After two recent wash outs, the competition for a top four finals berth is getting tighter and tighter for C Grade Muddies who went into the weekend’s match Vs Tully in equal 4th position. 

Winning the toss the Muddies’ Skipper chose to bat first in what was clearly the right decision given the searing heat that sapped eleven Tully players of energy in the field Vs the Muddies batsmen who suffered too but only in pairs. 

Darlington (4) will no doubt be looking to revise his game plan, falling in the first over 1/4 and when “The Rock” Keith Taylor (6) and Glenn “Macca” McDonald (0) both went in the 5th over at 3/19 the game was swinging south.

Tom “The real Goods” Goodall (20) continued his run of strong starts enjoying his worthy promotion to the vital number three spot - a big score must be just around the corner as he toiled in the relentless heat with his Captain for a partnership of 22 off just 4.5 overs before again being caught off a delivery that he had smashed and would otherwise have been destined for the boundary, 4/41 at a healthy rate off 9 overs. 

With the Skipper Doble at the crease and promoted last overs hitter Doug “I’m pretty good” Barnes the wickets needed to steady despite the latter struggling with just 4 off 21 deliveries faced. 

Doug fell with the score on 63 and Doble on 21 who was looking in fine touch then failed to heed his own advice of playing the spinner from the crease due to a tough length and good bounce, charging down the pitch, stumped to have Muddies precariously placed at 6/63. 

Enter Dan “I’m a good bloke Redderz” Redfern and so he was, bludgeoning two sixes and two fours off the first over he faced and Muddies suddenly 6/87 with 11 overs remaining. 

His partner Matt “I’ve got a good bat” Schiesser managed an orthodox outside edge to give him a strike rate of 400, although this became 4 runs off 19 balls before he was bowled by one of the young Tully players. 

Again Muddies’ topsy turvy innings faltered but inspired by some new romance in his life Sean “Look at me” Evans came out, perhaps equally inspired by Redderz who eventually fell for 38 off 28 as Sean proceeded to play booming shots all over the park offering one six in his 21 runs of a sweet-sixteen balls before being run out and a massive storm of the weather variety arriving at 9/134. 

Incredibly play managed to resume with Muddies innings announced closed at 28 of the allotted 30 overs but their total reduced to fit the remaining time as 86 runs. 

This gave Tully the advantage of having 10 wickets to get the 87 to win off a reduced 18 overs. 

Redderz opened as Tully struggled to get bat on ball, both he and Schulz going for 2 a piece off their first over before Redderz broke through bowling the opener in his third and Michael “Sergeant” Schulz doing the same, Tully 2/6 off 4. 

The bowling rampage continued as the pressure mounted Redfern a clear Man of the Match taking wickets in his 2nd, 3rd, 4th, two in his 5th and another in his 6th to return 6/11 off 6 overs including 3 bowled and the Tully Skipper for a Golden Duck. 

Shulz continued to bowl well finishing with 1/15 off 6 and Barnes chimed in with 1/14. At the halfway point (9 overs) Tully were reduced to 6/22 and needing 65 off the remaining 54 balls only managed a total of 8/57, Muddies winning by 29 runs. 

The ladder now may well have 3 or even 4 teams locked in third position, Muddies one of them. 

Go The Muddies for next week’s away clash against Norths where not only a win is required but a strong score and win to boost the percentage points and break up the otherwise equality of current match points. Further wash outs could be disastrous for the local lads with just 2 qualifying games remaining.