smacked them around the ground. There was a glimmer of hope for Valleys when Ben Staley (6) and Matt Burgess (0) had short stays at the wicket.
Danny Folkers joined Pill at the wicket with the score 3/93 in the 21st over. Pill continued to dominate the attack while Folkers added 25 from 55 balls.
South’s cruised to a comprehensive victory in the 35th over for the loss of only three wickets. Lachie Pill, the hero of the Souths innings. In a fine batting display Pill remained 83 not out, off 90 deliveries in an innings that included six fours and seven sixes.
Nick Lawer (2) and Ryan Hines (1) were the only wicket takers for RSL .
