A GRADE: HOWARD HEROICS AS DOGS DOWN PIES IN LAST OVER THRILLER
Central 6/104 (Paull 44*, Maalste 3/13) defeated by North 5/108 (Howard 46*, Turley 2/11)
A very hot afternoon at the Alma Oval hosted the North v Central T20 clash kicking off at 4pm.
With a few A-Grade regulars being the only ones glued to their seats at Adelaide Oval for the much anticipated fourth day of the Australia v West Indies Test match, a few old and new faces were named to hold the fort.
Central won the toss and elected to bat on a flat but bouncy pitch and a lightning-fast outfield. Exciting young gun Rhys Pitt was presented with his first A-Grade cap in the pre-game, a great reward for all his hard work this season.
Michael Maalste and Austin Wilson took the new rock for the Dogs. Both bowlers were very tidy as early runs were hard to come by. With his tail up, Maalste bowled a beautiful corridor outside off stump as Riley Elvery nicked behind to Tobias Hack for four. Central 1/9.
It didn’t take long for Austin Wilson to join the party either. Nick Devoy on eight got cramped top edging a shorter length delivery as Joel Sheppard scooted around from wide mid-on to take the catch. Central 2/15 and in early trouble.
A couple of experienced campaigners in Sheldon Hall and Jarred Paull came together at the crease. Just as the pair were looking to consolidate, Maalste ripped a thunderbolt yorker through Hall on four to have Central reeling at 3/19.
Paull was joined next by keeper James Young. The pair struggled to gain any momentum as the first change pairing of Jaxon Cain and Kieran McEvoy continued the groundwork laid by Maalste and Wilson. Young on four looked to tuck McEvoy off his hip, only to hold out to Jacob McMahon at square leg. Central on struggle street at 4/30.
Paull and new partner Scott Mateer got Central through to drinks at 4/38. A great session for North with some tidy bowling and good catching setting the scene.
The good bowling continued after the break as Cain continued to chip away whilst Codie Howard and Wilson were able to keep things quiet in the power surge. Paull and Mateer were beginning to find a little bit of momentum though.
Joel Sheppard entered the attack and kept things tidy in his first over. On the last ball of Sheppard’s first over, Mateer on 14 worked one to short fine leg, but Austin Wilson fired one at the stumps at the bowlers end to have Mateer short of his ground. An excellent piece of fielding, Central 5/64 in the 15th over.
Paull was joined by stalwart Dave O’Mally. Paull was looking to up the ante and O’Mally found some handy runs through the slip cordon to keep things ticking. With Sheppard tidy again in his second over, Hack decided it was time to bring back the big dog Michael Maalste. Maalste ripped a brute of a yorker past O’Mally on 12 to have Central 6/85.
Paull was joined by Connor Turley. Paull took a liking to the very short Bonanza St boundary in the final over as he found and cleared it on a couple of occasions to finish 44 not out and guide Central to a competitive 6/104 off 20 overs.
All North bowlers did a great job with Maalste 3/13 off four overs the standout in a terrific spell of fast bowling. Austin Wilson 1/28 off four and Kieran 1/16 off three overs bowled very well also and were well supported by Jaxon Cain, Codie Howard, and Joel Sheppard.
With 105 to get North captain Tobias Hack was joined by the returning Shayne Staker. North got off to a flying start thanks to some wayward Central bowling and solid strokeplay from Hack.
Things turned pear shaped in the fourth over though when Staker was controversially given out caught at short fine leg for four by substitute fielder Jetta Hall. Square leg umpire Joel Sheppard had forgotten his optometrist appointment earlier in the week confirming the catch. North 1/32.
Hack was joined next by Michael Maalste. Maalste looked good early slapping a lovely straight drive to the boundary. Maalste on four soon became Turley’s second victim when he was caught by Scott Mateer at cover. North 2/40.
Hack was next joined by Austin Wilson. Things weren’t improving though as Hack on 16 was cramped for room by Nick Devoy as he skied one to Connor Turley. North 3/44.
The experienced Codie Howard was next to join Wilson. Always up for a good dog fight. Just as the pair appeared to be steadying the ship, Wilson on two flushed a full-blooded pull shot into the hands of Clinton Jones at square leg off the bowling of Dave O’Mally. North in a little bit of trouble at 4/53. Howard and new partner Jacob McMahon guiding North to 4/55 off 10 overs at drinks.
Howard and McMahon continued to fight after the break, but when turning for a second run, McMahon on four unfortunately pulled his hamstring and had to retire. A real shame for Jacob. The club and their supporters are hoping he is on the mend very soon.
Howard was next joined by swing king Jaxon Cain. Cain offered some solid support as Howard began to put the foot down as he began finding the boundary on regular intervals including forward defending an off drive to the airport end long off boundary.
Cain’s defiance eventually ended on two when he was bowled by Jarred Paull to leave North on 5/87 and needing 18 off 23 balls.
B-Grade captain Kieran McEvoy was next to join Howard. McEvoy worked and nudged any runs he could to keep the scoreboard ticking and feed Howard the strike. Needing 11 off 13 balls, Howard slashed a short and wide delivery from Dave O’Mally to the point boundary sending the punters into raptures.
Without taking any risks, Howard and McEvoy were able to work six runs off Paull in the 19th over to leave scores tied. Howard clubbed Scott Mateer to the wide long on boundary on the first ball of the final over to wrap up a crucial victory. Howard was outstanding, finishing 46 not out off just 31 balls and was very well supported by McEvoy making seven not out.
With a few key regular players out and coming up against a strong Central side, this was a hugely important win as North maintained first position on the table.
North next take on South in a mid-week T20 at Alma Oval. The day of the match currently scheduled for Wednesday night may be subject to change to due to extreme temperatures forecasted.
