Trundle Junior Cricket Report

Saturday 9th March, saw us arrive at the SRA grounds to take on Milby, raring to go for our first Semi Final appearance since 2019.
The current crop of players were keen to etch their names in the TJCC history books. The pre game chat from the coaching staff urged the kids to enjoy the game and soak up the atmosphere as these occasions don’t come around often in your cricketing career. Fiona Sando chipped in with a ‘do it for your mates, this is the end of an era’ speech that saw the coach and some of the senior players become quite misty eyed. Tom Sando lost the toss and we were sent in to bat on a pitch that looked to have a few runs in it. We all agreed it was a good toss to lose.
The Williams duo of Hughey and Vashti opened the batting to some express pace and tight lines from the Milby opening bowlers. It wasn’t long however before a ball strayed onto Vashti’s pads and she punished it for 4. We were off and running. In the following over Hughey got in on the action smashing a loose delivery to cow corner for the first boundary of his career. He must have gotten a taste for it because two deliveries later He crunched another boundary that saw the crowd go wild and Hughey removed his helmet holding it and the bat aloft. Overcome with emotion, Barjy also took off his Tullamore Termites hat in the crowd and held it high in the air as tears rolled down his cheeks. Both openers retired which saw Braith and Tommy Sando stride to the crease. After getting settled in, the runs began to flow freely for the two experienced batters including a reverse sweep from Braith that crossed the rope for four runs. Tom S and Braith retired and a big total was on the cards with so much firepower still in the sheds. Cooper was scoring freely and running well between the wickets before he copped a fierce inswinging yorker that rattled middle peg. Josh got off the mark before he was also bowled by a virtually unplayable delivery. Adam also had one cut back in off the pitch to scatter his stumps.
At the drinks break we were 3-60 odd and our middle order had a wobble up. Out to the crease strolled Cameron ‘The Fifield Flash’ Strudwick. After having a quick look around Cam then settled in to what he does best, scoring at will to all corners of the ground before retiring after his 15 balls. Austin scored some quick runs and faced a fierce attack, copping a few on the body before retiring in what was a very brave innings with some brilliant quick singles frustrating the Milby fielders. Harry waltzed in and continued on, scoring 8 quick fire runs before retiring. After a check of the scorebook Tom Walter realised that with wickets in hand and overs ticking by it was time to push the run rate along. Tom danced down the pitch and with a crack that echoed around the grounds crunched the first boundary of his career. The huge crowd erupted! When Tom Walter retired, Vashti and Cam returned to the crease to put the icing on the cake. Cameron pounded 4 fours on his way to an unbeaten 31 from 31 deliveries. He was well supported by Vashti who was second top scorer with 19 runs. At the end of our 30 overs we had finished with a mighty 3-136 which is 40-50 runs above par. Everyone agreed it was a magnificent batting display.
Vashti and Harry opened the attack and were right on the mark from the first delivery, however once the openers got settled the boundaries began to flow. Apparently it wasn’t only our batters that could find the rope. Adam bowled well but was unable to make a breakthrough and it wasn’t until Braith stemmed the flow of runs that our first wicket came. Harry then took a sharp catch off a ball that Vashti swung away from the batter and Josh Charlton clean bowled one of the middle order. Austin and Tom Walter bowled well, keeping the batters on their toes. K Sloane, one of the notorious big hitters of the comp then came to the crease and took to our bowling attack with the long handle. Half the field were standing on the rope trying to stem the flow of boundaries and the other half were within the circle petrified of being hit. Retiring after his 15 balls there was a sigh of relief but we all knew that wasn’t the last we had seen of Keato.
At the drinks break Milby were 3-72 and although nothing was said aloud, there was a general feeling in the camp that 136 might not be enough. After plenty of encouragement from parents, friends, grandparents and numerous hanger onners the Trundle kids jogged back onto the field in what might just be the last 15 overs they play together as a unit. Cooper took the rock for his second spell and added a wicked maiden to his growing list of achievements. Hughey got one to rise sharply and Vashti took a regulation catch as keeper. At 5-95 in the 23rd over, out strolled the first of the retirees. A couple of quick boundaries and the heads started to drop. How could we score 136 and still get beaten? Were we about to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory? It was going to take something special to regain some momentum.
After another cut shot from the Milby captain that looked certain to go to the boundary, The Fifield Flash sprinted around, picked up the ball and in one fluid motion released a rocket that whistled above the stumps and saw Vashti remove the bails. A huge roar of ‘Howzaaaattt’ went up from the players, crowd and even the umpire/coach from the other end! As the square leg umpire raised his trigger finger the huge crowd erupted while Greg and Kylie gave each other a little nod and realised all those hours of skimming rocks on Lake Andrews had finally paid off. Milby were 7-112 when big Keato returned to the crease and picked up where he left off. Bang, 4. Bang, 6. Tommy threw the cherry to Cameron who could seemingly do nothing wrong. In he steamed and bowled a fierce in swinging yorker that crashed into off stump sending the danger man on his way! We were still in the hunt with Milby 8-129 requiring 8 runs from the last 3 overs.
Tommy Sando bowled over 28 with only 2 runs scored from it. Cooper Dunn bowled over 29 and produced another maiden! In what was a brilliant piece of clutch bowling. One over remaining, 7 runs to get, 2 wickets in hand, Vashti and Tommy both agree that Harry is the man for the job. As Harry handed his cap to the umpire/coach/dad and marked out his runup he did not need reminding that any wides or no balls in the last over need to be re-bowled. Six legal deliveries required, not an easy task when the tension is running high. A quick single from the first ball. 5 legal deliveries left, 6 runs to get. Encouraged by his teammates and huge Trundle crowd, Harry then bowled 3 dot balls! Two balls remaining, 6 runs to get. Milby tried in desperation for a quick single but the batter was caught short of their ground at the non-striker’s end! One legal delivery required, 6 runs to get and it’s another dot ball!!! TRUNDLE WINS!! The players all embrace each other and can’t believe they have won!
A big thanks to all the supporters that travelled to Condo. Thanks also to Jono and Helen for scoring. Congratulations to TJCC old boys Zac Holloway and Gus Quade who were an integral part of the Condobolin U14’s side that defeated Forbes in their Grand Final.
Source and Image Credit: Trundle Junior Cricket Club Facebook page.