Oldest man-of-the-match secures win for Bunyips
March 18, 2010Ken Mayers top scored with 72 as the Bartholomew’s Bunyips beat Wynnum Baptist on Saturday in the Brisbane Church’s Cricket competition at Kianawah Oval.
After Wynnum posted a challenging first innings total of 198, Mayers helped the Bunyips chase down the total with 8 overs and 7 wickets to spare.
Bunyips skipper Daniel Viles said that not only did Mayers take an amazing catch to dismiss Turnball, his 72 runs were his highest ever.
“His highest score before today was 38 and that was a shock. I think his second highest score was 18. From his second highest score it’s a 500% improvement and I always say if you can get a 500% improvement out of your players you’re doing well!”
Wynnum got off to a good start with Hancock and Turner putting on a 64 run partnership.
Wakefield got the breakthrough by bowling Turner for 18. This started a mini collapse as Hancock (33), Robson (1) and Smith (0) fell quickly.
This brought local hero and captain of Wynnum Baptist Mark Martindale to the crease.
Despite eye problems and many visits to doctors and optometrists, Martindale managed to put on 65 runs and see the innings out.
With him was Turnball who was in blistering form following a couple of good games with the bat.
The two of them put on 44 until 48 year old Mayers took a screamer off Gale’s bowling to remove Turnball for 24.
McCarthy then made a quick-fire 23 before he was stumped by Lenton off Wakefield and Wright saw out the overs making 2 not out.
At the change of innings, Martindale was quite pleased with his team’s effort.
“I was happy with my own performance with the bat as I had just made my highest batting score ever, but was more elated that we had set them a very competitive score, something that I believed we could do.”
Viles knew that there was some serious work to do with the bat.
“We have a perfect record against Wynnum Baptist and I honestly thought that was in jeopardy.”
The Bunyips’ skipper couldn’t have asked for a better start to the second innings.
Brown and Mayers put on an opening stand of 102 and it was this great start that Martindale saw the game slipping away.
“We have gotten used to getting a wicket early, so when we went the 1st 10 overs of St.
Bart’s innings without getting one, that is, I believe, where we lost it.”
From there the Bunyips grew in confidence with Mayers at the centre of the action. When Brown fell for 35, Kronenberg (26) joined Mayers to put on 40 more runs.
The veteran finally fell when Hancock cleaned bowled him, and he left the field to a standing ovation from his teammates.
Wicketkeeper Lenton then came out to the middle and kept the pace up by hitting Wynnum’s bowlers over the fence plenty of times and ended up chasing down the total, earning him 46 not out with Wakefield (0 not out).
The Bunyips have a bye next week while Wynnum take on Trinity Uniting at home.
