Meadows won their eighth game in a row yesterday, and in the process went to the top of the Hills Cricket Association (HCA) ladder. Their 140-run demolition of Kangarilla also put paid to ‘Kangies’ finals hopes after they were top at the Christmas/New Year break. Meadows skipper Rohan Reid won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first in glorious conditions at Meadows Oval. The ever reliable pair of Luke Tonkin and Haydn Reid opened proceedings with a 67-run stand before Tonkin went for 38 (51 balls). Haydn Reid continued on to bat through the entire innings to finish on 77 not out (106 balls). Reid is having a career-best season with 712 runs at 71.20 (2 x 100’s, 4 x 50’s). Handy contributions from Oscar Tydeman (30), Rohan Reid (25) and Max Buckley (24), lifted the Bulldogs to an imposing total of 5/219. Steve Featherstone (2/48) was the only multiple wicket taker for the visitors. Kangarilla’s run chase never really got going with Ryan Grimmond (17), Ben Ryan (13) and Featherstone (13) the only players to reach double figures. Four Meadows bowlers took wickets with Chad Dawe (4/13) and Brad Louch (4/19) the standouts. Dawe has ‘rolled back the clock’ this season with 26 wickets at 12.15, his best haul of wickets in A1 ranks since 2012/13, while Louch has hit form late in the season with 12 wickets from his last five outings. 

Mount Lofty kept their double chance hopes alive with a high scoring eight-run win at Aldgate Oval. There were a whopping 502 runs scored and an amazing 28 sixes hit for the match on (and over) the small confines of ‘The Swamp’. The Redcaps batted first and got off to an excellent start through Josh Healey and Adam Carthew who put on 106 runs for the first wicket before Healey fell for 83 from 57 balls (6 x 4’s, 8 x 6’s). Carthew then added 66 for the third wicket with Jordan Neis-Beer before Neis Beer went for 34 (48 balls). Carthew continued on to make 63 (75) as Mount Lofty posted 255 before being bowled out in the 39th over. Frank Clements (3/63), Matt Lennon (2/38) and Jake Turnbull (2/24) were the multiple wicket takers for the ‘Gaters’. Turnbull’s performance was particularly good considering he went at just three runs per over, while the rest of the attack went at more than a run-a-ball. Aldgate made a good fist of the run chase with some handy contributions from Josh Callaghan (34) and Frank Clements (30) getting the home side to 4/114. The best partnership of the innings came for the fifth wicket between Will Quigley-Smith and Connor Milde. This pair added 76 runs to give their side an outside chance at victory, but once Quigley-Smith went for 50 (44 balls), followed shortly afterwards by Milde for 42 (44 balls), the target proved beyond Aldgate as they finished their 40 overs on 8/247. Carthew (3/41), Will Healey (2/40) and Dave Bennett (2/60) were the main wicket takers for the reigning premier. 

Uraidla won their fourth game for the season with a high-scoring 20-run win against Scott Creek Ironbank (SCIB) at Cherry Gardens. Uraidla batted first and got off to a fantastic start with Alex Heptinstall and Pete Wilson adding 130 runs for the first wicket before Wilson departed for a patient 40 from 95 balls. Heptinstall was next to go for a fine 83 from 104 balls (11 x 4’s). It was Heptinstall’s third half century of the season. The Uraidla innings received some real impetus at the end as Simon Parker and Israel Symington came together for a whirlwind 64-run unbroken third wicket stand. Parker finished with 48 not out from 29 balls (4 x 4’s, 3 x 6’s), while Symington was particularly brutal with 32 not out from just 12 balls (2 x 4’s, 3 x 6’s) as the Demons posted 2/218. John Dwyer (1/26) and Aaron Thompson (1/47) were SCIB’s wicket takers. Uraidla took the momentum from their batting innings into the field as SCIB slumped to 3/27. The in-form Tom Watton was joined by Daniel Desengo in a rescue mission as this pair added 64 runs for the fourth wicket before Watton departed for 42 (77 balls). Veteran Andy Adams was next in and he and Desengo got their side right back in the game with an 85-run partnership. Simon Parker (3/36) made a decisive double strike as Adams went for 46 (41 balls), followed by Desengo for 51 (65 balls) as SCIB ran out of time to finish on 9/198 from their 40 overs. Symington completed a fine all-round day with 3/24 from eight overs, while Renzo Gaetan (2/48) was the other multiple wicket taker for Uraidla. 

Stirling moved up to second spot on the HCA ladder with a comfortable seven-wicket win against Bridgewater at Basket Range yesterday. Eagles skipper Jack Pick won the toss and sent the Raiders in and it was tough going for ‘Bridgy’ as they struggled their way to 6/111 from their 40 overs against a miserly Stirling bowling attack. It could’ve been far worse as Bridgewater were 5/47 at one stage before Liam Sutcliffe (35 not out) and Brent Sutcliffe (30) put on 64 runs for the sixth wicket. Teenager Charlie Fryer was the standout bowler for the Eagles with 4/22 from eight overs. He was well supported by Ethan Penck with 2/25 (7). Daniel Gonzalez got the chase off to a fast start with 26 from 14 balls (3 x 4’s, 2 x 6’s) but at 3/44, the Raiders still had a heartbeat. Harrison Webb and Kosta Sinodinos put an end to any Bridgewater hopes as they put on 71 runs in an unbroken fourth wicket stand as the winning runs were knocked off in the 20th over. Webb made 54 not out (37 balls), while Sinodinos finished with 22 not out (45 balls). Brent Sutcliffe completed a good all-round double with 2/18 from six overs. 

Ladder (after round 16)

Meadows 69, Stirling 69, Mount Lofty 66, Aldgate 66, Kangarilla 51, Scott Creek Ironbank 24, Uraidla 24, Bridgewater 15.

Round 17 fixture (home team named first)

Meadows v Uraidla

Aldgate v Bridgewater

Mount Lofty v Stirling

Kangarilla v Scott Creek Ironbank