Going into the first week of last game before the Christmas vacation, the B grade Muddies were looking to set up an early outright victory against 8th place Innisfail in Innisfail. Muddies, 4-64, are chasing Innisfail’s 157 for victory.

Winning the toss and electing to bowl on what looked to be a pitch with some sideways movement and good surface cracks, Muddies gained the early upper hand with Kaiden ‘Kaos’ Sorensen claiming three quick wickets.

Having Innisfail 3 for 8 in the 11th over, the momentum was well and truly with the Muddies, until a returning university student for Innisfail who hasn’t played all year stepped out to bat. Looking shaky early on, K Vecchio survived early close calls to stamp his authority on the innings and turn the game back in Innisfail’s favour.

Vecchio took to the bowling attack, hitting the quicks for 2 sixes and 5 fours, changing the complexion of the game, allowing the strike to be regularly turned over. Innisfail scored 88 runs off 20 overs in this period. Vecchio (90) and Singh got through to 71 before Dave Johnson broke through with a ‘classy’ caught and bowled for the fourth wicket at 71 runs.

Innisfail managed to put together a few small partnerships to get to 8 / 153, with some neat bowling from Gary Postons (1/17), Adam Lucas (2/32) and Jordan Butterss (1/11) helping to restrict the runs. Kaiden Sorensen then returned to the attack to take the last two wickets for 4 runs, claiming his maiden 5 wicket haul for B grade, finishing Innisfail’s innings on 157. Taking out the 90 runs from the returning Vecchio, the rest of the Innisfail team capitulated for 67 runs – on par with the previous games scores.

Having a good 90mins to bat with, the Muddies were looking to spend some positive time at the crease. Ben Gaske and Simeon Migliorenza looked confident at the crease, before Ben was gunned LBW in the third over batting outside leg stump to a left arm bowler, playing down leg side. Simeon clubbed a six off his third ball, and was then joined at the crease by Hayden D’Addona after Ben’s dismissal. Losing Simeon to a skyed ball with the score on 25, Nathan Taig joined Hayden in the fun in the middle.

HD and Taigy quickly moved the score to 55 off 22 overs, with Nathan taking control of the innings, waiting for the loose balls and then dispatching them with ease. With the score on 55, Nathan smashed a short pitched fast ball from the off spinner that went high to the right of square leg, who somehow instinctively jumped and caught the ball with one hand, finishing Nathans innings on 27.

Ethan McCullough and Hayden then had 15 mins left to face on the day, and both played with flowing confidence and control, keeping the bowlers at bay. With the time appearing to be up, but not according to the umpire, Hayden was to face the last over, but caught an edge that went to slip off the first ball that over, resulting on the forced close of play on day one.

Muddies finished at 4-64, needing another 94 runs for victory, with 6 wickets in hand. If B grade Muddies want to show they deserve to be in the finals series, they need to show some ticker this week when batting and easily chase down Innisfail’s total.