Wanderers v Matthew Flinders Anglican College
30 October 2019
Matthew Flinders Anglican College, Buderim
A small field nestled in the rainforest at Matthew Flinders Anglican College, Buderim played host to an interesting, two-innings, limited over affair.
Two 25 over innings were followed by a lovely BBQ and then a concluding 20/20 under lights. The small ground meant there were plenty of boundaries and despite the rainforest surrounds, relatively few lost balls.
Wanderers batted first as is their wont. Aryan Jain and Nick Pepper were cautious early, then accelerated to 47 in the 8th over before both falling in the space of six balls. Andrew Walsh and James Bazley took the score to 80 and both of them were out in the space of eight balls. Byron Gale and Skipper, Nick Selman added 70 for the 5th wicket in just 43 balls; Nick blasting a 50 in just 27 balls, mercilessly smashing 32 in one over from the MFAC spinner - big bully! A formidable 7/183 posted in the 25 over first innings.
The College’s chase began shakily with 3 wickets in the shed for 44 in 10 overs, then three 30s in the middle order by Thomas Cain, Rhyan Sanderson and Angus Sinclair (who hit the ball as hard as anyone), revived the innings. The 5th wicket partnership between Rhyan and Angus, a powerhouse 54 from 28 balls, propelled the innings to a respectable 7/146 from 25 overs; just 37 runs behind. Matt Crampton was the pick of the Wanderers bowlers with 25 dot balls in a 5 over spell at the top of the innings and James Bazley provided the college lads with a taste of some genuine heat in his spell.
After a feed, the lights were switched on and the second half of the match began. Wanderers were ruthless in the second stanza with four batsmen retired. Nick Boller and Matt Crampton entertained at the head of the innings with an unbeaten, 7 over partnership of 65 before being replaced by Palam Singh and Luke Boncompagni (literally means good company). Unfortunately, Luke had to try hard to be good company to his team mates in the shed after being run out for the second time that day! Palam and Josh Romer, then blasted 63 from 33 balls before they were retired in the 16th over. Incoming batsmen, Aryan Jain and James Bazley, then took the team into the 20th before being dismissed off successive balls chasing runs. The total, 3/190; 227 ahead. Hats off to wicketkeeper, Zen Slattery, involved in all three dismissals with two direct hit run outs and a catch.
Disaster in the chase for MFAC as the big hitting Sinclair fell in the first over to a great catch by Nick Selman, overhead and back-pedaling. When Aryan Jain got one through Patrick Keane for his second wicket, MFAC were 2/15. A 44 run 3rd wicket partnership in just 22 balls between Ryan Morris and Mitchell Lehmann, restored some hope for the college. Lehmann’s 53 from 23 balls included an amazing 7 sixes. The introduction of Crampton brought about the exit of both Morris and Lehmann; Selman again on hand to take the catch to dismiss the latter.
Wickets to Bazley (a superb one-handed overhead catch by Jain) and Walsh reduced MFAC to 6/92, but the lads were not done yet. 53 from 29 for the 7th wicket between Thomas Cain and Max Brady once again provided a spark of hope. It was the vengeful, Luke Boncompagni, fielding off his own bowling to run out Cain, who extinguished the spark in the 17th over. Even so, MFAC reached an impressive 179 in the 20 over innings.
Overall, a win by 48 runs to Wanderers.
Well done to all and a big thank you to Matthew Flinders’ Cricket Director Rod Davison and his helpers for their hospitality.
