By MATT NICHOLLS
BOWLERS made the most of a slow, turning wicket at Lambert Park on Saturday as Hillgrove won a thriller against Easts in the Armidale District Cricket Association.
Just five batsmen made it into double figures on a day where just 48 overs were completed.
Hillgrove scraped together 89 on the back of 11 from opener Josh Croft, 15 from Lochlan Elks and 12 via Tom Benthall.
In fact, Easts bowlers topped the scoring for Hillgrove, conceding 17 wides and 24 extras in total.
Englishman Ben Welch was the best with the ball, taking 5/27 with his off-breaks, but he also conceded 13 wides in the process as the ball turned square on occasions.
Easts went into the run chase knowing that a small total of 89 would be hard to obtain.
It proved correct as six batsmen failed to get off the mark in what was a disastrous innings for Easts.
Amazingly, skipper Dean Moore was the only player inside the top seven to score.
He played a courageous captain’s innings to score 51, which included four boundaries and a six, but had little support from his team mates.
Jimmy Sharma added five runs, while a 19-run ninth-wicket partnership between Moore and Henry Cupitt looked to have Easts in the best position before Moore was bowled by Matt Dawson.
Cupitt finished unbeaten on 11, but his side eventually fell six runs short of Hillgrove’s total.
Winning skipper Brad King said he was thrilled with the outcome.
“We had a team full of kids, but they really put in,” he said.
“I thought we might have had enough on the board if we bowled line and length, and we did.”
King was full of praise for his opposite number, who nearly carried Easts to victory.
“Dean Moore batted really well. He was patient and did the best he could on a wicket that was always going to get the better of the batsman.”
