Cameron Nicol blasts a drive for Hoppers Crossing on Saturday. 75640 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By Liam Twomey
A CAPTAIN’S knock from Darrel Brown has given Hoppers Crossing a fighting chance against Royal Park Brunswick in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association.
After being sent in to bat, the Cats looked shaky for one of the few times this season as the top order failed under the pressure of some good bowling from the Parkers’ opening bowler Adam Contessa, who removed openers Chris Henry and Luke Goegan cheaply.
Wicketkeeper William Gard-ner joined Michael Tubb at the crease, and it looked as though the two had successfully steadied the innings.
They carried the score to 2/46 until Royal Park hit back again, this time with more venom. The next six wickets fell for 59 runs, leaving Hoppers Crossing in tatters at 8/105.
Four of the Cats’ middle order batsmen managed to make it to double figures but could not go on with the job, and the tail was left with a lot of work to do in the hunt for a respectable score.
Brown strode to the crease and together with set batsman Trent Said, the two launched the recovery effort.
Slow and steady was the order of the day as Hoppers Crossing had only one wicket left in the shed, and the plan proved successful.
Brown and Said added 76 runs for the ninth-wicket to lift the total to 181.
When Brown was eventually dismissed for a well compiled 59, the Cats were back in the game.
The fighting didn’t stop there though, with number 11 Mark Craig proving to be more than handy with the bat in just his second Senior Division game for the year.
He scored an invaluable 15 runs to lift the score to 210 before the last wicket fell.
Contessa was a nonstop headache for Hoppers Crossing, picking up 4/57 from 26 overs, which included seven maidens, to be the pick of the bowlers.
Clint Hillas and Charles Amini were also handy with the ball, picking up five wickets between them.
The Cats bowled one over at Royal Park before the close of play, but were unable to force a break through.
The run chase will resume next week at 0/1.
Spin bowling sensation Fawad Ahmed will be key for Hoppers Crossing. He has 28 wickets at an average of 8.9 this year, and will be looking to add to that on Saturday.
