Hay brings cricket’s Creet Cup home

By Mick Cattanach - Hay Cricket Club

On Sunday the Hay Senior cricket team headed to Griffith to challenge for the Creet Cup.

They were vying to snatch back the trophy, lost a month earlier when Griffith won in Hay.

After winning the toss, Hay skipper Simon Bunyan chose to bat.

Hay found themselves in trouble early, losing Liam Whitbourne in the midst of a fiery opening spell from the Griffith opening bowlers.

Jensen Hargreaves and Tom Davies worked hard to see them off in a tough period.

In the ninth over Jensen was bowled attempting a pull shot for 16, an important innings given the difficult conditions, with the score on 24.

Simon Bunyan joined Tom Davies.

The pair consolidated the innings, grinding the edge off the Griffith attack.

They got to over 25 before Tom was out caught well at slip for a determined 12.

Simon was then joined by Kazi Islam and the pair got the Hay total to three for 75 at the 30 over mark.

With 15 overs left in the innings but a good foundation in place, the Hay batsman hit the switch and started to rapidly push the scoring.

Initially Kazi struck some nice boundaries and then Simon followed as they got the score past 100.

Kazi lost his wicket to a brilliant catch, but then Dean Aylett continued the momentum with Simon before Simon was trapped LBW.

Jack Cattanach and Dean then put together a 46-run partnership to finish the innings, scoring quickly to build the total to 164 at the end of the 45 overs.

In reply, Griffith's chase struggled under the accuracy and movement that Hay's opening bowlers Bill Auldist and Jack Cattanach were able to get, as they reduced Griffith to three for 20 after 12 overs.

While Griffith tried to build partnerships, they could not break loose from the tight bowling of Dean Aylett and Simon.

Dean picked up three wickets through his excellent spell of off spin bowling.

Falling to five for 48 and then six for 77, Griffith's chase was in trouble.

However, a partnership at this point threatened to challenge Hay.

Rising to the task, Tom McGufficke’s quick hands got a stumping off Simon.

Next, Isaac Gardiner took an excellent return catch off his own bowling, with the score on 107. Despite a couple of boundaries, the game was Hay's and Isaac picked up two more wickets to see Griffith bowled out for 123 in over 40.

Hay were winners by 41 runs and earned the right to bring the Creet Cup back home.

Final score:

Hay 5/164 (K Islam 43, S Bunyan 39, D Aylett 31 not out, J Cattanach 19 not out, J Hargreaves 16, T Davies 12) defeated Griffith 123 all out (D Aylett 3/21, I Gardiner 3/41, J Cattanach 2/21, B Auldist 1/17, S Bunyan 1/20).