Hilfy’s heroics lift Uni to target

HIS performance with the ball came as no surprise but Ben Hilfenhaus has produced a match-winning cameo with the bat to lift University to its first CTPL win of the season.

The former Test quick returned brilliant figures of 2-6 — with two maiden overs — as the Lions restricted Lindisfarne to 9-88 in the Twenty20 clash at Kangaroo Bay yesterday.

But instead of being able to put his feet up to watch his batsmen chase down the runs, the club’s head coach found himself strapping the pads on after a middle order meltdown.

From 1-47, Uni lost 6-22 as Luke Doran (4-8) ran riot to put the Lightning on the cusp of a stunning victory.

Hilfenhaus then stepped to the plate, clubbing three consecutive sixes off Tom Briscoe to lift his side across the line by three wickets in the 18th over.

South Hobart-Sandy Bay opened its account — and left Clarence at 0-2 — with a comprehensive win in the afternoon match on the Eastern Shore.

The Sharks compiled 5-131 thanks to a whirlwind 43 not out from 23 balls at the death from English recruit Matt McKiernan, while skipper Sean Willis chimed in with 32.

Clarence never got out of second gear in the run chase, restricted to 9-85 as Gabe Bell (3-12), McKeirnan (3-19) and Hamish Kingston (2-11) dominated with the ball.

At the Twin Ovals, Glenorchy edged out North Hobart in a last-ball thriller to finish the weekend with a pair of victories.

Chasing the Demons’ 5-122, which was built around another solid knock from Caleb Jewell (45), the Pies were spluttering at 4-63 until Brad Absolom and Nathan Matthews combined for a matchwinning partnership.

Absolom (49 not out from 41 balls) and Matthews (21 from 28) timed their run to perfection, peeling off the eight runs required from the last over to give the club a perfect start to 2017-18.

In the afternoon match Kingborough held on by 14 runs to defeat New Town, keeping the Bucks to 5-122 after posting a target of 137.