Straight-A quick Pinson tears through Villagers

DARWIN PREMIER GRADE R8

NIGHTCLIFF paceman Tom Pinson proved correct the cricketing adage of “you miss and I’ll hit’’ when he grabbed a six-wicket haul against Tracy Village yesterday.

Nightcliff won a bowlerdominated Darwin Premier Grade home game, struggling to 106 all-out, before Pinson blasted through the Villagers to see them crumble for 74.

The Sutherland fast man, from Sydney’s Premier Grade, clean bowled three of his victims and trapped two of them lbw on his way to 6-17 from eight overs.

Pinson was pleased with the 32-run win that lifted the Tigers off the bottom of the ladder, and how the ball came out of his hand.

“We needed to have a plan on what the wicket was doing and that was the best plan – bowling straight,’’ he said.

“I haven’t quite been at my best since coming back to Darwin, so it was nice to get the ball coming out the way I wanted it to.

“I feel we haven’t been far away in a lot of our matches.

“So it was good to get a win (yesterday).’’

Darwin beat Palmerston by 79 runs at Kahlin Oval. A 125run, third-wicket stand between Will Anstey (65) and skipper Luke Shelton (58) was the mainstay in Darwin’s 7-189, a total which Palmerston struggled to reach against a consistent Eagles bowling attack.

Four Darwin bowlers grabbed two wickets each.

Dion Meta’s diving catch to dismiss Rob van der Meulen off Aaron Summers’ (2-13) bowling on the square-leg boundary provided the fielding highlight.

Waratah went back to the top of the ladder with its 34run win over PINT at Marrara.

A pair of 80s in a century stand between Isaac Conway (82) and James Seymour (81) laid the foundation stone for Tahs’ 7-298 from their 50 overs.

Opener Josh Neill hit 111 from 134 balls to keep the Greens in the game, but they lost 6-55 after reaching 3-209, to fall away badly.

Udara Weerasinghe’s offspin did most of the damage, grabbing 4-53.

The competition continues in Round 9 action today.

Waratah travels to Palmerston’s Cazaly’s Oval, PINT hosts Southern Districts at Marrara, and the Tigers host Darwin at Nightcliff.

Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL PINT opener Josh Neill complied an impressive 111 from 134 balls, but it wasn’t enough, with his team losing to Waratah by 34 runs.