By Doug Barnes

The Muddies Cricket Club’s Big Bash cricket competition kicked back into gear with one wash out and one sensational game to start what promises to be a great season.

In a new format that sees games played on Friday and Saturday nights, the 2014 premiers, the Four Mile Falcons took on the understrength B Team Blasters.  The Blasters put on their pads first and were never allowed to settle as the red hot fielding unit of the Falcons regularly picked up B Team wickets who gave up too many chances to post a decent score, the Blasters scrambling to be 9 for 84.  New recruits Tangles (19) and Ryan of the Dobles (16) the only batsmen to make double figures.

The wickets were shared evenly, but with 3 run outs, a stumping and 4 catches, it was the fielders who made the difference.  Fortunately for the Blasters though, 2 rain squalls put an end to the game with only one and a half overs of the chase possible before the heavens opened.  The points shared with the Flacons looking to canter home.

The Saturday night game was a scorcher with the Port Royals taking on the Reef Raiders on a great batting pitch.  The Royals batted first, sending out club stalwart Ryan with journeyman KB to kick off the season for the men in yellow.  The partnership was a productive one, putting on 49 before the first breakthrough for the Raiders, KB making a classy 18.  Ryan and Tony kept the rest of the innings together, scoring 30 and 15 respectively, the Royals posting a competitive 114.  Dawesy was the pick of the Raiders bowlers, moving the ball both ways to take 2 for 9.

Chicka and Clint made a solid but slow start to the Raiders innings, Clint cutting well and Chicka using all the parts of the bat usually ignored by batsmen to move the score to 45, Chicka making 18, Clint 21.  Pistol Pete Gilmore came in at three and immediately dispatched balls to all part of the ground to dominate the Royals bowler, making a swashbuckling 30 off 15 balls to put the Raiders in a strong position to take the game.
Some unexpectedly solid bowling from the Royals and an inability for the Raiders to score boundaries saw the Rugby lads needing 15 off the last over.  Wickets tumbled leaving Grey Nomad Pete to return to the crease with 14 runs needed off 2 balls, both of which were dots to give the Port Royals a sensational start to the season.

Round two will see the Royals take on the Sheraton GM’s 11 on Friday night and a grand final replay and battle of the codes on Saturday night, the Raiders looking to beat the Falcons.  Both games start at 6.00pm so head on down for great cricket, cheap drinks and ordinary music!

Muddies C Grade Report - Muddies maul reckless Rovers

The Astute financial Muddies C Grade team have celebrated an emphatic victory over the Rovers in their last 2 day games until November.  The game resumed with the Muddies batting, already ahead by 13 runs, requiring the batsmen to score quick runs to give the bowlers plenty of time to take the ten wickets needed for a rare outright victory.  Skipper Doble gave a one hour limit to bat the Rovers out of the game, Walz (29no), McDonald (9), Purvis (0) and Williams (12) combining to give the Rovers a target of 72, the Muddies 5 for 140.

The declaration was called at the first drinks break, the Muddies team confident that they had the bowling attack to knock off the visitors.  Matt Schiesser and Pete Gilmore opened the attack for the Muddies, heaping the pressure on the opening batsmen, with the score 0 for 10 after 7 overs and the Rovers looking like they might have their heads in the right space to bat out the day.  Barnes was brought into the fray and immediately the Rovers looked to hit out, losing their first wicket two balls later.

The remaining opener played on soon after, the Muddies left with eight wickets to get.  Some sensational catching from Sorenson, Raj and the skipper combined with an excellent spell of fast bowling from Pistol Pete (12 overs, 5 maidens 3 for 15) and a respectable 14 overs, 7 maidens, 7 for 19 from Barnes, left the visitors 17 runs away from making the Muddies bat again.

The Mud Crabs will be hoping to take their excellent form down the highway to Crathern Park next Sunday to take on Barron River in a one day fixture and continue their sizzling start to the season!