By Doug Barnes

Round two for the the Big Bash T20 comp saw two fantastic nights of cricket played in perfect conditions under the Mud Pit lights.

The Friday night game had the red hot Port Royals taking on the Sheraton GM’s 11 in their first game of the season.  The Royals took to the batting crease first with KB and Rhino taking on the GM’s openers.  73 were put on for the first wicket with KB scoring 31 and Ryan adding 33 to continue his blistering start to the season.  Wes (30) and Cloughy (21) also made great contributions to the Royals, pushing the total to an above par 152.  The bowling honours were shared out between the Sheraton lad, Sports Bet and Wazza the best with the ball.

Unfortunately Sports bet couldn’t replicate his bowling performance with the bat, out for a duck in the GM’s team’s chase of the big total.  Twistie did make an impact, putting on 15 before being dismissed.  Dennis Redfern came in at 4 needing quick runs and blasted 31 to keep the Sheraton near the required run rate.  Soni took to the crease next, playing test match style cricket, and after 17 consecutive dot balls put on 18 runs, too little too late of the resort team, falling 34 runs short of the total.  Opening bowlers Tom (2 for 3) and Greg (2 for 8) were the main destroyers for the Royals who look like genuine title contenders this year.

Saturday night’s game saw the undermanned Four Mile Falcons playing the Reef Raiders in a grand final rematch and battle of the codes.  The game came down to the two men who opened for the Falcons: Bendle and Turtle, The two belted the Raiders to all parts, putting on 75 for the first wicket, with both batsmen retiring on 30.  The remainder of the Falcons batsmen seemed happy to rest on the hard work of the opening batsmen with only evergreen Keith Taylor (20) bothering the scorers, with some controversial umpiring reducing the Falcons batting ranks.   Eight wickets fell, allowing Bendle and Turtle to come back in;  Bendle scoring a competition high 57, Turlte finishing on 40 to take the score to 156.  Jumbi was the pick of the bowlers taking 2 for 18 in a solid spell of slow to medium bowling.

In form Clint opened the batting again for the rugby lads, and missing the memo that the game was only 20 overs, batted out the allotted overs to put on steady 36.  Sean added some much needed hitting in an overall quiet display, the left hander making 34 before being  dismissed by Kenny.  The Raiders putting on a lacklustre 102.  Buckets bowled his big turning leggies to take 1 for 16 with Decks bowling 2 maidens to shut the Raiders out of the game.

This week’s games have been postponed to allow for the towns film buffs to be able to watch the great assortment of films without the Mud Pit’s lights ruining the spectacle.  That gives a week off to the teams before returning for the great cricket, music and atmosphere.