Flagstaff Hill won their first game of the 2019/20 season with a tight 10-run victory over Bridgewater in round 10 action of the Hills Cricket Association (HCA). The Falcons decided to bat first on their home ground and they put together a string of solid partnerships to reach 3/116 with good contributions from Matt Emes (39), Stephen Wheatland (31), Ross Mummery (15) and skipper Kyle Petty (14). Bridgewater fought back hard to take the next six wickets for just 20 runs before the home side finished up with 9/140 from their 40 overs. All six Raiders bowlers claimed wickets with Justin Summerill (2/17), Jamie Drew (2/21) and Adam Eckermann (2/38) leading the way. Bridgewater got their run chase underway in shaky fashion as Eckermann was run out without scoring before Summerill (48) and Luke Hoyle (33) added 66 for the second wicket to put the visitors in a winning position at 1/72. However once Summerill and Hoyle were dismissed, the Raiders collapsed to be bowled out for 130 in the 38th over with only William Miller (14) and skipper Jackson Hooper (10) managing double figures. Teenager Sam Walton, in just his fifth ‘A’ grade match, was the destroyer as he took 4/16 from his five overs. “We were stoked to get our first win of the season and we are looking to build some momentum and get our season off the ground, albeit way too late,” said skipper Kyle Petty. “Unfortunately we have the two week bye coming up which may halt that momentum, but the signs are pleasing.”

Meadows continued their unbeaten run as they notched their eighth win for the season with a four-wicket victory over Stirling at Stirling Oval. It was a highly anticipated clash between the top two sides in the HCA as Meadows won the toss and sent the home side in. The Eagles got off to a good start with Daniel Gonzalez (39), Jack Pick (34) and Myles Collins (31) the leading lights. Handy contributions from Jacob Gonzalez (19) and Jack Read (17) lifted Stirling to a competitive total of 9/162 from their 40 overs. Rohan Reid was the star with the ball for the Bulldogs as he snared 6/21 (12). Stirling got off to a good start with the ball as Pete Fryer (2/25) removed the in-form Luke Tonkin to leave Meadows at 1/7. Enter Rohan Reid to join brother Haydn Reid (30) and this pair added 60 runs for the second wicket. Once H.Reid was dismissed, a couple more wickets fell to see Meadows at 4/94 and Stirling had a bit of a sniff. R.Reid was still there and skipper Brad Dawe was yet to bat so Meadows would’ve still been confident of victory and so it proved as R.Reid (75) continued on to post his second half century of the campaign as the winning runs were knocked off in the 39th over. Teenager Collins followed up his solid batting contribution with 2/39 (8) with the ball for the Eagles.

Kangarilla pulled off a miraculous win in a low scoring affair against Mount Lofty at Heathfield Oval. It moved Kangarilla back inside the top four at the expense of the Redcaps. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first with Jono Makai (15) and Steve Featherstone (14) adding 23 for the first wicket. Amazingly this was to be the best partnership of the game! It was all Mount Lofty after that opening partnership with Kangarilla losing it’s last 10/63 to be bowled out in the 33rd over for just 86. All six Redcaps bowlers took wickets with left-armer Max Hawke the standout with 3/14 (8). It looked like the home side were going to notch their fourth win on the trot but Kangarilla skipper, Che Martinsen, had other ideas as he bowled a fantastic spell of 3/22 from an amazing 19.1 overs on the trot. Ryan Grimmond (3/8) and Troy Martinsen (2/14) provided great support for their leader. Mount Lofty were never in the hunt with only skipper Jordan Neis-Beer (12) reaching double figures as they were rolled for just 50 in the 39th over. 

Round 11 (15/2/20 & 22/2/20) fixtures are two-day matches (home team named first).....

Aldgate v Meadows

Stirling v Kangarilla

Bridgewater v Mount Lofty

Flagstaff Hill has the bye