1st Grade Report vs Easts - Round 12 - Day 2

Gordon v Easts First Grade Day Two

36 runs or three wickets ' the equation was pretty simple at the start of day two.

Given the general nature of Sydney grade wickets (early wickets seem a formality) and conditions due to any lingering overnight moisture, it was always going to take something special to secure those priceless runs.

(Beau Casson...another wicket)

Given the fact that it was our lower order who were entrusted with the job, hard as they usually fight, it was to prove even tougher against a fresh bowling attack, and eventually would prove beyond them. Only a further eight runs were added, and while Ed Zelma did the damage last week, this time it was his new ball partner Ritchard who took all three wickets to fall.

There was an upshot to losing so early on the second morning ' there was still plenty of time for a spirited fightback in the hope of securing outright victory.

On a wicket that ended up being expectedly flat come the middle session, early wickets were a necessity, in larger quantities than usually come about. We got three (3/32 ' I'm sure 80% of grade innings see this scoreline) before a decent partnership ensued. And as the heat and the pitch stifled a willing Stags attack, Easts progressed to 4/131 just before tea. It was looking like the inevitable handshakes would be done with early. That is not accounting for the resilience which this side possesses with the ball and in the field. Three quick wickets and a tea-time score of  7/138 set up a potentially intriguing last session ' tea was taken upon the seventh wicket and completion of Easts' number seven's pair. Just ask the poor guy whether Beau is due a stint in higher level games ' six balls faced, four of them from Beau, none of which were read correctly, and two of which claimed his wicket.

Unfortunately, Easts' lower order managed to bat long enough to ensure no outright result was possible. 13 overs were left in the day when they were bowled out for 196, leaving the Stags 223 runs adrift.

(Brendan McDonald during his three wicket spell) 

If only Beau (75 off 44 balls) had told me he was going for them ' if I (29 off 40 balls) had pulled my finger out then we may have got close... Nonetheless it was great striking from Buzz and a chanceless (!!?) innings to boot. It capped another good day for Beau (3/90 off 27 overs), as he again bowled probingly and with slightly more help from the surface, could have engineered an unlikely outright win. Brendan (3/55 off 22 overs) bowled beautifully also, and like Beau, I'm sure he would have appreciated a drier track.

It is now the pointy end of the season, and a meagre six points separates second place and us in seventh. Two wins out of the last three games, and a finals spot should be all but secured. There is no questioning the resilience, skill and quality of our bowling and fielding efforts. Now is the time for the batting to come good ' with more calm and more steel. The fickle nature of the game and of people means that a couple of brave and positive efforts now, and the struggles of the recent past will all be forgotten.