Slab Road Cricket Club’s C2 Captain Bernadette Doyle and Number 11 Damien Duggan combined to put on a winning 12-run last wicket partnership to see the team secure a thrilling one wicket win over North Huon in Round 3 of the Huon Channel Cricket Association’s matches.

A Grade’s game against Longley, at the Sandfly Oval, was abandoned due to persistent rain. B Grade went down to the Kingston Crows at home on Saturday. C1 had the bye this past weekend.

A Grade travelled to the Sandfly Oval for their Round 3 clash on Saturday. In wet conditions, Longley won the toss and elected to bat.

Through fairly ordinary playing conditions, the home side were dismissed in the 48^th over for a respectable total of 204. Seven bowlers were used in the tough conditions. Gordon Kerr and Aron Cherry were multiple wicket takers with two each.

Unfortunately, the weather conditions got worse and, after sitting around for two hours, the game was belatedly abandoned.

B Grade suffered their first loss for the season when defeated by the Kingston Crows at home on Saturday. Batting first, the Kingston Crows amassed 7/228 off their 30 overs. Seven dropped catches by the Roadies’ fielders didn’t help our bowlers.

Leg spinner Julian Direen bowled a fine ten overs to take 2/25. David Bone too 2/29 from seven overs.

In reply, the Roadies got off to a quick-fire start, then fell at regular intervals and were soon reeling at 6/110, Paul Cowen (50 not out) batted through the innings and, with contributions from Julian Direen (22) and Bradley Watson (21), we were bowled out in the 48^th over for 197.

C2 scored a thrilling win at home on Sunday when they defeated North Huon by one wicket.

Batting first, North Huon reached 78 runs before losing the first wicket in the seventh over. A great fight-back by our young Roadies’ bowlers followed. Sam Clark led the way with 3/11, Ben Smith took 2/25, Belinda Page 2/18 and Nicki Duggan 2/42, to restrict the visitors to 162 all out.

In reply, Nick Duggan, with a fine knock of 51 runs, Ben Smith 19, and Captain Bernadette Doyle 18 not out, saw the Roadies get up with nine wickets down.
Forty extras were also a major contributor to the team’s total.

It rained virtually fro the start of the game until the finish, which makes things fairly difficult. Injuries to at least five players could see an interesting week in the selection room.

— “Bish”