FLANELLED FOOLS: 20 DECEMBER 2016

Cricket Round-Up By GREG PRINGLE*

Country continue to cruise

At the end of round eight, as we go into a three-week festive break, Country remain undefeated and are obviously the team to beat in this season’s Oilsplus Senior Cricket.

Magpies were the latest victim of the Country juggernaut, being thrashed by 136 runs at Hunter Caldwell last Saturday.

Magpies were dealt a savage blow just prior to the toss, when veteran all-rounder Brett Johnson fell heavily on to the footpath as he tripped coming out of Spar carrying 16 cartons of cigarettes.

Brett strained his back trying not to drop his one-day supply of smokes.

Brett unfortunately had to wait several hours for the Magpies medical staff to see him, as his appointment was after that of David Hobbs.

Eventually Brett was ruled out and Magpies afternoon just got worse.

Batting first, Country’s openers, John Mulhall and Brett Wykes, got their team away to a great start with some positive, aggressive stroke play.

Mullhall batted well for 38, being dismissed just before drinks.

Wykes was given some tips from his brother Murray during the break and went on to plunder the hapless Magpies attack and scored a brilliant 101.

Wykes was supported by Jock Haynes (27), who had a rare Saturday off without having to campaign about something, and Trent Frazer (20), as Country amassed 216 at the end of their 40 overs.

Magpies had a poor day in the field, dropping at least a dozen catches.

Mitch Christie bowled well without luck and Ellis Johnson was the pick, with the tidy figures of 2/ 28.

Chasing a big total, Magpies batsmen were very poor with only gun all-rounder Jim Gavin really troubled the scorers with 22.

A late swashbuckling innings by Bohdie Johnson (21) was the only other highlight in an otherwise miserable effort by Magpies batsmen.

Rookie bowler Tim Milne continued his fine season in senior cricket taking 3/ 25 from seven overs.

Trent Frazer (2/1) and Joe Clayton (2/9) also bowled well.

The only blight in an otherwise fine win for Country was some poor fielding at times, with a number of regulation catches going to ground.

The author is aware that last Saturday’s other game, played between Cudal and Telegraph at Cudal was won easily by Cudal, but at the time of writing no scoresheets have been provided by either team.

Telegraph, after showing much promise, have now slipped from second to last on the table in the space of two very poor games.

We now break over the Christmas/New Year period, with the competition returning on 14 January.

*Greg Pringle is Secretary/Treasurer of Molong District Cricket. He plays for Molong Magpies but swears he is as hard, if not harder, on his own guys as the opposition.