Casino secures winning spoils

South Tweed’s Tom Dubelaar steams in during his impressive stint of 3-13 against Casino in the ond-day final.

Blainey Woodham

THEY say sides tend to save their best for the final but that certainly wasn’t the case in South Tweed’s one-day final loss to Casino at Oakes Oval on Sunday.

Having comfortably accounted for the LJ Hooker League’s top two – Ballina and Cudgen – in their semi-final conquests, all in attendance were hoping for a hum-dinger.

However, those thoughts were quickly washed away, with the rain seemingly cleansing the sides of any top-flight cricketing ability.

Having won the toss, Jack Boote, a gentleman as always, allowed Casino to occupy the crease first, and for the most part would have been happy with the outcome.

Sam Deitrich top scored with 17 as Casino were toppled for just 70, lasting 25.3 overs.

The score would have been a lot worse had the Colts attack been on target and not matched Casino’s best bat run for run with 17 wides, nor had they cleared the unused helmet from the ground and saved an additional five runs for contact made to it.

Joel Walle was the most destructive, taking 4-19 from eight overs, with mixed support from Tom Dubelaar who bowled 3-13 off four overs, including seven wides, Doug Hawkins (2-10 from four) and Boote (0-14 from eight).

Wicketkeeper Matt Shean caught two, Boote two at second slip and Hawkins two one-handed specials.

“It was wet and overcast,” South Tweed scorer Stephen Reade said. “But still obviously a bowlers pitch for a change.

“The boys were happy at the break but not confident because the pitch was a nightmare.”

With rain delaying play, Colts didn’t start batting until 6.30pm and may have gone to sleep a little early.

Shean (8) was first to go, caught in the fifth over with the score on 16 and was quickly followed by Bedford (7) and Tait Burns (0).

Having run a rare three, Boote (6) was caught by a screamer low down at short stop while Dubelaar rattled up a top score of 12 off 36 deliveries, dismissed with the tally at 45.

The tail of Walle (3), Andrew Dubelaar (2), Hawkins (1), Mawson (0) and Liam Swanson (2) also suffered short stints and Colts were eventually dismissed for 60 off 26 overs, with Jeremy Pierce, who batted at six with stout defence, the unbeaten batsmen on six.

“They only bowled 11 wides, bummer,” Reade said.

“Congratulations to Casino though, they never gave up.

“But I think the pitch wins this contest on points.”

South Tweed will play their final game of the LJ Hooker League season against Alstonville at Dave Burns Field over the next fortnight.