VECC Under 14's go down in a thriller

GAME TEN
VS DORA CREEK

Another one that got away! This time failing by eight runs to haul down the Dora Creek total of 110.

Having won the toss the Grizzlies followed the pre-match plan of sending the opposition in to bat. The new opening bowlers, Liam Guest (1/8) and Mackenzie Morison (0/6) did hold back the run rate, but wasted too many deliveries outside the stumps to put too much pressure on the batsmen, and it wasn’t until Liam’s final ball that he picked up his wicket. Josh Parsons and Ben Jenkins then took up the attack. Josh bowled some unplayable deliveries, but he tended to be too short, and he paid the penalty. Ben bowled very accurately, his six overs costing only 14 runs. Neither picked up a wicket, and this meant that the Dora Creek had lots of batsmen left. Adam Gunster did run out of the batsmen out when they took on his arm, Mitchell Brown taking the bails off quickly to complete the run out. By this time the Dora Creek batsmen were hitting everything – catches were put down, and the scoring rate increased steadily. Matt Mascord (2/18) did pick up the Dora Creek star, Ben Jenkins holding a sensational catch in the deep. But the opening batsman was still there, finishing with an unconquered 37. Again, sundries were a major contributor, totalling 28, with 18 no-balls and 5 wides allowing the score to move past the century.

While the bowling was astray, the batting was courageous and inspirational. Liam Guest opened and was adventurous, taking on the field with exceptional running between wickets. He was very solid until given out lbw to a ball which collected an edge for a well compiled 15. Mark Rumford had just been dismissed also. Although only scoring 3, he had held out the Dora Creek speedsters for six and a half overs and the opening partnership was worth 24. With the openers gone, Mackenzie Morison (9) and Nathan Birt (11) continued to consolidate, slowly edging the score forward. When Macca fell, the score was 59, with 18 over gone. At this time Tim Rodgers and Adam Gunster took control. Adam (17) showed the benefit of some excellent work in the nets, his improved defence holding out the better Dora Creek bowlers before he took on the loose deliveries bowled later, hitting powerfully through the leg. Tim was magnificent. He watched the ball closely, and hit out when the bowlers strayed in length – one drive through mid-on was exceptional, and his treatment of short balls effective. When the Dora Creek captain returned to bowl his final over, Tim calmly played out the maiden, leaving four balls go outside the off stump and perfectly playing the other two straight down the pitch, much to the opposition’s disgust. At the end of the 25th over, the Grizzlies had victory in their sights with 86 on the board. With 8 runs off the first five balls the score had moved to 92 – Tim smacked a short delivery to leg, which would have sailed to the boundary had not a fieldsman thrown himself to his left to take a left handed catch centimetres from the ground. Tim had made an excellent 27, but the game had swung back to Dora Creek. Adam Gunster tried to hit out, but was run out trying to keep the run rate going, and Mitch Brown and Eli Love lost wickets going for big shots. The Grizzlies finished at 8/102, desperately close to victory.

A great batting effort against the fastest bowlers in the competition!

Match Points
2 Tim Rodgers
1 Liam Guest, Mark Rumford, Adam Gunster, Ben Jenkins