Hawks fall short in clash against St Mary's

We looked to strike early with opening bowlers however unfortunately man-of-the-match from Round 1, Aaron Thomas, was forced to leave the field before bowling his third delivery of the over leaving an opportunity for another strike bowler to step up. With Saints on 0/29 off 10 overs both opening batsmen were looking settled and ready to build a steady partnership. Enter Leigh 'Lethal' Westcott.

In the following 10 overs, Leigh Wescott took 4 wickets in his next 5 overs, with excellent support at the other end from Peter Crimp, to have Saints 4/57 off 20 overs.

With Matty Kent dismissing former Dunsborough player Courtney-Bennett for 1 run, Saints were on the ropes at 5/58. Westcott, Kent and Rumesh Silva continued to apply pressure to the fragile Saints batting line up taking the remaining 5 wickets for only 19 runs, restricting the reigning premiers to 77 runs.

Westcott was the pick of the bowlers finishing with figures of 5/25 off 9.4 overs. The top fielding performance goes to Darcy Bailey who took two excellent catches. With a total of 78 runs required, our openers started well until Silva was dismissed for 10 with the team total on 14.

This brought together Chris MacLean (21) and Shane Joyce who constructed yet another important partnership of 52 runs before MacLean was dismissed by the Saints Captain. Eventually the target was reached in the 17th over with Joyce finishing on 36 n.o. giving the Hawks their second win for the season. The Hawks will now travel to Dunsborough where they will look to continue their winning form.

Travelling to Busselton for a match against Saints, it couldn't have been more picturesque, a fantastic day for cricket, clear skies and not a cloud in sight. Losing the toss the mighty Hawks B side were sent in to bowl, going off last week's performance with the ball they were quietly confident that they could keep the Busselton side to a minimal score. It took the Hawks just four overs to get their first pole with the home side 1/17 after an absolute peach from Trent Mathews. Unfortunately it was an uphill battle from there as the Margaret River hawks side struggled to maintain consistent bowling, leading to big scores for the home side with David Lamotte (75) and J Gower (42) leading the Saints to a commanding total of 216. Honourable mentions go to Trent Mathews 4/54 off 9 and Blake Gilliam 2/18 from 7 proving that good line and length can be very rewarding taking wickets and restricting the run rate.

With a difficult 217 to win on the cards the openers had to remain cool headed to make the run chase a possibility, father-son opening partnership of Maurice Shinnick and Jude Shinnick stepped to the crease and would attempt to build the stepping stones in which to make this mammoth run chase a reality. After the first 10 the Hawks were 0/29, after seeing off the openers they looked to press on with more expansive stroke play, unfortunately Jude Shinnick fell soon after for 17, after that in came both Blake Anderson and David Holmes who both fell in quick succession leaving the Hawks 3/34 and in all sorts. Up stepped Paul Tognolini, when it seemed like the Hawks were in disarray and needed a firm partnership to build, and did the two deliver, putting on a 96 partnership until Tognolini was finally dismissed for a very well sought after 50.

Wickets continued to tumble around Maurice Shinnick (79) and the Hawks fell 15 runs short. The Hawks will travel to Vasse which will prove a big test as they still are looking for that elusive win.

The C Grade season got underway for 2019-20 under beautiful clear skies against St Mary's with a steady south easterly blowing on what appeared to be a rather unkempt Churchill Park oval with a team consisting of some stars of the future and plenty of cricket knowledge to lead the young chargers.

Stand in Skipper James Gannaway lost the toss and the Saints captain had no hesitation in putting the Hawks into the field. Angus Currell had the luxury of bowling the new ball with the wind at this back, his first over was right on the mark with only one run coming from it.

The Skipper Gannaway started himself into the breeze against Hawk turned Saint John Mottershead and it didn't take long for the him to strike. A wayward full toss that should've been struck to the boundary was top edged by Mottershead with Jono Outred taking a regulation catch at mid-off.

Unfortunately, after a good start Angus Currell (0/24) lost his rhythm a little, as can happen early in the season, and was swapped out after four overs for the cool-headed Euan Murray and at the other end Joel "VC" Lawrance replaced Gannaway.

As the Saints pair slowly began to build a partnership it was Murray who struck the needed blow, getting one through the gate of evergreen Saints batsman Graeme Sly, score at 2/55. With the drinks break looming the younger Currell, Darcy, was given a chance to bowl his leggies with the breeze replacing Murray.

No more wicket were to fall in the first stanza with Saints on 2/98 at the half way mark. After some words of wisdom at the drinks break the Hawks came out upbeat looking to close out the innings.

Young Augusta recruit Charlie Flintoff started into the breeze after the break bowling a spell that many seasoned veterans would be happy with, 5 overs 0/13 drying the runs up and putting the pressure back on the batsmen. After Darcy (0/39) bowled a few more after drink the batsmen started to find his measure so it was time for another change, this time in the shape of future star Bailey Kelly.

The change had impact almost instantly with Kelly picking up a wicket with his second ball, going on to get figures of 1/8 off four overs, before it was time to give the oldest kid on the park a bowl, the wise head Michael Sorenson. Sorenson (1/6) and Flintoff, then Lawrance (1/26) kept the pressure on and with wickets falling at regular intervals it was proving hard for Saints to build any momentum.

With a handful of over left Gannaway brought himself back on getting another couple of wickets.

A great second half performance in the field by the Hawks had kept the total to 156, a very achievable total with the batting talent we had. As Sorenson and Murray strode out to the crease to start the chase there was a feeling in the air that today was going to be a good day.

Murray was dismissed early for 1 followed shortly after by the young prodigy Harvey Fisher, also 1, and things where looking a little shaky. With the recently returned Alastair McIlroy (5), Jarrad Head (0) and Jono Outred (4) all back in the shed before drinks the Hawks where in a precarious position at 5/45 off 15 overs, enter Bailey Kelly.

With a cool head, years beyond his ago, Kelly and Sorenson started to rebuild the chase. When Sorenson (31) was out in the over before drinks things where not looking good.

Gannaway (1) came and went either side of drinks but all the while Kelly was building his innings, working ones and twos to rotate the strike while dispatching the bad balls to the boundary. Flintoff stuck around to assist Kelly and slowly knocking off the runs, when Kelly reached his 50 with only 36 runs needed the hawks had a sniff.

Unfortunately, Kelly was out shortly after for 51 in a player of the match performance, and the Hawks would need a solid rear guard effort to bring the win home.

Angus Currell joined Flintoff at the crease who both shone under the pressure, restrained aggression was the order of the day with both boys working the fielders magnificently getting the Hawks closer with every over.

With 7 overs to go Hawks needed 20 runs with two wickets left, the next over Flintoff would be out for a solid 17 and it would be left to Angus Currell and Lawrance to chase down the final runs.

Some costly death bowling from Saints certainly assisted the Hawks with a wide called to tie scores and then a bye off the next ball the Hawks were home, winning by one wicket with three overs to spare.

The boys showed great fight in second half of both innings to secure an all-important first up win. Next week we make the trip down Mowen Road to take the Nannup Tigers.