HAWKESBURY and Blacktown’s first grade clash at Bensons Lane ended in a stalemate, as the home side was unable to bowl out the visitors in 89 overs.
The round three clash in the NSW Premier Cricket grade ended without a result.
The two-day match started as Hawkesbury shot out to a lead, thanks to good top order batting.
The first day ended with Hawkesbury still at the crease, and the team came out to bat on Saturday, adding 24 more runs before declaring after 101 overs.
Blacktown ended the day with two wickets in hand, despite the best efforts of the Hawkesbury bowlers.
Pat Lawrence had a return to form, with the fast bowler claiming three top order batsmen.
Lawrence dismissed Blacktown’s number three Paul Horton, who had dug in with one of the openers, forming a solid partnership.
Horton, Simon Keen, Jake Fawcett and Usman Butt all scored half centuries for Blacktown.
Horton combined with both Keen and Fawcett to get the score ticking over for Blacktown, before Lawrence struck to remove Horton.
Lawrence also dimissed opener Nathan Hinton for 10 and struck early in Arron Lilley’s innings, sending the number five back to the pavilion with just one run to his name.
Along with his wickets, Lawrence also had four maidens, which was bested only by Aamir Jamal’s five.
Hawkesbury’s captain Jay Dyball did his best to back Lawrence up, claiming two wickets for himself.
It was a long day in the field for Hawkesbury, with Lawrence, Dyball and Jamal all bowling 15 overs each, while Abdul Kherkah toiled away for 24 overs.
Blacktown number 10 Tony Clark faced 21 balls without scoring to help guide the team to a draw.
Blacktown was well short of Hawkesbury’s total of 9-390, reaching 8-280.
In Hawkesbury’s innings, a century to Josh Clarke and half centuries to Jordan Gauci and Dale McKay, while a 49 not out from Aamir Jamal had the Hawks in good stead for a win.
The result means Hawkesbury has one win, loss and draw on the season so far, although this was the first two-day match of the season.
This week, Hawkesbury will play Sydney University, with the first grade side to host an undefeated outfit.
In the lower grades, seconds bowled out Blacktown to take a first innings win; third grade crushed their opposition, scoring more than 100 runs more than Blacktown, while finishing the match with four wickets in hand; a stale mate was the result in fourth grade; and, in fifth grade, a century to Kyle Vicary in the first innings ensured a victory for Hawkesbury.
The weekend’s good results see Hawkesbury sit in sixth position on the club championship ladder.
