Queensland 2nd XI v Tasmania 2nd XI
2022-23 Toyota Second XI
Monday 12th to Thursday 15th September 2022 at Allan Border Field
Day One
Conditions were overcast for the opening day of the four day fixture between the second XIs of Queensland and Tasmania. The recently reconstructed Allan Border Field was an absolute picture and a first class playing surface. Tasmania won the toss and elected to bowl.
Max Bryant was his usual belligerent self finding the boundary when the opportunity presented in the early stages. With the score on 31 from from 10 overs a lofted drive from Bryant found the safe hands of Jordan Silk giving Sam Rainbird the first wicket of the match. Queensland skipper, Jack Clayton, joined Bryce Street taking the score to 43 at drinks. After drinks it was a dire affair. 76 dots from 97 balls saw Queensland limp to lunch at 1/70.
The 50 partnership and although there were maidens, the overs in between were fruitful. Street brought up a patient 50 after almost three hours at the wicket. A boundary to Clayton in the 48th over brought up his 50 and the century partnership. The partnership was finally broken at 2.00pm when Charlie Wakim held one off Clayton to give spinner Jarrod Freeman his first wicket after 15 overs of toil! Sam Truloff hung around until the 150 came up but edged to Caleb Jewell off Beau Webster 16 minutes before Tea. Street and Sam Heazlett successfully negotiated the remaining 24 balls to take Queensland to the Tea break at 3/155.
After 44 runs had been added in 11 overs after Tea, Street’s innings ended on 83 when he edged to keeper Jake Doran off Laurence Neil-Smith. 4/199 became 5/204 just three overs later when Wildermuth unluckily clipped his own stumps trying to prevent the ball rolling back onto them and was out Hit Wicket! James Bazley and Leigh Drennan smacked five boundaries between them before being trapped LBW by Freeman and Gabe Bell respectively; the latter just in the second over with the new ball. Heazlett brought up a half century 15 minutes before the scheduled close of play and together with Gurinder Sandhu steered Queensland to 7/279 when bad light stopped play at 5.19pm.
Day Two
Beautiful blue skies graced the second day’s play and after bringing up a 50 partnership during a patient first five overs, Heazlett and Sandhu began to accelerate. The 300 came up inside the first half hour, Sandhu’s half century 15 minutes later and the century partnership via a Heazlett six just before drinks. After drinks, Heazlett and Sandhu blasted 39 runs in just two overs with Heazlett registering a century from 181 balls (12 fours and two sixes) and celebrating with a six off the final ball of the 113th over. Clayton promptly declared leaving Tasmania with a 35 minute session to negotiate before lunch.
Tasmania’s openers, Caleb Jewell and Tim Ward, patiently guided Tasmania through to lunch at 0/16, but within five overs of the lunch break, both openers were back in the sheds courtesy of catches behind the stumps by Street and Wildermuth off Guthrie and Sandhu. Charlie Wakim and Mac Wright steered Tasmania to 50 but Blake Edwards intervened to remove Wakim via a Truloff special at slip immediately before drinks. Just five balls after drinks, a lofted shot by Wright off Wildermuth was snatched out of the sky by Bazley - probably the only player on the field that could have reached it; Tassie 4/59. Skipper, Jordan Silk and Keeper, Jake Doran then dug in, taking Tasmania to Tea without further loss.
After the break, Silk and Doran continued batting patiently bringing up a 50 partnership from 116 balls in the 42nd over. Silk’s 96 minute innings came to a close 30 minutes into the session; trapped in front by Wildermuth. Then again, right on drinks, another wicket, that of Webster, edging to Drennan off Bazley. At 6/139, Tasmania still needed 90 to avoid the follow on. Jake Doran and Jarrod Freeman provided 48 of those over the next 15 overs with Doran bringing up a 50 along the way. Then, a mix-up; Truloff pounced and Doran was run out. Neil-Smith and Doran guided Tasmania past the 200 mark, but then Neil-Smith was out in the penultimate over edging to Drennan off Edwards; Tasmania 8/214 at the close of play.
Day Three
Early tight bowling by Queensland restricted Tasmania to just 9 runs, before the first wicket; Freeman trapped in front by Matt Kuhnemann in his 19th over. The new ball was taken but Neil-Smith and Gabe Bell added a stubborn 20 for the 10th wicket before Neil-Smith edged Sandhu for Truloff’s second catch of the innings. Tasmania all out for 243; 135 runs behind.
2/21 off seven overs to Gabe Bell had Queensland 2/47 from 15 overs at the Lunch Break. Queensland advanced to 79 after lunch before Max Bryant lofted one to Tim Ward six short of a 50. Truloff and Heazlett came together and moved the score to 117 at drinks then bringing up a 50 partnership two overs later. The partnership blossomed with both bringing up 50s, then a century partnership off just 111 balls; taking Queensland to Tea at 3/211 - 167 added in the session.
Truloff fell on 61 just two balls after tea; trapped in front by Beau Webster. Heazlett and Wildermuth added 36 in 7 overs before the chase for quick runs precipitated a late order collapse of 5/27 and a declaration at 3.51pm. Heazlett completed a fine double with 88 from 84 balls to go with his first innings undefeated ton. Beau Webster picked up five wickets. Tasmania needing 411 to win in the final innings.
There was no early departure for Ward and Jewell in the second innings as they took advantage of an ever-improving track to post 0/69; a solid foundation for the last day chase.
Day Four
Gloomy conditions returned on the final day but thankfully, the rain stayed away. Jewell and Ward continued their dominance adding 97 in the first hour of play to put Tasmania just 244 behind with 79 overs remaining in the day. Both openers brought up 50s and posted a 150 partnership before drinks. The drinks break was just the break in momentum Queensland needed. Liam Guthrie struck two balls after drinks to remove Ward via a catch to Street. Jewell brought up his century two balls later off 134 balls but fell in Guthrie’s next over - caught by Truloff. Mac Wright and Charlie Wakim took Tasmania to 2/204 at Lunch.
A Kuhnemann LBW removed Wright three overs after lunch, but that was the only joy for Queensland in the hour to drinks. Wakim and Silk took the score past 250 with Waking bringing up his half-century along the way. The 50 partnership was registered just after drinks and it was not until the 75th over that Wakim fell victim to another LBW to Matt Kuhnemann. Tasmania needed just 132 for victory so Doran and Silk were in no hurry inching to 297 at Tea.
The “equation” in the final session was 134 from 34 overs with six wickets in hand. Oops! make that five wickets. Liam Guthrie striking again to remove Silk just 7 balls into the final session. Then, another one to Guthrie, four overs later when Webster lofted one into the safe hands of Bazley. 93 needed; 4 wickets in hand. The ensuing partnership between Jake Doran and Jarrod Freeman turned the match back into Tasmania’s favour. With Doran the backbone, Freeman took on the short-ball tactics of the Queensland bowlers, clubbing four sixes to the short boundary in an innings of 47 from just 39 balls. The score was 380 when Freeman was finally dismissed lofting Sandhu for Max Bryant to take a brilliant low catch. Just 31 runs were needed in the remaining 16 overs, but Tasmania needed just five of those to overhaul the target and register a win by 3 wickets.
