Badgers stunned

IT took 10 games and a dramatic super over but the undefeated run of the Piccones Badgers came to an end at the hands of the Halpin Hurricanes on Saturday night.

With the match tied after 40 overs, Hurricanes’ Cameron Davis kept Jake Roach (2 from 2), Angus Warnock (9 from 3) and Will Robertson (0* from 1) to 2/11 from his over.

In reply, opening batsman Justin Reid (14 off 5) did it all himself, smashing two fours and a six off Roach’s over to power his side to victory.

Chasing 137, the Badgers were cruising at 0-70 after 10 overs, following a solid opening partnership between Warnock (33 off 31) and Tajinder Kumar (42 off 42).

Needing four runs off the final six balls, and with Robertson (20 off 13) at the crease, the Badgers looked poised to claim their 10th straight victory, before the Hurricanes fought back through Davis’ death bowling.

The classy allrounder bowled the 18th and 20th overs and took 2-6 from his final 12 deliveries, with a pair of runouts off his bowling as well, to force a super over.

“We felt like we were a good match-up against the Badgers,” Hurricanes captain Michael Salerno said.

“At the halfway point we were probably 10-15 runs short, and when they were batting they were none for 70 off 10 (overs), with 10 (wickets) in the shed and one Jake Roach still to bat, so we done well to peg it back and get to the super over, and obviously ‘Reidy’ went nuts in the super over, which was pretty handy.”

Salerno, who celebrated his 36th birthday on Saturday, said it was nice to mark the occasion with a win.

“Particularly to do it against the Badgers – they’ve been such a quality side for those first nine games,” he said.

The Hurricanes played in another super over – their third this season – in Sunday’s clash against the Dare Devils, but finished on the wrong end.

“We’re getting sick of these super overs,” Salerno said with a laugh.