COAST COLLAPSE AGAINST NORTHS
NO stars, no worries.
That was the attitude of the three clubs in the Cricket Far North competition missing the most representative players on Saturday.
Atherton, Mulgrave and Norths contributed 10 of the 12 players in the Far North Fusion squad, yet still managed to win their one-day matches.
Atherton, missing four of its stars, produced perhaps the best victory.
Set 170 to win by Rovers, the Tablelanders managed to eke out a victory against the odds.
Atherton was reeling at 5/66 and then again at 7/116, but somehow managed to find a way.
In his first game of the sea- son, Ethan Sanderson led the way with the bat.
Batting at No. 9, he produced a mature knock to guide the home team over the line.
His unbeaten 33 proved the difference as Atherton passed Rovers’ score in the 34th over with two wickets in hand.
It was a tough loss for Rovers, who looked to have posted a big enough total on the back of some Bobby Brix brilliance.
Brix, playing his second match for the club after transferring from United, scored 65 at the top of the order.
At Crathern Park, Mulgrave did enough to get the win against the battling Barron XI.
Will Robertson won man of the match honours with an unbeaten 38 before claiming 3-28 with the ball.
The Toads’ impressive total of 7/186 looked like it might be a few runs short when Barron was cruising in reply at 0/60, but Daniel Kendrick and Robertson combined to remove the openers.
Once Tim Ward (41) and Kishan Metzeling (22) were dismissed, the Bulldogs found themselves in trouble.
A late cameo by Dylan McDonald (22 not out) and skipper Jordan Fulton (17) was not enough for the bottom-placed Bulldogs to chase down the runs.
Stand-in Mulgrave skipper Marcus McGregor-Cassady said he was impressed by the performance.
“Everyone pretty much chipped in and that’s what we needed considering we had about six out from last week,” he said.
“Some of the lesser lights haven’t had much of a go this year and they put their hand up when they had the chance.”
“It should make it a bit tougher for selectors.”
Meanwhile, in Innisfail, the Cassowary Coast Cyclones were blown off the park by Norths.
Perhaps keen to get to Innisfail Cup day, the Cyclones were bowled out for 101 in the 23rd over – a day after captain Luke McAvoy challenged his side to bat out the overs.
In response, Norths passed the Cassowary Coast total with four wickets in hand.
Daniel Kempnich did his best to keep the Innisfail side in it, taking 5-34.