A 12-wicket haul from Al Dhatt led CYMS to a come-from-behind victory over Kinross at Wade Park, a result which snuffed out the students’ chance of sneaking into the post-season.
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Dhatt finished with match figures of 12-80, taking 5-49 in the first dig and then tearing through Kinross in the second innings to snare 7-31 and inspire the green and golds’ resurgence, CYMS turned a 20-run first innings loss into a seven-wicket outright win.
However, the game was marred somewhat by controversy after the covers were left off on the eve of the game, resulting in a soft, bowling-conducive wicket after Friday night’s rain.
Kinross, leading by 30 on first innings, was 1-10 overnight before losing 9-70. CYMS ran down the 101 needed for an outright win with seven wickets in hand.
The Orange District Cricket Association’s rules and playing conditions state “the responsibility to lay and remove covers on the Friday afternoon and on the Saturday morning rests with … the team listed first on the draw” for games outside those at Kinross Main Oval. In this case, CYMS.
Those playing conditions also state “failure to make every possible effort to lay covers or to advise the association may render that team liable to forfeiture of the match or other penalty as deemed appropriate by the association, once it has investigated the circumstances”.
It remains unclear whether Kinross will protest the result but ODCA president Mark Frecklington said the association will look into the issue.
“We were made aware of the fact the covers hadn’t been laid on Saturday morning so we knew well before the second day had started. We’ll look into it, however I can’t really comment any further until we’ve investigated the issue,” he said.
We were made aware of the fact the covers hadn’t been laid on Saturday morning.
- ODCA president Mark Frecklington
The students’ coach, Andrew Litchfield, preferred not to comment on the issue, saying “it may not have changed the result anyway” and focusing on the cricket instead.
While disappointed, he said the loss will help his young side continue to develop.
“We did get the worst of the wicket, but Al bowled beautifully again, it held up for him in the wicket and there was plenty of turn there for him too. Hats off to him,” Litchfield said.
“We had a few guys get starts in that second innings but they couldn’t go on with it. We were also pretty aware it was probably our worst session of fielding for the entire season when CYMS made that 101 to get the outright win, but it certainly wasn’t through lack of effort.
“It’s disappointing to lose and miss out, but I think that kind of loss will be good experience for our guys. They faced Al bowling well on two completely different wickets over the two weeks and just didn’t handle it as well as they could have.”
Finishing first, CYMS progress straight to the grand final.