In the A grade game played on Sunday January 3^rd the Kingston Crows went down to Blackmans Bay in a game where their catching and top order batting certainly let them down.

The Sharks won the toss and after a reasonably solid start slumped to 3/41. Luke Barlow and Steve O’Brien set about restoring their innings but when Barlow skied a catch to Deep Mid Wicket with the score on 83 the Crows looked to be right on top. With the catch spilt Barlow certainly made the Crows pay as he smashed 9 4s and 5 6s before he was caught on the boundary for 95. O’Brien was dismissed for 30 while Steve Morgan remained 29no as the Bay were dismissed in the 50^th over for 230.

Nick Townsend took 3 wickets in the final over to finish with 4/43, Jamie Knott bowled with great pace in his opening spell and finished with 3/37 while Marc Owen took 2/52 in one of the few times he has bowled 10 overs in an innings.

The Kingston Crows could not establish partnerships in the top order and lost wickets at 1, 23, 32 and 45. Marc Owen batting at 6 scored 63 with 6 4s and 4 6s and added a partnership with James Murray 29 for the 5^th wicket. With the score 6/160 in the 33^rd over a Crows win was a distinct possibility but Owen’s dismissal followed by 2 others left us teetering on 9/168. Nick Townsend and Trent Pearce added a further 25 before Townsend was dismissed in the 38^th over with our score on 193.

The loss has ejected us from the top four and on this performance we would need to show considerable improvement in most facets of our game to seriously challenge for a final’s spot.

All at the Club offer our condolences to Joel Palmer on the loss of his Grandmother. On a happier note we wish to congratulate Mal Godfrey and Maria Jessup on their engagement.

Next weekends games in A Grade take on monumental proportions as we venture to Margate. B1 play Longley at home, B2 are on the road to Huonville and C2 are off to Kettering.

“From The Hill”