HARDEN Hornets threw everything they had at Yass Taipans, but were unable to take the points in the T20 at O’Connor Park on Saturday. Paul Potts had an outstanding game but his heroics were not enough in the end to get the Hornets home. With a number of key players out, the Hornets line-up looked a bit like Dad’s Army with kids to do the chasing.
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Captain Kai Steele lost the toss and was fielding first.
Taipans openers Lachlan Kemp and Adrian Water got off to a slow start but the fourth over Waters took a liking to Potts, hitting him for two consecutive leg side fours, Kemp then got in on the act and the scoring accelerated.
Steele then played his trump cards by switching to Patrick Davis and Francois Allowishuss. Allowishuss was expensive in his first over but in his second got Waters (13) to hit straight to Jayson Smith at mid-wicket.
Nathan Hopley came to the crease and the Hornets continued to bleed runs. Paul Potts and Beau Abnett were throwing themselves around in the field and pulled off numerous excellent saves.
Steele brought himself on in the seventieth over and Smith caught Hopley for a run a ball 28.
Steele then returned the favour in the twentieth and last over by catching Kemp at mid-wicket off Smith for a well-made 63.
Taipans final total was 124
Hornets used a new opening partnership with Steele and Kelvin Brown opening up. Tom Roberts soon had reward for tight bowling when it got one to nip back and take Steele’s (6) off stump and next over had Brown (5) caught in gulley driving at a wide delivery.
Ben Brady joined Jayson Smith at the crease and the two soon had the scoreboard rattling over.
Brady was unlucky to find a firmly hit shot caught by Ian Kemp in cover for 16 and Smith was brilliantly caught by a one-handed catch at mid-wicket.
This brought Potts and Francois Allowishuss together, a miracle was called for but alas a language barrier in calling a run was to intervene. A call of yes was interpreted as a no, a no was then considered a maybe, and a maybe was…., well Allowishuss run out by the length of the pitch.
Patrick Davis played his best innings of the year in making 13 runs while Potts was running on anything. Potts finally retired on top score of 17 after blowing a left lung, and attempted an early get away from Allowwishuss.
Beau Abnett got away from his run of ducks and was 3no, saved from having to wear the duck suit.
Hornets fell short by 17 runs, 7-107.
