TWENTY20
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Mudgee District Cricket Association’s Twenty20 competition is only one game old and already there were fireworks both on and off the field.
Oriental Hotel had to forfeit their match against Lawson Park Hotel because the Mudgee first grade premiers did not have enough players to form a team, while there was a concern from a player that the Victoria Park pitch was too dangerous to play on.
The only dangerous thing at Victoria Park were the balls flying over the fence and into the crowd during the Federal Hotel and Woolpack Hotel match.
Ten sixes were smashed in total by both teams.
Federal posted a contender for the largest Twenty20 total of the season when they piled on 204 runs in their 20 overs.
Going at a rate of 10.20 runs an over, Mudgee representative Ryan Bannerman smashed 75 runs from 44 balls as Federal made 3-204.
Mitchell Hearn hit an unbeaten 48 (30 balls) and Cameron Cox 40 not out (20 balls) as the duo put on 64 runs for the fourth-wicket.
But it was Bannerman who wielded the willow and carted the Woolpack bowlers around the park.
In the form that saw him play cricket for NSW Country in the colts team a few seasons ago, Bannerman did not let up.
He hit 10 fours and two sixes during his knock.
Bannerman’s and Hearn’s third-wicket partnership of 72 was the backbone to Federal’s large total after James O’Brien was dismissed for four and Josh Edwards was gone for 25.
All the Woolpack bowlers except for Michael Kirsten (1-19 off four overs) received some stick with some bowlers going for more than 12 runs an over.
Needing to climb Mount Everest and in the process beat Goliath along the way, it was always going to be a tough task for the competition new boys to overcome such difficult odds.
But Woolpack Hotel gave it their all and got within 50 runs of Federal’s total.
Opening batsman Ed Turner played a controlled innings to remain not out on 57 (54 balls) at the end of the 20 overs while he was well supported by Brad James (34 off 28 balls).
Unfortunately, not enough quick run scoring hurt Woolpack as they each time they tried to lift the tempo, they would lose wickets.
The wickets were shared around with O’Brien taking 1-8 off one, James Ford 1-12 off two, Cox 1-22 off four and David Edwards 1-23 off four.
Woolpack ended up on 4-154.