The Newtown Tigers have clawed their way closer to the top of the RSL-Whitney Cup ladder with a double bonus point win over the Macquarie Blues at Lady Cutler No 2 Oval on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It was just in the nick of time, too, as Ben Patterson (51) and Doug Potter (13) combined to snag the winning runs with just four balls to spare.
But they made it more difficult for themselves than was necessary.
Macquarie’s top order disintegrated under the ferocity of Newtown’s bowling attack, with the crucial wickets of Jason Green (8) and Dan Medway (12) falling cheaply.
Macquarie were on the ropes at 6/49 and at 7/87 after 31 overs it looked all but over.
But a gritty 53 from supposed tail-ender Joe Haylock put the Blues back in the game, as his 60-run partnership with Elliot Carlin (14) helped Macquarie to a much more respectable 147.
“We had them in trouble,” Skinner said.
“They ended up scratching up 140 – Joe Haylock came in at the end and smacked a good 50.
“He was hitting the ball very cleanly, so good on him, but it sort of made it a bit harder work chasing the double bonus point for us.”
The Tigers had a hard task ahead of them to chase 147 inside 20 overs, but openers Wayne Dunlop (46) and Dan Holland (26) were up to the challenge.
They piled on 80 runs before Dunlop fell, and Charlie Kempston was run out on 0 soon after.
When Newtown head coach Ben Patterson came to the crease, the Tigers needed more than 10 runs an over to claim the double bonus point.
They needn’t have worried.
Patterson alone slogged eight boundaries, including three sixes, to help secure the seven wicket victory.
”We batted our first 10 overs not really looking for [the double bonus point], we just wanted to see what sort of a platform we had,” Skinner said.
“Wayne Dunlop and Dan Holland at the start … it wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on, it just kept low so credit to them for sticking it out early and giving us a platform.”
