Forster Tuncurry Cricket Club

DAY 1: Saturday October 24 was the start of the two day match in A grade for the Manning River District Cricket competition.

Forster Tuncurry travelled to Jonny Martin Oval to play competition favourites Cundletown. It was always going to be a tough match for Forster but things got worse when two players withdrew late due to their HSC exams and the unavailability of other players.

So we had to go into day one of the match with only nine players. Forster’s captain Paul Swan won the toss and elected to bat on a hard dry wicket.

Forster opened the bat with Paul Swan and Dean Tangles Elliott. It was a good start by the Forster openers with very tight bowling by the Cundletown bowlers. Paul and Dean moved the score along to 29 and in the 11th over, Dean went to pull a short ball but the ball didn’t bounce and hit the stumps, bowled for 13.

Next in was Mitch Clark with Paul. They moved the score to 39 when Mitch was bowled for 5. Allan May was next in and took the score to 65 when Paul was struck in front lbw for 36.

Justin Malzard and Allan moved the score along to 89 when Allan was bowled for 11. Sam Allan was next lbw for 0. Score was then 5 for 89. Gregg Coughlin didn’t trouble the scorers, bowled for a first ball duck.

Brett Piggins successfully kept out the hat trick ball and was bowled shortly after for 1. Nathan Ballard was the final batsman and was bowled for 0, leaving Justin stranded on 15 not out. Forster all out for 94.

Forster opened the bowling with Nathan Ballard and Dean Elliott and quickly had Cundletown in trouble early with Dean trapping D Stone lbw for 9 and C Shields c&b for 3. Cundle then 2 for 16. Then Cundle got some partnerships together with A Turner and G Stewart taking the score to 83 when Allan May struck Bowling Turner for 38.

Then Stewart and J Waugh took the score to 142 when Allan removed Waugh lbw for 25. Stewart and N Currie saw out the last couple of overs for the day to finish the day 4 for 153.