Whitehaugh secured victory in a low scoring match on a wicket that suited both bowling attacks. Nunholm won the toss and chose to bat first, and looking to establish a big total for Whitehaugh to chase. It was unfortunately not a good day for the Nunholm batting line up as after a slow start by the Whitehaugh bowlers the wicket began to get some life with the ball bouncing off a length.
Whitehaugh 122/6 v Nunholm 119 all out
Nunholm lost early wickets and soon found themselves in difficulties with the score 40-5. It was left to James Cox and Andrew Reed to put together a recovery. The pair batted with confidence and a small amount of luck as they began to get on top of the Whitehaugh bowlers. The fielding team were forced into bowling changes to try and break the partnership, but it failed to have the desired impact as Reed and Cox were running well between the wickets and finding regular boundaries.
The pair passed their 50 partnership, but it was Reed who eventually fell with the score at 97 to a moving delivery which snicked the top of off-stump. Dunbar joined Cox at the crease and showed no respect to senior bowlers, but chipped a ball to covers and was back in the club house after a swashbuckling innings.
Cox was eventually bowled after a tired defensive shot failed to make contact with the ball. The Nunholm innings had a break for the heavy rain, but nothing much changed when the innings resumed and Nunholm were all out for 119.
Nunholm took to the field and needed early wickets, and the experience of David Davidson proved a useful weapon as he picked up early wickets with picking up wickets in his first few overs. The first wicket was in the first over and clean bowled, and followed by a sharp catch by Andrew Dawson at slip to leave Whitehaugh two wickets down with only 1 run on the board.
Davidson picked up his third wicket dismissing Donaldson with a delivery that straightened and trapped him LBW. Whitehaugh began to settle with Miller and Morrow riding their luck with both decisions and shots just evading fielders.
The bowling changes were made by skipper Cameron Telfer and James Cox was getting some dangerous bounce which was off putting for the Whitehaugh batsman. It took an excellent diving catch down legside by keeper Andrew Reed to dismiss Morrow for 33, which put Nunholm back in the game with Whitehaugh still requiring 50 and 4 wickets down. Cox and Jeremy Goodin continued to put the pressure on the batsman and both picked up useful wickets, but the game began to finally slip away from Nunholm and Whitehaugh were able to scrape over the line for victory.
Nunholm will need to perform better with the bat in their next match against Langloan on Saturday if they are to avoid a further defeat and to get their season back on track
