C Grade Muddies travelled south of Cairns Sunday afternoon to take on second placed Mulgrave Pujabi. 

With several players only available in Week 2, it gave opportunities for junior players, Kaiden Sorensen (second seniors match), and debutant Nathan Evans to step up their level of cricket. 

Muddies chose to bat on what again was a sub-standard pitch with low bounce, Goodall (2) falling early to a ball that unfortunately “hit” everything including being played on to the stumps.

Enter Joyce, rested from B grade, who played and missed to slowly tune his game to the conditions, scoring 20 in a partnership of 26 with Doble, before edging caught behind.

Damien Darlington then teamed up with opener Doble to build a further hard fought partnership of 33, before Doble also played on for a disciplined 17.

At 3/65 Muddies were ready to build their innings beyond three figures but Pujabi bowler, Bariderjett Jhajj, bowled Evans around his legs first ball followed by a straight forward LBW decision for Walz to claim a hat trick, 5/65. 

Gaul (6) after his 34 last week started well but was unlucky to be run out at the bowler’s end after a deflection off the bowler’s boot cannoned into the stumps.

It was Darlington, though, who batted on looking for a worthy partner who he found in Darren Saint. The two put on 27 allowing Darlington to pass his first 50 for the Muddies, via straight hitting on a slow outfield, and compiling mainly of twos.   Darlington was eventually bowled for 52.

The Muddies, looking for 130-150 runs, were 7/110 and it was Saint who went on to compile 19 runs with the Junior Muddies after Chandra also fell for a first ball duck. 

Sorensen contributed two and Nathan Evans was stranded without facing a ball, all out 126.

The Muddies have two extra key bowlers returning for Week 2, but the attack made massive in roads to leave Pujabis reeling at 5/26 with two wickets to Joyce, one wicket to Gaul and Sorensen (first scalp for seniors!) and Chandra a wicket on his fourth delivery.

The fielding was excellent from all players including great catches to Darlington and three to Sam Evans (keeping), creating immense pressure on a team that bamboozled scorers with names like Pardeep Sing Mann, Gurpreet Singh and Navdeep Sharma.

A win and perhaps some bonus points are likely to see the Muddies who lost their 1st 2 fixtures stride into the 2 day finals.  

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