Bridgetown end Northcliffe’s finals hopes after away win

Northcliffe hosted Bridgetown for Northcliffe’s final game of the season on Saturday, with Bridgetown looking to continue their good form after securing a place in the upcoming finals.

Northcliffe won the toss and sent Bridgetown out to field on a scorching day.

Opening bowlers Mitchell Clothier (1-21) and Brendon White (2-18) made it hard to score early by bowling tight lines, conceding just two runs from the first six overs.

White’s first three overs were bowled without conceding a single run, but Wayne Smeathers (20) and Jason Treasure (35) decided to stamp their authority after that point.

Smeathers took on the aggressor role, with 18 of his 20 runs coming in boundaries, the highlight being a glorious aerial cut shot that went for six.

The score was 38 when Smeathers nicked one behind to be caught in slips. Dean McGregor (30) came out and carried on where Smeathers left off, also dealing mainly in boundaries, while Treasure also picked up his own rate.

The two took the score to 2-101 when Treasure was bowled by Darcy Walsh (2-42).

When McGregor fell shortly afterwards, it was up to last week’s heroes Tobyn Fitch-Rabbitt (9) and Daniel Bayman (17) to consolidate and keep pushing the score along.

They were unable to replicate last week’s efforts though, managing to add only 29 when Bayman had an unorthodox dismissal, knocking the ball away from the stumps with his glove.

This sparked a horrible collapse of 7-22, leaving Northcliffe with an under-par score of 153, bowled out in the 44th over.

Northcliffe got the early wicket of Peter Mason (10), who was bowled by Bayman (1-26), but that joy was short-lived as Clothier (64) came out to join Hugh Mitchell (47) and the two went about their business relatively unflustered.

White (48) came to the crease and with Mitchell, the pair passed Northcliffe’s total in the 26th over. Bridgetown took the opportunity to give some of their younger players a bat, while Northcliffe did the same with some part-time bowlers.

This took the score to 103 before Mitchell was caught by wicket-keeper Fitch-Rabbitt off the bowling of Mason Abbott (1-20).

McGregor (1-6) bowled for the first time in his Northcliffe career and got his first wicket, thanks to a brilliant running effort on the boundary by Asa Lamb.

With the score on 6-188 in the 37th over, after Lamb got an over of bowling in, both teams agreed to call it a day.