The major surprise in the second round of two-day cricket was that any other team would be outrighted before Tracy Village who were able to hold off against Darwin, while the clubs can continue to support the theory that Nightcliff are paper tigers in the two-day format. They should still make finals with the list they have but the concept of changing core players of your squad v format may get a serious review post 2024 season. Expect more outright results or max points on offer to develop over the next couple of games as teams try to work out what they need to do to make finals.
A grade Two Day Round 2 Report
Darwin 4 for 325 (Dickman 135, Deshpande 120, Jamieson 52) defeated Tracy Village 135 (Steven Roser 80, Raval 5-27, Birthisel3-20) & 8 for 115 (Raval 3-55).
The Eagles will be disappointed in not picking up the full points against Tracy Village, after smashing 325 on day one in 57 overs. The welcomed return of Dickman with his third ton for the season and Deshpande knocking out his second, they declared just before last drinks and had the Villagers in all sorts by the close of play at 4 for 47 in 18 testing overs. A lone hand by Roser with 80 on day two, ensured significant overs were whittled away before being dismissed by Raval who claimed his first five wicket hall for the season.
Put back in the Villagers top order again collapsed before skipper Doyle and Gregory-Francis were able to stop the rot with a 54-run partnership, Raval struck and looked like running through the lower order. It wasn’t to be as Brar and then Campbell saw out the remaining overs. On reflection Darwin could have declared earlier or stuck them in first but will still be happy with the big win and seeing key players hit form along with the inclusion of Birthisel to add some potency to their pace attack.
PINT 144 (Ketheeshwaren 50, McFayden 8-50) defeated by 3 for 312 (Koduru 126*, Parker 100*)
A green top at Marrara presented day one with some question marks around what pitch was to be played on (it was alleged that a last-minute switch was made by ground staff). Waratah winning the toss and bowling is every indication of there being plenty in it and PINT had to work hard for every run. Ketheeshwaran 50 held the innings together, but McFayden exploited the favourable conditions to run through the Green Caps with best haul of the season so far with eight wickets for 50 in 25.4 overs (rumoured also to be his last match).
Waratah were able to see out day one with only the loss of Aryan Jain. On a significantly flatter surface day two, Waratah were never in doubt of chasing the meagre total, Elliot and Blackford, both making starts then Koduru 126* and Parker 100* teamed up to pile on the pain once the total was passed in 196* run stand. Racking up his third ton and 7th 50+ score for the season, Koduru needs 350 runs to crack the 1000 in the regular season but currently sits on 863 at 107 in all formats.
Palmerston 9 for 181 dec (Bleakley 84) & 3 for 50 defeated Nightcliff 86 (Thakkar 3-27) & 140 (Van Luin 87, Shahzad 4-36, Martin 3-17)
While most thought Palmerston could beat the Tigers, no one was expecting an outright to be on the cards. With 19 wickets falling on day one, the Palmerston bowling attack ran through the top order with Thakkar the best over and leading the charge with his 3 for 27. Dismissing Hoogenboezem with a missed timed pull to have all their big guns out early doors at 5 for 42. The tail end managed to see through some overs with Hatton, Allman, Richards and Smith soaking up 174 balls between them, double that of the top six.
Nightcliff weren’t out of the game, McKinnon making the most of his recall and nicking off Montague and Firman, Palmerston 3 for 23 early. Bleakley however continues to be a dominate at number four, crashed 84 off 65 as they overcame the early wobbles to finish the day on 9 for 181 and 97 run lead. The Tigers second innings didn’t start any better, but they looked as though they could starve off the outright as Van Luin 87 knocked up his first fifty for the club. With a slight lead, Hoogenboezem went across the line to Martin to result in a top edge which left Van Luin with only the tail and plenty of overs left in the in day to get through. But they couldn’t match their first innings efforts as Shahzad and Martin mopped them up. The Tigers had some consolation in getting three second innings wickets before Bimbral finished the small chase off with a six over cover.