BRAVE cricket fans who defied extreme heat on Saturday night were rewarded with a nail-biting finish to the twenty20 clash between the Australian Cricketers’ Association’s Masters team and a combined country side.
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In front of a modest crowd of about 1600, which organisers attributed to the heat, the veterans found a way to win despite their younger opponents threatening to upstage the former Australian and state greats.
The match came down to the last over with the country team needing 11 runs for victory, but South Australian Ben Johnson held his nerve as the upstarts fell four runs short.
On a sluggish Lavington Panthers Oval wicket, the Australian country side elected to bowl first but Tasmanian opener Michael Di Venuto, who top-scored for the evening with 45, set the veterans on the right path by taking to the attack.
Di Venuto, one of few batsmen to look comfortable all night, also took the catch of the match when he dived full-length at long-on to dismiss country dangerman Assad Vala at a crucial stage of its chase.
The Masters’ innings fell away after the departures of Di Venuto, Corey Richards (22) and Jimmy Maher (26), with Northern Territory youngster Darcy Short, a star at the Australian Country Championships so far, just missing out on a hat-trick in the last over of the innings.
Short won man-of-the-match honours for his 3-28 but he failed with the bat, scoring just nine as his team found the going tough against the wily Masters attack led by Jason Gillespie, Greg Matthews and Darren Lehmann.
Country skipper Jeff Cook (18), East Asia Pacific’s Vala (17 including two sixes) and Kaine Harmsworth (20) all lit up the LPO with some power hitting but it wasn’t enough to see their team home.
Their efforts didn’t go unnoticed, with Masters captain Jimmy Maher heaping praise on his opponents.
“Some of the shots those guys played were just awesome,” he said after the match.
“That shot that he (Vala) hit over cover for six was as good as you’ll see ... those boys were very, very impressive.”
Fellow Master Greg Ritchie, who had a relaxing night in not facing or bowling a single ball, was also impressed, especially with NSW’s Harmsworth.
“He hit the ball as cleanly as any bloke going around,” Ritchie said while perched on a seat watching his team bowl.
LEFT: Michael Di Venuto belts one through the off-side during his innings.
ABOVE: Darcy Short was named man of the match.
RIGHT: Wicketkeeper Boh Wall throws at the stumps.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Jason Gillespie has a laugh at the non-striker’s end.
BOTTOM MIDDLE: Jimmy Maher faces for the ACA Masters.
BOTTOM LEFT: Darren Lehmann skies one on the leg side.
Pictures: NIC GIBSON
