Cricket Report
Round 12 1st XI Match Report v St Ignatius’ College Riverview
Saturday 4th March played at St Ignatius’ College First Field, Riverview
Shore 10/139 (Axel Bailey 21) SIC 7/140 (Ben Hocking 4/25, Sam Walton 1/20)
L. A. Hunt
Captain of Cricket, Senior Prefect
After a bitterly disappointing loss against Newington the week prior, the SHORE 1st XI headed into Riverview keen to claim a victory. On a green and sticky wicket SHORE lost the toss and were sent into bat. The innings began rapidly with openers Sutton and Segaert running quickly between the wickets and scoring at a high rate. Some big hitting from Segaert, which included a 6 in just the third over of the game, put the team in an aggressively dominant position early. However, both batsmen fell quickly, and SHORE required immediate consolidation. Bailey and Hunt dug in for a number of overs, resisting Riverview’s leg spinners in tough conditions, but both eventually fell to the hands of spin. From there, SHORE’s innings was characterised by batsmen making starts and then failing to capitalise. Compounded by lapses in concentration, the team was dismissed for just 139 and would require an immense bowling effort to defend such a total.
The SHORE side eagerly made their way onto the field, looking for a similar start to their Newington bowling innings, but the Riverview openers had other ideas, seeing off the first 12 overs and starting a solid partnership. Thankfully, the introduction of Ben Hocking and Sam Walton at first and second change respectfully pulled the innings back into SHORE’s grasp. 2 wickets from Hocking in his first spell and 1 from Walton saw Riverview quickly move to 3/38, with the SHORE side in a dominant position. However, a fourth wicket partnership between Riverview batsmen looked to quell this effort and quickly Riverview moved to 4/80. Commendably, the SHORE side never dropped in perseverance, consistently putting pressure on the Riverview batsmen in the field and vocally expressing their effort levels to a great extent.
As a result, the continued enthusiasm, compounded by some accurate bowling from Tom Fuzes and another wicket taking spell from Ben Hocking, which saw his figures move to 4/25 for the match, Riverview were put in trouble at 7/123 with only 6 overs remaining. Heartbreakingly, the comeback by SHORE’s bowlers was futile as some frantic running between the wickets and fortunate ball placement from the Riverview batsmen saw them scrape away with the win. The disappointing result of this game should not reflect the effort the 1st XI displayed during their bowling innings. The field was electric with the team’s ardour, and once again SHORE’s young bowlers, Ben Hocking, Tom Fuzes, and Sam Walton exceptionally led the way with the ball. Unfortunately, the team’s consistent effort and the strength of their young bowlers was dampened by the lacklustre performance of some of the team’s senior players. Particularly the bowlers who failed to bowl accurate lines, letting down the side and the especially the listed bowlers who had performed so well.
The team plays 2nd place St Joseph’s College next week and will need to approach the game differently. SHORE’s senior players must stand up and support the exceptional efforts of its young members and the team must improve on its batting innings which have failed to deliver big totals the team can defend.