After a convincing victory against Cowaramup last week, confidence was high going into our clash with second place St Mary's.
With consistently high standards set in the field, it would be the top-order batsmen that needed to step up to ensure more competitive totals are set going into the final series.
St. Mary's elected to take first use of what looked to be a good batting wicket.
Young speedster Kade Dittmar opened the bowling with Aaron Thomas, with Dittmar striking first and Thomas unlucky not have the second of the St. Mary's openers caught behind.
Going into the first drinks break, the game was in the balance with St. Mary's 2/67.
With Thakrah and Hatton looking to build a partnership, it was Garstone that cleverly bowled full and wide drawing Hatton into a lofted cover drive that was securely taken by Silva.
Ben Lloyd joined Thakrah at the crease, resulting in a strong 47-run partnership, which finally came to an end thanks to the competition's leading wicket taker, Peter Crimp, dismissing Thakrah with the score on 116 in 37th over.
With two new batsman at the crease, the Hawks applied the pressure in the field we are best known for and game started to swing our way.
The remaining 12 overs returned team figures of 6/30, with Peter Crimp (3/39 from 10 overs), Grant Garstone 2/28 from 10 overs), Aaron Thomas (1/17 from 9 overs) and Rumesh Silva (1/16 from 10 overs) bowling with excellent control, suffocating the lower order and creating opportunities to take the remain 6 wickets, leaving the Hawks with a 147-run total for victory.
In the last two matches, the Hawks have not started well, with the first two wickets falling with totals on 7 and 14.
Unfortunately there was only a small improvement on these totals with the Hawks find themselves 2/23 after 11 overs.
With Silva and Joyce looking to see the partnership through to the 25-over drinks break, unfortunately Morris found the edge of Silva. Hawks 3/36.
Joyce and Roberts batted through to drinks with the score on 57 however it was Roberts that was beaten shortly after drinks by a quality Milligan delivery to be bowled for 13.
Two 20 odd-run partnerships followed between Joyce, Gartstone and Maurice Shinnick seeing the Hawks through to 6/100.
When Thomas and Crimp eventually joined each other at the crease, the Hawks were 8/108 and they both batted well adding a further 21 runs, with victory starting to look like a possibility again.
Unfortunately too much of the run chase was left to the lower order and the Hawks were eventually all out for 130, falling 17 run short of victory.
Following assessment of the statistics, it is clear that the batting must lift to the standards required of the A-Grade competition and offer more support for the excellent Hawks bowling attack.
The key statistic - the top six Hawks batsmen facing only 159 deliveries (26.3 overs) of the innings, with 67 deliveries of those deliveries coming from one batsman.
We have a quality top order but must be more determined to be far more patient and disciplined, especially when chasing totals.
Going into our bye in the final round, our position on the ladder has already been finalised, with the Hawks hosting Dunsborough in the must-win 1st Semi Final in two weeks.
We must re-group and be prepared to perform at our potential for two wins in a row to ensure we get to the 'big dance'... C'mon Hawkers! Let's show the competition our best!
B grade
The Hawks Club B grade side travelled to Barnard Park on Saturday in what was a historic, and hugely important match for the team.
Hawks stalwart Michael Earl lined up for what was a club first 350 games, an incredible achievement that started in the early 1990’s.
Lining up for the Hawks with father Ian, a lifelong passion was ignited, which has seen Earl play 292 B grade games, 46 A grade games and 12 C grade games.
A premiership player in the C and B grade teams, club president for 6 years, treasurer and curator, Earl has been more than just a player for the Hawks.
Over 5100 runs with a highest score of 185, and 328 wickets with best bowling figures of 5/11, he has been a solid contributor for the club for over 20 years.
However, this match was more than a milestone game for the club, as a win would continue the team’s season but a loss would end it there and then.
With regular skipper Maurice Shinnick being promoted to A grade, the script was written well with Earl to lead the Hawks in this milestone match.
Losing the toss, Hawks were sent in to bat and a good start was crucial.
Used to the pristine surface of Gloucester Park, Barnard Park had a slower outfield so a score of 190 plus was crucial to push for victory.
Al Wilkie opened the batting with Aeodhan Bailey and they looked to see off the opening bowlers early. Something clicked for Wilkie, as he took 11 off the second over of the match. From there it settled again, until Wilkie was dismissed for 16 with the score on 33 at the end of the 10 th over.
Earl joined Bailey and these two proceeded to put on 73 runs in the next 14 overs, with Bailey the standout with 42 runs off 64 balls.
Danny Weston joined Earl and made 13, while Earl contined his good form with the bat and brought up his second 50 in 3 games.
Matt Jarvis joined Earl after Weston was bowled by Mattock and Col Baker dismissed for a duck; however Earl’s innings came to an end after being caught and bowled by Crain for what was to be a match high 63.
When Jordan Standbury joined Kurt Thompson, the Hawks were 7 for 151 with 7 overs to go.
Thompson, 11 not out, and Standbury, 19 not out, saw the Hawks total to 7 for 185 from their 45 overs.
Needing just over 4 runs per over, St Mary’s were behind the run rate immediately, with Angus Currell and Taj Thomas bowling beautifully in partnership, conceding only 30 runs from the first 8 overs.
Kurt Thompson took over from Currell and started with two maiden overs, while Thomas continued his good form, picking up Hall and La Motte with unplayable deliveries.
Danny Weston conceded only 22 runs from 5 overs of quality spin and Aeodhan Bailey took the crucial wicket of Ash Leaney on his 5th ball; a brilliantly controlled catch by Currell a real highlight of the innings.
Al Wilkie came on from the Geographe Bay end and, in partnership with Ash Marioni, continued to constrict the Saints batsmen.
Wilkie taking 1 for 18 from 6 overs of swinging medium pace and having the ball on a string. Marioni’s leg spin a sight to behold, taking 1 for 10 from his first 4 overs.
When Thomas and Thompson came on again together for the last 6 overs, and with the light fading fast, the Saints batsmen found these two unplayable.
Needing 6.1 per over to win the game, constrictive bowling and good fielding strangled the opposition and the Hawks eventually took the points by 12 runs, with Thomas the star with the ball taking 2 for 25 from 9 overs.
C-Grade Results: Dunsborough 3-224 (40 overs) (B. Siney 101no, A. Coultas 59) b Vasse 93 (34 overs) (F. Gulzari 29, R. Pes 2-7, A. Pantelias 2-14, J. de Klerk 2-21, D. Merry 2-38). YOBS b Cowaramup on forfeit. St Marys b Margaret River Hawks on forfeit.
