Baird’s seven heaven
Solid start comes up long way short
HELENSVALE Pacific Pines bowler Jack Baird gave the Taper Premier League a masterclass on Saturday, taking a sensational seven wickets in the Hawks’ 72-run defeat of Southport Labrador.
Electing to bat first the previous week, the Hawks had a shaky start with opening batsman Max Trotman dismissed by Mitch Johnson – who went on to take five wickets, including the Hawks’ Harish Kumar for a duck.
In regular fashion, Jack Lickiss smashed his way to score 43 runs from 46 balls, which was complemented by steady runs from the rest of the Hawks to reach their winning total of 193.
Conversely, the Tigers started their chase strong with modest runs from Will Hale (21), Joel Smith (31) and Dhanushka Mitipolaarachchi (25), before Baird turned on the heat to eliminate Southport’s final four batsman, with Johnson remaining not out.
In Mudgeeraba, the Bushmen
took down Runaway Bay thanks to a century from the prolific Dylan McLaughlin.
McLaughlin combined with the competition’s leading run scorer Josh Nelson, who went on his way to score 67 from 146 balls, to reach a winning total of 299 for the side.
Adding even more to their dangerous attack was Luke Smith, who neared his own half century with a score of 49 from 73 balls.
Bowling first, Mudgeeraba put Runaway Bay under immediate pressure with Mackenzie Barclay taking the first four wickets at a rate of 1.40 – before taking three wickets in the second innings.
Palm Beach continued its climb up the ladder with a narrow win over Burleigh at home on Salk Oval.
Chasing Burleigh’s total of 268, James McNeil gave the Lions an early boost with 56 from 108, while Cody Durante (61 from 79 balls) and captain
Zane Beattie (49 not out) pushed the side along.
Beattie’s score proved once again why he is the league’s second highest run scorer, on 536 runs, behind Mudgeeraba’s Nelson on 624.
The win puts the Lions in second place on the ladder behind the Bushmen, who are on track to finish minor premiers with a score of 102.3.
Only two rounds remain in Division 1 before finals start on March 18.