B4 Round 1 v Dee Why RSL, Nolans #2
Result: First innings loss
Players Player: Mark Hill
Toss: Dee Why RSL
Dee Why RSL have been something of a bogey team to MBCC – starting from the clubs very first game. They came out on top again in the B4’s season opener, but only after a spirited fight-back by the Breakers on day 2 and a fine debute innings from Rob Avery.
The game was played near Manly on Nolans Park #2. In fact, the pitch was below sea (well, ground anyway) level – which did not help scoring on a slow ground with long boundaries.
Not excuses though. Having lost the toss and (as we wanted to) batted, the top order failed to some spirited (if sometimes over the top) bowling from Dee Why. At 26/4 Rob Avery was playing a lone hand, but found a determined aly in B4’s skipper Mark Hill. Hilly’s contribution kept the strike moving and held up the bowlers, and was far more important than the 8 runs scored – a near club record stand of 81 proving the point.
Rob’s fine hand of 88 (4’s, 6’s) ended at xxx – exhaustion on a hot day a contributing factor. Tony Brown, opening his MBCC career with a boundary, scored 17 not out – the only other MBCC batsman reaching double figures.
Dee Why were reasonably placed at stumps at 70-odd for 2 – Hill having both wickets, but importantly a key batsman dismissed just before stumps, well caught (I take my teams word on this) at square leg.
Day two dawned bright and hot – but this time MBCC was applying the cricketing heat. Committed fielding and fine bowling reduced Dee Why to 102-9, Fawell’s 33 the main contributor. Mark Hill led the way – a 6 wicket haul in his best day with the ball, and fine support by Pat Ryan (4/34) and the others. MBCC were desparately close to a win – Matt Fisher had two unsuccessful LBWs that were hotly disputed – but the Dee Why 10th wicket pair held firm, and finally added 50 runs. Since MBCC were a player short all game, this was rather ironic!
Doug Alley, victim of an unluckly first-baller duck, kept extremely well, but provided athletic amusement by several times pursuing the ball to the fence – keeper pads and all…
MBCC were frustrated but far from disheartended. Mark Hill’s efforts earned him the Players Player award, closely followed by Rob Avery, and Pat Ryan third. Next week – Newport.