Local teams have a big few weekends of LJ Hooker League cricket coming up, as they look to consolidate mixed starts to the 2024/25 series.
This season’s top local league involves both one and two-day games, and sees Tintenbar East Ballina (TEB) sitting in fourth place after three rounds after recording two wins and a loss.
Last weekend they won a low-scoring, two-day game when they played away against Alstonville.
Alstonville won the toss and, after deciding to bat, found themselves at 9/104 after 54 overs at the crease. TEB bowler Steve Leahy picked up the first and second drops both for ducks.
But in reply, TEB made the total look good when they limped to 10/66, including six ducks. Just one batter, Lennox Broadly, reached double figures with a defiant 33 runs from 124 deliveries.
Alstonville’s opening bowlers, including Terry Murphy (3/25), and Lachlan Barnes (4/5), combined to deliver 7/30 off 27 overs including 16 maidens.
All out for 40
But Alstonville couldn’t capitalise on the first innings lead, as they slumped to all out for 40 runs after another bowling barrage. Only number 11 reached double figures. Steven Leahy took 5/18 off 14 overs giving him nine wickets for the game.
But in the 78-run chase TEB batters also faltered again and the side managed to get home with just one wicket to spare. William Elphick (2no) and Riley Green (3no) did enough with the bat to save the day.
Alstonville’s Terry Murphy almost got his side home, bowling 5/24.
TEB will again be tested this weekend, when they travel away to Reg Dalton Oval to take on the season’s top team, the Cudgen Hornets, who along with Marist Brothers are undefeated so far this season.
The Lennox Head Pirates are also competing in the LJ Hooker League this season, and so far have just one win from their three outings.
Their win came in round two, a one-day game, played at home against Pottsville, who are yet to win a game this season.
This weekend Lennox Head are at home again on Megan Crescent Oval playing Murwillumbah Panthers, who are also without a win so far this season.
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