Losing the toss at Mareeba saw Muddies Green in the field for their first 30 over per side one day match.

J Smith and K Sorensen bowled superb tight lines outside off before Sorensen broke through in only his second over to have Mareeba 1/7 after 4.

The tidy “hanging” catch was taken by returning ex-junior Mitchell Driver at gully who managed two of his three chances in that position.

Smith’s bowling (0/29) off the allotted six overs was controlled with only one over getting away for 13.

Sorensen bowled out to return match best figures of 2/17 off 6 with a second wicket catch to Barnes to have Mareeba 2/36 in the ninth over, while Miglioranza as first change found success in his first over with a superb reaction catch to Butters at first slip, deflected first off the keeper’s shoe.

Mareeba’s Rob Taylor was scoring freely on the on side with Mareeba at drinks being 3/62 – Taylor 51 of those!

Batsman Brewer definitely was controlled by Miglioranza at the other end as Butters was introduced with typical pace. The Mareeba batsmen worked up toward a partnership of 44 before Barnes claimed Taylor for 72 in his first over replacing Miglioranza (1/21), and Butters (2/27) terrorised a couple of younger batsmen who watched their stumps cartwheel.

Barnes continued, while Smith cheekily re-introduced himself at the wrong end, upsetting the Skippers plans so that Harold had only six balls to get it right. Barnes (2/44) was pushed to bowl two expensive last overs that Smith should have been bowling.

The last few overs were partly made more expensive by poor dropped catches by Muddies Green on an outfield that surprised with its hardness and semi-uneven grass tufts, but did not really create any excuses.

Muddies Green re-opened with Walz after his recent 46 and Darlington who managed a six off his second delivery faced. The two put on a run a ball to be 0/35 in the sixth over.

Mareeba’s opener Brewer broke down, however Walz (7) who was well forward fell LBW and Doble proceeded to run out Darlington (22) to did not trouble the scorers with a duck himself. Muddies were in trouble at 3/36.

Driver looked good for his 12, although was guilty of ball watching as his partner Miglioranza was also unnecessarily run out for a duck. Harold and Driver put on 28 before Muddies again lost 3/1 to collapse to 7/75 after Harold holed out near the boundary, blaming his bat, Butters got a golden to slip and Driver was smartly caught in gully low down.

The end task was all too much for the Muddies Green. Barnes (10), Sorensen (6) and Smith (8) leaving keeper Nathan Evans, who performed well with the gloves, stranded on 0no and Muddies fell short by 53.

A “fairly dissatisfying performance” where mistakes cost us dearly is how the game was described. Sometimes you can get away with a few but this time we handed Mareeba the match.

With ten more one day games to redeem themselves Muddies Green look forward to lowly ranked Mulgrave Toads at home in Port Douglas this Sunday 1pm…