HDCA – Country Week


IT WAS a case of so close for the Hamilton and District Cricket Association Hurricanes Under-15 Gold team at the annual Horsham Junior Country Week Carnival as the side sailed through the preliminary rounds only to fall at the final hurdle against Mount Gambier.


Hurricanes Gold took care of business against Hurricanes Green by 101 runs, Horsham by nine wickets, South West by 77 runs and Warrnambool Blue by 49 runs to finish atop the ladder with only Mount Gambier the only other side to be undefeated entering Friday’s grand final.


Mount Gambier was sent into bat as the Hurricanes won the toss but the tactic that served the side so well for the week failed to work on the last day as the top order for the opposition peeled off 4/229 from its 50 overs.


In reply the Hurricanes could not grab their opportunities with the bat in hand as Tom Templeton (55), Xavier Dwyer (36), and Jobe Dunn (24) made great starts without going on and posting a winning tally.


The Hurricanes finished with 176 when its final wicket fell, but the whole team could hold their heads high even though that final barrier proved to be too hard to break through.


This side will make up much of the Under-17 team in Warrnambool next summer, while the bottom age players will be the core of the Gold team next season.


The bonus for the HDCA Hurricanes Green team was that it finished fourth for the week with two victories to its credit after that first day loss to Hurricanes Gold.


This is a development squad and the players can be proud of their efforts in gelling as a side and producing great cricket for the week with wins against Wimmera Mallee by two wickets, and a second against South West by three wickets.


The HDCA Hurricanes Under 17 team bowled very well all week long but the batting let the entire side down with bad collapses plaguing the side every day.


The HDCA is not worried about results, but rather the players learn where the faults are within their own games and then come back to the HDCA and work on not only the negatives but also the positives.