The undefeated Bin Chooks played host to the new team, the Fine Legs last Monday and an enthralling encounter ensued.
With teams getting close to knocking off the reigning premiers, the Legs were determined this would be their night.
Understand, though, that the Bin Chooks have not lost a game in the entire existence of the Busselton T20 competition and hence why this would be no easy feat by the newbies.
Staying with 18 overs a side, the Chooks won the toss and as all good captains decide, Danny Brook decided they were batting.
Ash Leaney was out early though, only putting on two while Miles Armstrong, last year’s cricketer of the year, was also back in the pavilion for just seven.
This week’s birthday boy, Chris Brook, retired on 31 while Sean Beckett also retired with 27 runs coming off only 8 deliveries.
Three 6’s and two 4’s will help you to do that! Tom Payne hit a 17 ball 21 before Larsen came in and belted a 14 ball 30 to also retire.
The Culnane duo of Andrew and Paul both took 2/14 from their two overs while Justin Chandler took 1/10 from his two. The Chooks hit 144 from their 18 overs to set the Legs over eight runs an over to win.
The Chooks bowled tight to begin with as Ben Priest and Brad Price both hit 16 before being dismissed with a run rate of seven after the first five overs.
Gav Noney came in a got into the swing of things quicker this match with a retired 30 from just 16 deliveries to up the ante straight away.
Aaron Smith hit a six from his first ball and four from his third to have a 200pc strike rate once he departed after five deliveries. Andrew Culnane, (5) came and went, as did Wes Stanley, (1), before Paul Culnane blasted a 10-ball 19.
There were 34 sundries bowled in an unusual performance by the Chooks but the highlight in this game was the victory of the Fine Legs to make the required 145 runs in only 16 overs.
This win puts the Fine Legs run rate at the top of the competition with 8.11 and with a game in hand, could really be the smokey come finals time.
They battle off against the Swingers on Friday night.
The Chooks, still sitting on top of the ladder but by only run rate, will no doubt regroup and will be ever keen to get back on the winners list tonight against the Jack of All Trades at the Vasse Sporting Complex.
Round four game two saw a more one-sided game of cricket with the Son’s of Pitches out muscling the Jack of All Trades by 64 runs.
Batting first, the SOP’s started the game perfectly with Connor Luff, 25, Phil Watts, 28 and Brayden Surrell, 26, all retiring and giving the Son’s a 10 runs per over run rate after six overs.
Dan Wilde hit 10, Craig Bassell 9, before Alex Warner, 11 not out, and Son’s of Pitches skipper, Brett Wood striking an unbeaten 14 runs to leave the Jack of All Trades a whopping 161 runs to hit off 18 overs.
At nearly nine runs per over needed, the Jacks needed a solid start.
Unfortunately for them, Wilde had other ideas and picked up Rob and Dylan Seiber in his first over; the second for the innings.
When Cam Hyde dismissed Jason J for a duck, the Jack’s were 3/18 and in a bit of trouble. With the run rate climbing even more, the Jack’s needed some big partnerships but it was only Brendon with 23 runs the only player to hit double figures.
The Jack’s were dismissed for 96 in the 17th over with Dan Wilde, 2/10, and Alex Warner, 2/11, the stand out bowlers.
This gave the Son’s of Pitches their first points of the season while the Jack’s are still sitting fifth on the ladder. The Son’s of Pitches played the Heavy Rollers last night while the Jack’s take on the Bin Chooks tonight.
Wednesday night saw a bit of celebrity cricket with home grown hero, Ben Stratton, pulling on the fluorescent yellow of the Lemons.
Stratton, normally seen on television these days playing for Hawthorn in the AFL, was inducted into the Lemon’s in the only way they do ...getting him to eat a freshly picked lemon in front of the entire team.
Much to the amusement of the supporters gathered to watch, he did, but it was soon serious business with the Lemons opting to bat first on a smoke filled facility.
Jess Dornan was dismissed for two runs off the fourth ball of the innings to bring Mitch Gerrans, (15) to the crease to join Ryan Wellings, (19).
Some lusty blows from both batsmen saw the run rate go from five after the first over to almost nine after three. But this was just a taste of things to come.
Paul Christianson only added two runs before Ben Gerrans and Rhys Johnson tamed up to take the score to 104 off only 12 overs. With these boys both retiring on 32 and 27 respectively, it brought the player the crowd ame to see to the crease.
Enter Ben Stratton. As a cricketer, Stratton is a bloody good footballer, hitting 10 runs to help the Lemons to make 135 off their 18 allotted overs.
The required run rate was just over 7.5 and the Heavy Rollers were bang on with 15 from the first two.
Glenn Anderson, fresh from a week in the little-known holiday destination called Bali, hit 16 before being stumped of spinner Wellings. Shaun Uren hit five while the Roller’s skipper, Paul Keen shone brightly, so much so that one would think he is an electrician.
Three fours were struck in a team high 20 runs before some late hitting from Simon White, 16, the only other Roller to reach double figures.
When the last wicket fell, the Rollers were dismissed for 88, falling somewhat short of the total required.
They will welcome back Robbie Williams this week though, for last night match against the Son’s of Pitches, after a quick work trip to Sydney had him sell out the Opera House.
The Lemons played Monday night against the Match Fixers.
Friday night had the skies cleared from all smoke, and the Match Fixers up against the Swingers.
Batting first after skipper Docking won the toss, Jarrod Bailey opened with Brad Kelly but was soon back in the shed for only four runs.
Kelly played well for 18 runs before Rickard basted his way to 31 runs.
Docking hit 17 including a massive six that has the teams no doubt still talking about it. But there wasn’t much else as the Fixers made 104 from their 18 overs.
The newly married Aiden Fraser took 2/15, while Haig Columbera 2/11 from his two, but it was Dave McKay, 3/9 from two overs that was the stand out.
The Swingers, as their name suggests, came out swinging. 28 runs to Bailey Sanford, 21 to Beau Chinnery and 25 to Fraser had the result in no doubt before Tom Begley, 17 not out and Tye Denton, 1no, saw the Swingers home in only the 11th over.
The Swingers will play another Friday night match, against the Fine Legs, while the Match Fixers played the Lemons on Monday night.
The ladder is starting to take shape with three teams sitting on 30 points and only run rate separating them.
Bin Chooks, with a run rate of 8.051 are sitting on top followed by the Swingers, 8.392 and the Lemons, 8.039.
Fine Legs, with a game in hand, have 20 points and a run rate of 8.12 to be sitting above the Jacks on 5.122. Son’s of Pitches, 7.18, and Heavy Rollers, 5.82, both have 10 points, while the Match Fixers are yet to get some points on the board.
It is great to see so many new faces playing this season however more players are still needed to top up a couple of the teams.
The Busselton T20 would also like to thank their following sponsors in Bunbury Busselton Towing, Trade Hire Busselton, the Busselton Dunsborough Mail and Southern Workwear.
Don’t forget games start at 4.45pm at the Vasse Sporting Complex off Napolean Boulevard in Vasse.
Spectators are welcome to watch some fantastic cricket. Bring a picnic down, get the family together and enjoy the community of Vasse. For any more information, please call Michael Earl on 0420 576 029 or follow the Facebook page @busseltont20
