Crookwell won the toss and batted with Geoff Nicholson and Corey Knight opening.  Corey was first to depart with the score at 18.  Ben Evans joined Nicho and some determined patient batting saw just the one wicket down at the first drinks break.  But as so often happens Ben was caught just after the break for 13.  Geoff Nicho was still there though and in great touch, but holed out on 57 in an otherwise faultless innings.  Hampered a little between the wickets by numerous old injuries, this may well have been close to a century in days gone by.

With a good foundation at 3/99 the runs were starting to flow more readily.  James Weir was due for a score came good with a solid knock of 44.  Ex-pat Jason Maberly cut Brendan Hewitt’s innings short with a direct hit to run him out for 1.

No worries, all good with 141 on the board and five wickets in hand.

Hibernian did not know what was in store for them in the next session. Benny “Bomber” Haynes was about to cut loose, cracking 13 fours and five sixes on his way to a personal best of 127 not out.  Daniel Felber played the support role with 33 not out as the pair bundled on 157 runs in just 18 overs.  

History was about to be made, as for the first time in the modern era Crookwell was about to declare with a very respectable 5/298.

With 23 overs left in the days play now was the chance to take control.  The ever reliable James “Spud” Weir made the breakthrough with the not quite so reliable Rob Johnson taking his maiden competition catch, and a screamer!  

Spuddy was denied in his next over – ‘no ball’ was the call as the stumps went cart wheeling.  The chances kept coming though but they just weren’t sticking.

Jack O’Keefe was good enough to find the edge and Nicho plenty good enough to snap it out of Benny Evans gloves. Pretty to watch!

Sparra Parsons first ball was gold, an embarrassingly slow long hop to trap the captain lbw.  

At stumps on Day 1 the Golf Club boys were well and truly on top taking 3/59

Day 2 and early wickets were going to be the key.  Spud Weir was the go to man again finding himself on a hat trick on the way to bagging three cheap wickets.  At 7/69 it was looking like an early day but the tail enders took advantage of those pesky dropped catches and took the score to 160.

Benny Haynes wasted no time in inviting the visitors bat again.  This time they had to deal with Bronson Collins opening the bowling and he did it in great fashion taking the first wicket at 34.  Two great spells yielded him 3 wickets for the match.

Bomber was the main wicket taker in round two taking 4/37, but again the fielding was below par with 9 catches put down for the match.  Sparra found the answer to that with three wickets in his spell all bowled.

The tail proved to be a real nuisance again.  It took a stroke of magic from Matt Mills with a direct hit to close the visitors’ innings on 142. This was enough to make Crookwell bat again, but only lost the one wicket in chasing down 4 runs.

Forcing the follow on also forced the most out of our bowling attack.  Bronno bowled 20 overs for the day, Benny Haynes 19 straight and they even squeezed 15 out of old Sparra.

Benny Haynes was hands down man of the match but the players player came from left field, gladly accepted and consumed by Sparra for his 5 wickets.

This Saturday is the top of the table clash against Workers Stags, by far the highest run scoring team in the competition. It is at The Grange again, so come along and advise us on how to deal with their opener who has hit 21 sixes so far this year.

This weekends team

Crookwell Golf Club cricket side to play Workers this Saturday November 29 at the Grange, Crookwell:

B Haynes, G Nicholson, B Collins, B Evans, M Mills, J Weir, J O’Keefe, Brendan Hewitt, S Parsons, C Knight, D Felber, R Johnson 12, C Zouch 13.