Hay keeps Creet Cup

Hay’s victoriuos Creet Cup winning team. Back: Jensen Hargreaves, Dean Aylett, Simon Bunyan, Jack Headon, Will Simpson, Rupert Lilburne. Front: Isaac Gardiner, Mick Cattanach, Liam Whitbourne, Jack Cattanach, Tom McGufficke and Kazi Islam. Image: The Riverine Grazier/Margie McClelland.

By Mick Cattanach

Hay faced off with Griffith, on Hay’s home turf, for the Creet Cup. Griffith wanted to wrestle the Creet Cup back from Hay who won it earlier in the season.

With some moisture in the pitch, Hay captain Simon Bunyan decided to send Griffith in and put early pressure on their batsman.

Hay’s opening attack of Rupert Lilburne and Will Simpson backed their skipper’s judgement with both picking up wickets to leave Griffith 2 for 9 in over 5. However, from that point, the Griffith batsman consolidated, pushing the score to 43 runs, looking in reasonable control. In his third over Simon Bunyan struck to change the momentum of the match as he removed a batsman caught at slip.

Worse was to follow for Griffith. Simon, in his next over, strangled a bat down the leg side to see Griffith 4 for 64. Jack Cattanach then joined the attack, and in his first over got Griffith captain Jimmy Binks caught at deep cover by Rupert Lilburne. Runs were now hard for Griffith, and the wickets tumbled.

Simon got two wickets in two balls as Jack bowled three consecutive maidens and picked up another wicket. Simon was relentless in his demolition of the Griffith batting. He picked up two more wickets in an over, to see Griffith lose 6 wickets for 5 runs, with Simon picking up six wickets in an excellent display of swing bowling as Griffith was bowled out for 71.

Chasing a small total, Hay was entitled to feel confident as openers Liam Whitbourne and Dean Aylett got to 13 without loss. Liam then was out hitting a pull shot to mid-wicket, but Dean was joined by Simon Bunyan as they took the score to 22.

From that point a second collapse for the day occurred as Hay lost six wickets for 9 runs, to slump to 7 for 31, still needing over 40 to win. After watching the carnage from the other end, Hay's skipper Simon Bunyan took control of the innings. He found a willing offsider in Tom McGufficke, with the two of them batting, carefully navigating 12 overs as they drew the total closer. They needed 5 runs to win before Tom was bowled for 8, in what was a very valuable contribution.

Simon, who had done the bulk of the scoring, was joined by Mick Cattanach as they crept towards the total, before Mick was caught behind with one run to tie. Will Simpson joined Simon who was on strike and only one wicket left.

With the crowd silent and nerves jangling Simon edged the fifth ball of the over along the ground to the slips who fumbled and Will tore down the pitch to steal the single that would guarantee Hay would hold the Creet cup.

With scores tied Simon then calmly clipped a four through the leg side to bring up the win. In what must rank as one of the great individual performances by a Hay cricketer in representative cricket, Simon single handedly brought an historic win to Hay.

Griffith were defeated, keeping the Creet Cup locked away in Hay.

Griffith 71 all out (S Bunyan 6/21, J Cattanach 2/0) were defeated by Hay 9/75 (S Bunyan 38 not out).