Light Pass Cricket Club

The first matches played for 2011 returned mostly positive results for the boys in the baggy green with two out of three senior sides bringing home the points and some good results in the juniors.

A1's – The A1's played their first ever match against Sandy Creek at Stockwell on the weekend under threatening skies.  Light Pass lost the toss and the “Cocky's” elected to bat first.
The Bowlers started well taking a couple of early wickets via Brad Hunter who continues to impress this season taking two. The other bowlers worked hard to keep the run rate down as Sandy Creek started to attack and when Tim Taylor picked up a wicket just before drinks the match was balances finely with the score at 3/65.
After the break Sandy Creek went on the offensive scoring quickly but Wade Gripton eased the pressure with a big wicket and Mick Braunack joined in with a couple scalps as well in a good period of play for the side.  Grippo bagged another wicket but it was the reintroduction of Brad Hunter that really gave the Baggy Greens a chance as he ripped through the tail to finish with figures of 5/32 from his 8 overs.  Sandy Creek were dismissed for 156 and all of a sudden it seemed that a upset maybe on the cards.
 A wicket inside the first 3 overs was the only hiccup in a pretty good start for Light Pass as they set themselves up with a good 2^nd wicket partnership between Richard Mattner and Sean Schrapel taking the score to 51.  Unfortunately the middle order did not continue the job after Dick was bowled for 41.  Nathan Koch played a good innings of 21 before losing his wicket and after that the lads never recovered and  crashed to be all out for 96.  The lads were very dissapointed to have let a chance to    defeat a top 4 side slip through their fingers again but the bowling of Brad Hunter was a major positive and earned him the man of the match award.

A2's – The “Wanderers” also played Sandy Creek and travelled to Sandy Creek oval for the first time on Saturday. Faced with a sticky wicket the lads were surprised when Sandy Creek elected to bat first after Simon Davies inevitably lost the toss again.
Sandy Creek got off to a steady start but the opening pair of Syd Miller and Mick Baumann made inroads into the line up after a rain delay and that triggered  a middle order collapse as Syd devastated the “Cocky's” middle order taking 4/19.  Mick Baumann was a little expensive but took 2 wickets and Andrew Nash's tight spell of 2/22 helped to bowl out Sandy Creek for only 90 runs in a great all-round effort in the field.
With the match shortened to only 32 overs due to rain it was important for the top order to get a good start and after a couple of early wickets it was Andy Davidson and Jeremy Gore who did the damage with a excellent 84 run partnership lasting 20 overs that took the score past Sandy Creeks with plenty of time to spare.  Andy Davidsons innings of 67 was a cracker featuring 7 boundaries while Jeremy made a solid 28 runs before being caught.  Matty Mattners cameo innings of 46 from only 17 balls was a sight to see as he clubbed the ball well past the fence on 4 occasions helping take the final score to 5/164.
The win puts the “Wanderers” back on top of the table and the man of the match was Syd Miller.

A4's – The A4's took on Greenock at Nuri High on the weekend and batted first after losing the toss.
Brad Ellbourn and Jimmy Braunack opened the batting against an over proof “Schlunger” attack and were looking good before Brad was bowled for 8. Marty Gallasch joined Jimmy and the pair managed to see off the openers before Marty was dismissed with the score on 27.  The next wicket fell quickly bringing Adrian Hoffmann to the crease and with Jimmy the pair took the stick to Greenock's attack for a few overs putting on 70 runs before Hoffy picked out a fielder on 50 even.  Jimmy continued to bat well but the runrate slowed, a series of small partnerships took the score to 142 before the last wicket fell in the last over.  Jimmy's innings of 44 lasted almost the entire 40 overs and was certainly the cornerstone of the dig.
The defence started well with an early wicket to Dan Hausler but some lust hitting put the “Schlungers” in contention again despite some excellent bowling by Bradley Boehm.  Dan picked up another wicket and Nigel Koop tweaked out the main batsman and the momentum swung Light Pass's way again.  Adrian Hoffmann entered the fray with immediate effect taking another good wicket but Greenock's early runrate had the total under pressure and the boys in the Baggy Green were going to have to bowl the opposition out in order to win.  Justin Sparks took an important wicket and it looked as if the team was home but some stubborn batting by the Grennock tail had everyone nervous.  They needn't have worried as Hoffy's reintroduction saw the last 2 wickets fall in three balls giving Light Pass A4's their first win of 2011.  The standard of fielding was good all day but none were better than Mitch Laubsch who took 3 catches and nearly snaffled a 4^th.  The man of the match with 50 and 4 wickets was Adrian Hoffmann.