Captain David Sweet won the toss for the first time this season but couldn’t make use of it.  Two key bowlers were unable to play the full match due to work commitments.  Sweet was forced to bowl first. 

The young Pirates attack had been growing in experience over the past few weeks and opener Hayden Lang did not disappoint.  The pressure of four dot balls was rewarded with an angled swipe at the fifth and flying bails.  The result was a wicket maiden and the best possible start.  Young Liam Sweeny again showed his promise, with only one run coming off the second over. 

Jay Breust, playing only his second game of cricket, also kept the pressure on.  Three consecutive maidens by Sweeny and Breust had the visitors bogged down at 1 for 28 after 9 overs.  Sweet saw the opportunity to bring on spinner, Ben Potter, to tempt some shots out of the frustrated batsmen. 

Potter reaped the reward for the accuracy from the young quicks, grabbing two quick wickets and another string of three maidens to have Wolumla struggling at 3 for 33 off 14 overs.  Something was brewing.  A change of bowlers to Connor Breust, a lad that had only bowled once before, saw the end of the other Wolumla opener, caught and bowled for 23.  It was 4 for 52 at drinks.  The young bowlers had put the Pirates well and truly on top.

Wolumla showed their class and depth of batting after the break.  Wickets fell, including a remarkable catch by debutante Steve Babidge, bravely diving forward to mid-wicket to clasp one inches from the ground.  But Wolumla scored more freely, accelerating well to amass a further 102 in the final 20 overs, thanks mainly to a fine knock of 49 not out by David Brown.  The Pirates would be chasing a decent, but gettable, 155 for victory.

It was a watchful start by openers Matthew Moore and Adrian Ridgley.  They saw off the first four overs without loss until Moore was bowled for 3 with the score on 10.  Captain Sweet strode to the wicket in the knowledge that there wasn’t a great depth of batting to follow.  Consolidation was what was required to turn the opportunity into a win. 

He and Ridgley knuckled down, seeing off the openers, then the first and second change bowlers.  They walked off the ground at drinks with their wickets intact and the score at 1 for 66.  There were still 89 needed off the last 20, but Wolumla had shown what was possible, despite the long boundaries and relatively slow outfield.

Sweet set the pair a target, to reach 100 by the 30th over.  But they were both well and truly in, and scoring become more free-flowing.  Ridgley in particular was able to take advantage of some short-of-a-length bowling to break out his rarely seen pull shot to gain significant momentum.  The Pirates passed 100 in the 26th over without losing another wicket.  The pair brought up their century partnership in the 29th over, but the wealth of doubles were taking their toll on the pair’s pair of fifty plus legs.

Wolumla brought their opening bowlers back on to try the break the partnership.  But scoring did not relent.  Ridgley brought up his half century by hooking a bouncer over the square leg fielder for a boundary.  That, and a single off the next ball, took the partnership to 111.  If only umpire David Shepard was on hand, on one leg, to nullify the hoodoo.  Off the very next ball, Sweet was run out by a direct hit for 36.  Then, for the second time this year, Ridgley fell to the last ball before his forced retirement.  The Pirates were suddenly 3 for 121 and two new batsmen were at the crease.  When the last recognised batsman fell for a duck two overs later, the winning position was evaporating.  It would be up to the young Pirates to see them home.

Ben Potter (10) Liam Sweeny (6) and Shannon Green (6) contributed.  They took the score to 6 for 146.  Just 9 runs were required off the final 4 overs.  It was tense stuff in the middle and in the dressing rooms.  At the end of the 39th over, it was 8 for 150, there were still 5 runs to get and no batsmen to follow.  The Pirates’ dreams were shattered when the 9th and final wicket fell LBW from the penultimate ball.  The Pirates just failed to pull off what would have been remarkable upset.

The first grade side fared better in their most away of away games at Mallacoota.  The Pirates won the toss and batting first, amassed an impressive 8 for 203 off their allotted 40 overs.  Jorden Dibden brought up his first 50 of the season, a fine 67.  He was assisted by significant contributions from Dean Friskin (27), Ben Dibben (22) and Brendan Connor (36).  Another outstanding bowling performance by Nick Mason (3 for 28) saw the Pirates sneak home by 6 runs.  The first grade Pirates have consolidated 4th place.

Next Saturday sees the firsts travel to take on 7th placed Eden, with C grade hosting 4th placed Pambula at Dalmeny.  Training as always is on Wednesdays at 5pm at Dalmeny oval.  All welcome.