Last Tuesday, Kilsyth’s First XI played Norwood in the Wild Card Knock-Out Round of the RDCA T20 Tournament at Mullum Mullum Reserve. Norwood won the toss and elected to bat. The first wicket fell on 16, bowled by Andy Solomons in the third over. Then Lloyd Jordan and Bailey O’Riley shared a second wicket partnership of 54, which ended when O’Riley was bowled by Dylan Smith for 34 off 27 balls (three fours) in Smith’s first over. Smith then took another wicket in the same over, caught by Sagar Ahir and Norwood were suddenly 3/71 after 11 overs. It became 4/82 when Dylan Smith captured another wicket (also bowled) in his next over. Spinner Pasan Ganegoda achieved a brilliant run out off his own bowling in the following over, with the score now 5/84 after 14 overs. Then Dylan Smith dismissed opening batsman Lloyd Jordan for 36 off 36 balls (two fours), well caught by Chris Pahi at deep midwicket, and Norwood had slumped to 6/84. After 16.1 overs, it became 7/94 when Smith captured his fifth wicket in his fourth and final over. From there, Luke Raggett and Ben Harwood took the score to 117 when Raggett, attempting a second run, was run out off the last ball of the innings by Pasan Ganegoda. Luke Raggett made 17 off 17 balls (one four), and Ben Harwood was eight not out off 11 balls. Dylan Smith took the bowling honours for Kilsyth, capturing 5/16 off his four overs. The other wicket taker was Andy Solomons with 1/16 off three overs,
In reply, Kilsyth found run scoring difficult early with a lot of sand being recently laid on the outfield. After two overs, the Redbacks were 1/1 when ’keeper Matthew Sansom effected a stumping off the bowling of Bailey O’Riley. The second wicket fell on 13, bowled by Nathan Lester in the fifth over, and the third wicket on 15, bowled by Andrew Kelly in the sixth over. When opener Jack Childs was run out for 11 by Sam Storey, Kilsyth were 4/30 after seven overs. The Redbacks then lost regular wickets: 5/40, 6/63 and 7/68 after 14 overs with two LBWs to opening bowler Andrew Kelly, and a caught and bowled to James Menzies. Pasan Ganegoda was one of the batsmen adjudged LBW after scoring 17 off 24 balls (one four). In the end, Kilsyth were dismissed for 95 off 19 overs. Will Beard was the last batsman out for 17 off 15 balls (two fours), caught behind by Matthew Sansom off the bowling of Luke Raggett, who took the last three wickets. Norwood’s wicket takers were Luke Raggett, 3/13 off three overs, Andrew Kelly 3/27 off four overs, James Menzies 1/7 off two overs, Bailey O’Riley 1/9 off four overs (one maiden), and Nathan Lester 1/12 off two overs. Thus, Kilsyth bowed out of the T20 competition after losing this knock-out round.
