TURF CRICKET
Bulls miss on back to back
By PETER ARGENT
WINNER of the past four Premier League flags, Grange Cricket Club collected its fifth Brock Real Estate One-day knock out Adelaide Turf competition with a strong win in hot, overcast and sultry conditions against Pooraka at Lindbolm Park on Sunday.
Captain Wayne Dessaur led from the front in his first season at the helm, backing up after his impressive 148 not out in the semi-final, with a classy century in the ultimate match of the competition.
His chanceless 116 came off 150 balls in 180 minutes and included 15 boundaries and two sixes.
After losing Benwell and Jason Walshaw early (the latter for his second duck in consecutive days), Dessaur and association captain Andrew Scott were involved in what would be a match winning partnership of 119 for the third wicket.
Dessaur was involved in another 63 run amalgamation with Damien Seekamp for the next wicket and Stewart Whitehouse was promoted up the batting order, making 20 not out at the end.
In the Dolphins total of 5/242, Andrew Tompkins was the most penetrating of the bowlers, taking 2/33 off his allocated overs, with Jody McCloy and Craig Turner each securing one scalp.
Last year's winners of this event, Pooraka had a solid early start, being 0/40 before losing four wickets for just 17 runs, including the experienced players like Stuart Ellicott, Peter Richardson and Damien Reeves.
The latter, being dismissed for a golden duck. Wickets fell consistently, but the game wasn't in the Dolphins hands until Travis Wright off the bowling of Peter Judd controversially caught Pooraka captain Jamie Jarrett on the fence for an aggressive 55.
Three top order Bulls batsmen, Peter Richardson, Stuart Ellicott and Leigh Wallman got into their 20s but failed to build on their starts and Craig Turner made 26 with the tail.
In the end, Grange won by 63 runs, dismissing its opponents in the 46th over of its innings.
Phil Benwell's medium pacers proved to be the catalyst in the field; he took three middle order wickets and the final victim, caught by Stewart Whitehouse in the deep, to finish with the excellent one-day analysts of 4/27.
Peter Judd took 2/33 with his gentle trundlers, with Travis Wright, Stewart Whitehouse and Paul Galliford each claiming a wicket.
As expected Grange captain-coach Wayne Dessaur was selected as the Man of the Match.
Roos shine
In early trouble with the majority of the top order back in the pavilion, Richmond Clarence Park recovered from 5/60 to compile a strong total of 277, being bowled out in the last over of the day against Pulteney OS.
A 6th wicket partnership of 108 between Erin Bernhardt, who top scored with 79 and Craig Lovering (52) was the catalyst to the team's resurrection.
Grant Lovering and Johnny Lonergan made handy 30s, with the dynamic late order hitter, Warwick Potts making a swashbuckling 36 off only 35 balls.
Pulteney Old Scholars opening bowling partnership of Steve Matchett and Jon Noble shouldered most of the responsibilities in the field. Matchett took 5/71 off 22.4 overs, while Noble's analysis was 3/63 from 25 overs.
Michael Krawczyk collected the other two wickets. Grange continued its drive towards the finals bowling out Flinders Park at the Reserve for 160. Former district player from Glenelg, Phil Benwell bowling 24 unchanged overs in the oppressive conditions, picking up the impressive figures of 6/50.
Peter Judd collected a single scalp off his 18 tight overs, with Stewart Whitehouse, Paul Galliford and Mark Ainslie also securing a victim each.
Returning to the Reds side, on field leader Huntley Armstrong made 34 and young Shane Warne also made 33. After losing three top order wickets for one run earlier in the day, number 11 batsman Kris Kruger ensured the Flinders Park got past the 150 mark with an unbeaten 22.
Having to face seven overs at the end of the day, the Dolphins lost the wickets of Wayne Dessaur and Jason Walshaw, being 2/22 at stumps. Medium- fast bowler Grant Scheuffele secured both the break throughs.
Playing the unbeaten Pooraka side, Adelaide High Old Scholars made at healthy 265. Aaron Searl, batting at number 8, made a better than a run a ball 78, to set up this total.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Clinton Gates fell one short of his half century, while Jim Rankin made 35 and captain Warren Mitchell collected 29, to be the main stays with the bat for the Hunters.
The gentle medium pacers of Stuart Ellicott were the best of the bowlers taking 3/16, for the Bulls. Pace-man Craig Turner collected 2/44 and young quick Andrew Tompkins claimed 2/49.
Andrew Sinclair's stellar season continued at Rowe Park, with a sensational 225 balls, season high premier league score of 168 against Ingle Farm.
He has now passed the 600 run mark for the season, collecting his third hundred for the summer.
He is now a part of a select group of Premier League batsmen, including Darren Cook (RCP), Paul Sheahan (SPOC), Paul Haynes (CP), Kym Reid (Walk.) and Greg Stagg (CP) who have secured three centuries in a summer.
In the massive team total of 6/351, Andrew Rumbelow continued his consistent summer, collecting yet another half century, finishing with well-compiled 72.
Club stalwarts, the Hicks brothers, Tom and Sam also made cameos, the older brother (Tom) making 42, while the younger sibling made 29 off 17 balls.Ingle Farm's summer has gone from bad to worse, with relegation to the next division now becoming a fate comply.
Medium-pacer Andrew Marks took three of the six wickets to fall, finishing with 3/91.
At Payneham Oval, Woodville Rechabites worked its way into a commanding position against the Knights, making 286. Talented all-rounder Rory Poole made his first century of the summer making 110, which included 11 boundaries and two sixes.
Opener Mark Thomas made a steady 61, with the rest of the batsmen supported the two star performers. Rechabites coach Kerry Dohnt was happy with the effort.
"Batting around our two main scorers, it was an excellent team effort today," he said.
Best of the 'Knights' bowlers in a season that has lost momentum, was medium pacer Nathan Petrus, who took 3/37, while former ATCA representative player Daniel Oung took 1.25 off four over and Chris Underwood, only a month after surgery, secured 1/37 of 17 economical overs.
Club secretary, Neil Padley made his own mark on the playing field on Saturday, collecting this 300th club wicket in a C grade fixture. In was also interesting to note, that club coach Brent Felice was a member of the club's second eleven for its game against Marion at Oaklands Park.
Sending its opponents, Gepps Cross into bat after winning the toss, Brighton is primed to collect maximum points in its match at Duncan Fraser Reserve. Richard Summers was the only batsman to have any success against the Bombers, scoring 42 out of a team total of 119 in oppressive conditions.
Rick Considine gained 3/26 off his 10 overs, with his opening-bowling partner Bob Morrissey securing 3/35 off 12 overs. Matt Skrokov continued the route with 3/10 off eight overs, while returning captain Jeremy Astill claimed the other wicket.
In reply, Brighton is 2/47 at the end of the first day's play, with Anthony Kolenberg and Chad Campbell being dismissed early.
"Much to the dismay of my team mates, we decided to field after the coin toss went our way. This gave us the most chance of gaining maximum points and we are in a sound position now," said coach Astill.