Perfect conditions prevailed for the opening Round in A&EHCA
Strath out for redemption after last seasons Finals choke and in search of the 1st flag since 1997/98 got over last years Claytons Premier in Hahndorf comfortably and look to be one of the teams to beat again
Reports are that Lobey romped in over Wistow in by 9 wickets in a very shortened day,
Bremer Callingtion with a swag of recruits caused the 1st surprise of the season by edging out Woodside by 10 runs at Woodside. Who knows as the season goes on it might not prove to be a surprise. Any word on how handy Bremers' recruits are? Will be a good boost to the Comp if Cally who have been struggling for years return as a force to the comp to coincide with their oval and clubroom redevelopment.
Whilst for Woodside where are they at? Missing the finals last season for the 1st time since entering the A&EHCA since 2012/13 and having won only the 1 A Grade flag which they'd have felt is under achieving, are they a genuine contender this season or was last seasons end of season slump no coincidence ?
Nairne must have been jumping for joy on the release of the program to see they had drawn L Creek in Rd 1. Creeks have been winless in Rd 1 since 2004
Continually fielding very below strength teams the Creeks wern't helped this year with half their A Grade side playing footy Grand Finals only last Saturday. Winning them, being pissed for 3 days and not having a single training session saw all but Troy Blackwell decide to delay their season by 1 week. Still any team with one of the best all rounders in Country cricket in the last 2 decades in Ben Warren in your team, Creeks couldn't be discounted. With Jarrad Tait returning to the Razorbacks from Hahndorf, he got them off to a flyer with the bat to see them 2/123 at the drinks break. Warren then turned the game with 3 wickets in the 1st 4 balls after the drinks break and eventually Nairne were bowled out for a competitive 202. Creeks at 5/122 were in strife until Ben Warren then launched a viscous all out assault on the Nairne bowlers by spanking them for 10 sixes and 4 fours to race to 101* n.o. off only 64 balls to guide the Creeks to victory with 12 overs to spare
Any feedback on how balls stood up during the match with the NO Saliva or Sweat application policy?
The ball for the Creeks after 40 overs of Nairnes innings was in surprisingly good condition apart from a chunk taken out on 1 side from a customary Jarrad Tait 6 landing on some rocks on the side of the Nairne hill.