Tigers are made to look tame
Surfers skittles rival for 56 before coasting home
NIC Peterson hit the matchwinning runs for Surfers Paradise in a dominant victory over his former club that failed to deliver on the fireworks expected by many.
Peterson opened the batting with a target of just 56 runs, after Surfers’ bowling attack crushed the undermanned Southport Labrador Tigers.
Batting ace Nathan Reardon was devastating with the ball, taking four wickets in an eight-over spell that conceded just three runs to break the Tigers’ batting spine.
Captain-coach Simon Belston top-scored with 19 runs before he fell to the legspin of former teammate Daley Miller.
Surfers openers Peterson and Wayne Phillips combined for 51 runs from 30 balls, before Jason Choromanski removed Phillips six runs shy of victory, leaving Peterson to finish off his old side with 32.1 overs remaining.
It was the best bowling performance of 36-year-old Reardon’s cricket career at any level, after recovering from a neck injury that prevented him from bowling earlier in the season.
“I’m just happy to contribute where I can,” the former Australian T20 representative said.
“It’s nice being able to bowl again, because if I miss out with the bat I can add stuff with the ball. We’ve got good variety in our bowling attack and we’ve been bowling well.”
Surfers Paradise has now won three matches in a row with double bonus points, a good omen with important clashes looming against Queens and Broadbeach in coming weeks.
Mudgeeraba was dealt its second loss of the season when a century from Rhys Howarth inspired Runaway Bay to an upset victory on Bushranger turf.
Howarth’s heroics with the bat saw the Seagulls post 246, while a rare capitulation from the reigning T20 champion saw it bowled out for 135.
Palm Beach Currumbin survived a close encounter with Burleigh, with its undefeated record intact.
Burleigh needed eight runs from three balls to snatch the upset, but failed to control the strike, leaving top-scorer Jasper Schoenmaker (46 notout) stranded at the nonstriker’s end for all three decisive deliveries.
Broadbeach Robina cruised to an eight-wicket victory after bowling out Coomera for 107.
Afternoon showers washed away any hope of Alberton upsetting Queens, with the Centaurs 3-36 chasing 130 when play was abandoned.
Helensvale’s clash with the Colts met that same fate.