A disastrous first innings performance of 52 all out left the Muddies B Grade starring down the barrel of an outright defeat at the hands of Cairns Norths from day one of their two day home game last week.

But they fought back on day two, last weekend holding Norths to a first innings lead of 166 after they bowled them out for 218 with David Coulthard leading the bowling figures with 6 for 52 and Ben Vikionkorpi supporting on 2 for 45 after bowling out Norths after 30 mins of play in the morning.

This meant the damage had at least been limited to a first innings loss.

It’s interesting to note that had the opposition's skipper not been so conservative with his decision to protect their first innings lead, he may well have lived to regret it.

In fact the Muddies' second innings bore no resemblance to the ineffectual batting seen in their first innings which must have seemed like a day out for the Norths bowlers.

Ryan Thwaite (30) and Glen Ives (27) put on a good display in their opening partnership to build a base from which to claw the game back, with these two now looking set to lead the charge at the top of the order for the rest of the season.

Following that great start saw an innings that, even at this early stage of the season, may well stand as one of the best of the year from a young 14 year old, David Coulthard, who hit a cultured 92 not out and had some great partnerships along the way with Ives and Skipper Nathan King.

The end of the match then came too quickly for Coulthard before he could reach the magical total of 100 being not out just 6 runs short.

The opposition Captain had a smile on his face at the end of the game having justified his ultra careful approach to what he obviously knew was an uncharacteristic first innings performance from The Muddies.

Their second innings was much more what the Muddies should be striving to make their ‘norm’ and had they achieved that on the first day, the smile would have been uncomfortably on the other side of the opposition Captain’s face. 

But on this day Norths took the points with a first innings win.


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