2010 Game 8: Suburbs

For game seven, the Reds touring side went to Steele Park, which according to a plaque was the place where the city of Hamilton began. The game was on synthetic and our opponents Suburbs sent along seven of their Seconds players, plus three of their Premier Grade bowlers and a 16yo keeper-batsman borrowed from Hamilton Boys High, the top cricket school in New Zealand. Fortunately, the two  Premier Grade pace bowlers (rep players Genge, a 140 kph left-armer, and McLean, who recently bowled Ponting at practice) bowled spin while the Premier Grade spinner Shoston bowled mediums. 

The Reds innings began badly when Whittock was unluckily bowled behind his pads by a ball missing leg by 30cm that  took a bizarre rebound from bottom of his thighpad onto the stumps. Rogerson fell to a superb late inswinger in the same over and Reds were reeling at 2-5. Steve Booth went on the counter-attack with several booming drives to add 62 with Kahn, and when he was stumped right on drinks the score was 3-67 from 17 overs. Kahn and Clark continued to attack the spinners, but medium-pacer Chandler struck twice to have Reds again in trouble at 5-100 after 30. The innings turned around  with a 61 run stand in 14 overs between Kahn and Lovett. Kahn got his pull shot working and Lovett slashed productively at anything short outside off. Kahn continued to add runs with the tail and at the end was undefeated on 83 as the Reds reached 9-194, their highest score of the tour.

Quicks Palin and Cooper struck early to have Suburbs struggling at 3-43 after 11 overs. Then 16yo keeper-batsman Cam Barker got his drive working against danger man Boyes, dominating a 56 run stand with Chandler before Boyes deceived him in flight to give Kahn stumping practice. At 4-99 in the 25^th over, it was game on. Chandler with savage sweeping and Dolman with clever cutting took the match away from Reds in the next ten overs with a decisive 57 run partnership. While Nick “Walker”  Whittock grabbed two late wickets with his deceptive drift,  Suburbs skipper Nick Shoston had no trouble steering his side home with powerful placements  and the three wicket margin flattered Reds a little.