TIGERS’ UPSET VICTORY
NIGHTCLIFF provided the upset of the 2019 district cricket season to date when it beat reigning premier Palmerston by 92 runs in their game at Nightcliff Oval.
The Tigers only made 223 last week, but it turned out to be enough when Palmerston batted two men short in making a paltry 142.
Adding to Palmerston’s woes was the enforced absence of middle-order bat Todd McCann, who was hit in the face by a short ball from Sri Lankan quick Himesh Sandaradura after facing 13 balls and did not return.
Madura Weerasinghe’s three wickets short-circuited the Power, who reached 2-108 before their innings fell apart.
Alex Bleakley’s 56 from 51 balls with nine boundaries and a six looked like a matchwinning innings until Matt Spoors trapped him in front.
The win, Nightcliff’s second for the season, lifts it above Tracy Village and off the bottom of the ladder.
Tigers’ captain Udara Weerasinghe said it had been a must-win for his side.
“We played some very good cricket, even if we had a bit of luck with Palmerston batting two short,’’ he said.
“Hopefully we can go on with this and play consistent cricket with bat and ball.’’
Southern Districts fought back from a disappointing effort with the bat in week one to beat Tracy Village by 88 runs.
The Villagers could not find an answer to Matt Hammond’s bowling, crashing to 135 all out, losing their last eight wickets for 80 runs.
PINT did what good sides do by beating Waratah by a 292 runs at Gardens Oval.
Left-arm orthodox spinner Quinn Childs grabbed 3-17 from 13 miserly overs to send the Red Caps to another loss.
Tahs looked like keeping the Greens in the field for a long time at 2-116 with Chris Smith (87) and Isaac Conway (54) in total control.
But the spin of Childs and Josh Neill’s slow mediums proved minefields to the Red Caps bats, who lost 8-96 to go down without a whimper.