EAP's Faasa'o Mulivai cuts through Vics
Photo: Rob Giese
A LATE order revival turned the tide for New South Wales in its top of the table clash against Queensland at Grovedale’s Burdoo Reserve yesterday in the Commonwealth Bank Australian Country Cricket Championships.
Queensland’s bowlers were in charge for much of the day and looked set to dismiss the undefeated Bush Blues for under 200.
Tailenders Pat Rosser and Andrew Maher had other ideas, adding 71 for the last wicket to give their side a fighting chance heading into day two. Rosser was the last man out for 53.
Earlier, the Queensland attack tore through the NSW top order. Trent Sorohan led the way, picking up the first three wickets on his way to a bag of five to reduce the Bush Blues to 3/23.
Graeme Batty and skipper Jeff Cook steadied the ship, before Batty’s departure for 18 and the loss of Troy Goodwin for a duck left NSW in trouble again at 5/81.
Cook continued to defy the Queensland attack, making 58 before his dismissal with the score on 124. Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with the carnival’s only undefeated side looking down the barrel at 9/170.
Rosser and Maher then tormented the Queenslanders to ensure a competitive total. In reply, Queensland got off to a good start as Brad Stout let loose on the new ball.
His dismissal for 38, caught behind from the bowling of Rosser just before stumps, was a blow for the Outbacks but they resume in a relatively comfortable position at 1/59 after 16 overs.
WA v ACT
ACT laid a solid platform with the bat on day one of its must win match against Western Australia.
Matthew Gawthrop led the way with 77 as the ACT tallied 302 against the strong WA attack.
After a late start due to water on the wicket, the ACT openers got off to a flyer at Newtown’s Stinton Oval when Matthew Gawthrop and Shane Devoy put on 74 for the first wicket.
Gawthrop then added 102 with Russo in a second-wicket partnership before falling for 77; Russo followed him back to the pavilion quickly afterwards for 60.
With skipper Adam Tett then coming and going at 190, the WA bowlers were given a previously unseen level of control.
Michael Spaseski (26) Michael Cadalie (35) and Adam Hewitt (23) all made contributions as the ACT’s batsmen pinned their ears back and lofted over and struck through the field.
WA however skittled the last three wickets cheaply through catches. The Sandgropers then knocked up 0/22 in 11 overs to steer the ship safely into port for the night.
VIC v EAP
EAP captain Andrew Mansale won the toss and sent his opposition in to bat at Lara.
The Vics, searching for their first points of the carnival were in trouble right from the start with make-shift opening bat Heath Pyke out caught behind on the first ball of the match from a rising delivery from EAP’s Faasa’o Mulivai.
The home side struggled to negotiate the new ball early as the Samoan native ran through their top order. Cairns, Mulcahy and Fergusson all departed quickly as Victoria slumped to 4/17 on a deck with some life.
Chris Bambury, a former skipper at Lara, then combined with opener Brendan Scott to lift the scoring and restore some respectability. They steered the ship to lunch and a better position of 65 on the board.
As has hurt the Vics all tournament however, they again lost a wicket after the break with Scott falling for 28 to leave his team 5/71.
Bambury and his East Belmont team mate Mark Hanley then put together another innings-saving partnership when they added 110 for the sixth wicket.
Hanley notched his second half-ton in his last three innings with a defining 68. Bambury followed just after for the same score and then once the new ball was taken, Mulivai continued on where he left off earlier in the day to help fire his opposition out.
The tall medium pacer finished with the fourth haul of six or more wickets for the carnival in logging 6/38. Victoria all out for 210.
EAP hit the batting crease for 11 overs and despite losing opener Jack Vare for 14, have made in-roads with 39 on the board.
NT v SA
EVEN contributions across the board pushed Northern Territory towards 300 against South Australia. SA skipper Kieran Ashby, with two early wickets, and Bray Stephenson reduced NT to 3/54 in the 25th over.
Grant Bell, having watched three of his mates head back to the sheds, then found an ally in Cameron Frances.
The pair added a valuable 79 for the fourth wicket before Bell departed for 70. Frances then combined with Udara Weerasinghe for another crucial stand, adding 74 for the sixth wicket.
Ben Brown ended the union when he disturbed Frances’ stumps to end a fine innings of 69.
But the theme of frustrating partnerships continued, as Weerasinghe and fast bowler Ben Reichstein guided the Territory to 7/273 by the close of play. Weerasinghe was undefeated on 59, with Reichstein also not out on 45.
Ashby was the best of the SA bowlers with 3/62, while Stephenson claimed 3/65.
Day 7 Scores
Western Australia v ACT 302
New South Wales 241 v Queensland 1/59
Victoria 210 v East Asia Pacific 1/39
Northern Territory 6/213 v South Australia
Batting
1. Matthew Gawthrop (ACT) 77
2. Grant Bell (NT) 70
3. Cameron Frances (NT) 69
4. Chris Russo (ACT) 61
5. Udara Weerasinghe (NT) 59*
Bowling
1. F Mullivai (EAP) 6/30
2. T Sorohan (Qld) 5/59
3. S Bidwell (WA) 3/46
4. C Fitt (ACT) 3/61
5. K Ashby (SA) 3/62
