"Lacklustre" performance from C-Grade Muddies: Dobel

Friday October 24 2014, 1:10pm

By Steve Dobel

The local 3rd grade Muddies players were looking forward to actually playing their first home game for the season after the last fixture was never played due to an opposition forfeit.

Happy to bat or bowl first the Mulgrave Toads sent the Muddies in on a pitch already tested by U14 and the previous night’s T20 with both Darren Wall and Keith Taylor looking solid to start.

Unfortunately neither batsman made it to double figures despite pushing one and twos into the improved outfield, 2/27 at the fall of Taylor who had looked very comfortable before hitting directly to point’s hands.

Macca, the club’s new character was promoted to number 3 and joined with talented youngster Tom Goodall managed a 10 run partnership before a dodgy LBW saw Macca returning to the shade, 3/37.

Runs were slow, scoring at 3 an over as Doble carrying an injury partnered with Goodall and the pair put on 20, the latter partner managing a few out toward the boundary on his way to a team top score of 17 before being bowled and then Doble wrongfully being given out caught off a bump ball to see Muddies still scraping along at 5/59 after 20 overs.

Newer member Raj lasted a few balls for 3 before veteran Schiester (12no) and new ex junior Sean Evans (16) saw the innings out with a 23 run partnership, 7/93 off 30 overs, Evans run out off the last ball trying desperately to give his team the best they could get to defend.

Mulgrave openers managed well against the new ball and Muddies mixed up the attack until Schulz in his second spell picked up both openers in the 20’s to sharp deliveries to return himself 2/13 off 6 overs.

Schiester bowled a couple of overs with some confidence after his 2014 finals injury and Barnes beat the batsmen numerous times to return 1/19.

Goodall showed his all rounder worth but remained luckless in the wickets stakes 0/20 off 6 overs as Mulgrave easily reeled in the low total with 4 overs to spare.

A lacklustre performance especially with the bat for the Muddies C grade side, so they will be very keen and hungry to redeem themselves against Barron River who started their season with a solid win first game, lost second.

So it’s a two day match starting this Sunday at The Mud Pit.

It has been at least 7 years since Barron have performed up in Port Douglas but the local lads won’t let any complacency creep in, clawing their way for a win!