THERE was some strong batting and even better bowling in second grade this weekend as the teams entered the first game of the final round before the semi-finals.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
For some teams it was the start of their last game of the season, but for Bomaderry and Bay and Basin, it was their last chance to make the semis, with Shoalhaven Ex-Servicemen’s, Nowra, Ulladulla and Berry-Shoalhaven Heads all currently sitting in the top four positions.
Over at Sanctuary Point Oval Bay and Basin looked to be off to a good start against Berry thanks to opening batsmen Tom Dolby (23).
But despite his father Michael Dolby’s 25 runs in the middle order, the bottom order fell easily to Berry’s strike bowlers and were all out for 98 after 43 overs.
Luke Saare led the bowling attack for Berry with 5/37 off 13 overs.
Veteran Peter O’Keeffe also starred with the ball with 2/17.
But Berry looked to be in trouble early when Opening batsman Josh O’Keeffe fell for no score.
However his partner John Lett was steady at the crease throughout his team’s innings to finish the day on 26 not out.
Berry lost four other wickets in John Lloyd-Jones (7), Tom Dougall (0), Nicholas Gallagher (9) and Gareth Brandon (13), but will resume next week 5/81 with Lett and David Hockey (6 n.o) at the crease.
Over at Hanging Rock the Bomaderry bowlers Matt Bell (1/35), Anthony Johnston (1/24), Greg Wellington (1/17), Alex Mackay (2/3) and Hugh Rigney (2/1) put in a united effort to dismiss Batemans Bay for 81.
The Bomaderry batsmen then backed up that effort at the crease with great knocks from Rigney (62 n.o), Wellington (21) and Lees (25) to take their team to 2/123 at the end of day one.
Ex-Servos’ James Spackman took an impressive 5/32 against North Nowra-Cambewarra at Hayden Drexel Oval on Saturday after his team won the toss and was sent in to the field.
He was backed up by Matt Smit 3/23, who helped reduce the visitors to 125 runs after 53 overs.
At the change of innings, Ex–Servos’ Dean Trost (32) and Aaron Van Essen (34) put in good stints with the bat, with Kieran Witt (0 n.o) and David Sloane (16 n.o) to continue next week with their team on 3/101.
Nowra’s Stewart Graff was a machine with the ball on Saturday against Ulladulla United, taking 6/28 in under eight overs.
Graff combined with Brad Ison (2/31) and Jordan Pearson (1/21) to leave Ulladulla on 1/22 at the change of innings.
But Ulladulla had plenty of fight left in them and soon got to work knocking off Nowra’s top order.
Nowra will return next week on 5/54, with Ulladulla’s Robert Thompson already on 3/13.
