Muddies pip 'full-strength' Bandits
Monday February 2 2015: 3:45pm
By Steve Doble
Perhaps seeking to avenge their paltry 36 all out for the same fixture last year, Mareeba Bandits arrived to the local Mud Pit with their full strength side including Adam Roy (quickest bowler in the comp) and three bats capable of scoring tons (Payne, Adams and Taylor).
The Astute Financial Muddies started well winning the toss an electing to bat against the second placed Bandits (Muddies fifth).
Darlington returned form the side to open with Taylor and some wayward bowling assisted with leg byes and sundries contributing to a 3 run an over start until Taylor (7) nicked an inside edge caught behind, Muddies 1/21 off 7 overs. Darren Wall who has some mates in the opposition side joined Darlington and the two set about setting a very solid platform for the rest of the Mudcrabs to follow.
The fluent scoring of Darlington was arrested by lack of strike having faced a mere 2.5 overs of the first eleven overs with “2” against his name. Wall nudged singles and twos and Darlington amidst some lusty swings (and misses) tended to follow suit, the pair briefly resting at drinks, 15 overs; 1/61.
Darlington eventually skied a catch to be caught for 30 and Wall returned a catch to his bowling mate Adams, contributing an invaluable 22 in their 52 run stand. Tom Goodall (7) got a start but also fell to Adams who was wining about a sore finger as he delivered his quick little powder puffs. Deep was promoted (as encouragement to contribute off the field to the team, eg. The scorebook!) and returned the favour with 11 off 13 as Doble, Schiesser and Evans managed a mere 3 between them (the Skipper with the round score).
Deep fell to Roy in the 2nd last over bringing the Muddies bowling fraternity of Shulz and Barnes, two competitive characters one with youth and pace on his side and the other an inept self belief brought about through exuberant experience. Shulz managed to run 8 in just 4 balls but given some red hot pies from Mareeba’s Skipper Payne, Barnes hit his first delivery for six, followed by 2, 4 and thanks to Shulz’ legs 3 off the last delivery – 15 to Barnes, twenty off the very last over to take Muddies from 111 to 8/131 at the end of the allotted 30 overs.
Payne who managed a ton against Muddies first game for the season opened but Muddies had some solid plans to counter his leg side strengths and fortunately the bowlers executed their share of the plan, restricting his scoring. Schiesser was first to break through when the opening partner played across the line to chip from his outside edge to Goodall, Bandits 1/12, followed shortly after with Payne caught by Doble diving forward at mid wicket, once again off Schiesser, visitors 2/15 off 6.
Deep (0/13) bowled six over straight building pressure on Mareeba’s scoring, assisting Keel Sorensen who was missing his mentor Redderz but demonstrating he could do it alone. Adam Roy who did not bowl anywhere near as well as he can batted at four and combined with one of their younger players to build an innings, the pair facing 9 overs before Kell snatched the outside edge of the bat to a clean two handed catch by Barnes at slip.
The pair had chewed up 9 overs for just 22 and off the last ball before drinks Barnes dipped one in to collect Roy’s inside edge, played on and bowled for 22 to be 4/43 needing a run a ball to win. The next 5 overs produced 2/19, Sorensen (2/15) gaining an LBW and Barnes a caught and bowled.
Adams was the missing link and Muddies wondered why he was sitting in the shade instead of winning the game for Mareeba but apparently his pinkie was too sore, even though his team mates needed quick runs. Barnes (3/21) provided a simpler chance to mid wicket, snavelled again by Doble, as Shulz was finally set loose to terrify the tail with 2/7.
Eventually when Adams arrived at the crease they needed 62 off 42 balls with no wickets in the shed and the pressure combined with Wall re-striking his verbal relationship with Adams the latter fell to Schiesser (3/23) off his second last ball, caught well by Evans looking into the sun. All out for 86, Muddies were triumphant and next week will be off to Barron River to try and cement a top four position.
