Harden Hornets played a game for the ages when they convincingly beat Binalong on Saturday. Hornets were going into the game minus a number of key players, while Binalong had their full star-studded team, as well as a couple quality ring-ins.
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Hornets captain Kai Steele was on-call and after storms the previous night was no certainty to see the game out. Steele lost the toss and Mark Dyball had no hesitation in batting first.
Harden got off to the best possible start when in his first over Jack Nicholls got Oscar Knight to slash at a good delivery and was caught by James Woodhead for a duck.
Nicholls and Woodhead continued to bowl tight and George Knight and Nick “Bumblebee” Arokiaswamy had trouble piecing the field. A bowling change brought success when James McDougall got a short pitched delivery into the rib-cage of Bumble and he spooned a return catch to the bowler. Mick Savins came and went when Ben Brady knocked back middle stump.
At 3-43 Binalong were started to wonder what was going wrong. Things got worst when Mark Dyball feathered a catch through to young keeper Beau Abnett off Scotty Duncan.
The game went from good to better for Hornets when after drinks Woodhead took the catch of the year to remove George Knight (29) off Duncan again. The tail was wrapped up by good catches from juniors Beau Abnett and Nicholls. Binalong all out for 123. All bowlers were great for Hornets, Duncan the pick with 3-22, Woodhead 2-21, Nicholls 1- 8 and Ewan Stewart 1-13.
Hornets openers Steele and Kelvin Brown went out thinking that although 123 was not a big total, they needed a good start as the tail started with Pottsy the next man in.
Brown (5) was first to go when he chased a wide delivery from Dylan Arabin and toed a catch through to Tom Glover. Two balls later Paul Potts never saw one that knocked over off stump, this brought Woodhead to the crease. Woodhead coped plenty early on but showed resolute way above his age. Steele (13) misjudged the length of a delivery from Drew Arabin and was bowled.
Nicholls finally was out for nine then a mini collapse saw Brady gone for two and Duncan missed one on the stumps for a quack. This brought Shane Abnett together with Woodhead, together they started to get the scoreboard ticking over again. Abnett was caught in covers for an important 32, leaving Hornets still needing nine to win and seven wickets down. Enter Beau Abnett, knees knocking, he was able to pick up the singles and give Woodhead the strike. Woodhead sealed the game with a glorious lofted shot over mid-wicket for four and remained 38 not out.