MNC Claim U16 Stan Austin Cup
The all-conquering Mid North Coast (MNC) U16 Rep Cricket team completed a dream Stan Austin carnival with a wonderful victory over Hunter Valley at Johnny Martin Oval, Taree on Thursday. In one of the most dominating displays ever seen at the Stan Austin, MNC remained undefeated for the carnival winning their 5 games.
Led very well by experienced Macleay coach, Troy McKiernan, and Manager, Dave Burley, the MNC boys improved each day of the carnival and every boy thrived on the relaxed but astute coaching style of McKiernan. The team started slowly against a local Manning team who to their credit, pushed them all the way at a very hot and steamy Old Bar field on the Monday in an exciting game of 20/20 cricket.
Sent in to bat, Jack Connolly played a match saving innings for MNC with a well compiled 65 not out off 66 balls, with some wonderful cover drives and pull shots. With Scott Dickson feeding the strike to Connolly the pair put on a crucial 40 run partnership to have MNC still looking shaky at 5/97 off their 20 overs. MNC’s strong bowling line up was called upon to restrict the runs and with Nick Bartlett and Dickson bowling tightly and claiming 5 wickets between them MNC defended the total. Bartlett helped save the match for MNC keeping his nerve for his final 2 overs to help MNC win by 6 runs.
The close match seemed to spark the MNC boys into action and they then unleashed their awesome bowling attack on a shell-shocked Far North Coast team that afternoon at Johnny Martin Oval. FNC elected to bat, but were soon in deep trouble when “bowler of the carnival” Scott Dickson, put in one of the best spells of swing bowling you could wish to see at a 20/20 with career best figures of 5/7 off 4 overs and with help from Captain Jonothan Craig-Dobson and spinner Reece Bowden FNC were bowled out for only 53 runs. Craig-Dobson and local Manning boy, Jake Mullen, then knocked over the runs without losing a wicket to steer MNC to a fine win. Master blaster Mullen finished with 34 not out and Craig-Dobson 15 not out.
Tuesday saw MNC lock horns with Tamworth on a fine and sunny Cedar Party Reserve at Wingham. Tamworth elected to bat 1st but were soon to suffer the same fate as FNC with the MNC bowlers using the conditions superbly and with a few run outs, they had Tamworth in deep trouble at 7/14 at one stage. Led by Man of the Match Craig-Dobson who claimed 4 wickets, Tamworth eventually scrambled to be 9/62 after their 20 overs. Craig-Dobson claimed 4/10 off 4 overs. In form openers, Mullen and Craig-Dobson then completed another easy win with an unbeaten opening stand to get the 63 runs in the 11th over with Craig-Dobson completing a fine match with 33 not out.
Wednesday saw the eagerly anticipated 50 over matches begin with the 2 unbeaten teams, MNC and Hunter Valley clashing at another hot and dry Old Bar turf. On a fine batting track, Hunter elected to bat 1st but with early wickets to Craig-Dobson and Dickson, Hunter were doing it tough. MNC then took control of spinner Reece Bowden who claimed 3 wickets which included a magical slips catch by Jack Connolly and the consistent Kirk Lower who chipped in with 2 wickets. Big Stuart Mason bowled his best spell of the carnival also and was unlucky not to claim a wicket. Nick Bartlett then came on to claim the last wicket to have Hunter bowled out in only the 40th over for 115 runs. Again Mullen and Craig-Dobson got the run chase off to a positive start with Mullen in particular playing some wonderful hook and pull shots. Hunter then hit back dismissing both openers and claiming a few quick wickets but a good steady knock from Lower and some good hitting from Bailey Brown steered MNC to victory and a good confidence booster for the final the next day against Hunter again.
With a good crowd in attendance at Johnny Martin Oval on the Thursday for the final, coach McKiernan gave the boys a quick sharp warm up and some words of wisdom to have them fired up to take the field with the pitch again looking like a great batting track the MNC bowlers knew they had to be on the spot. Captain Craig-Dobson bowled very tightly and was rewarded with 2 early wickets to have the Hunter boys on the backfoot. Their pain was soon to increase with big match player, Scott Dickson arriving at the bowling crease. In his best spell of the carnival, Dickson tore the heart out of the Hunter top and middle order with a wonderful display of inswing bowling to claim match turning figures of 4/11 off 6 overs and have Hunter in dire straits at 7/71. Hunter’s tail was starting to wag but Kirk Lower soon put an end to their innings claiming 2 well deserved wickets to have Hunter all out for 109 in only the 37th over. The MNC batsmen knew they had to get a good start and the form openers of the competition Craig-Dobson and Mullen again produced the goods under pressure with a wonderful opening stand of 77 to have the MNC crowd in raptures. Craig-Dobson made 43 and “Batsman of the carnival” Jake Mullen got 38. The consistent Connolly and Lower then finished Hunter off to leave the MNC boys reaching the runs in the 25th over to be rightly crowned the U16 Stan Austin champions for 2012. Many thanks to Coach Troy McKiernan and Manager Dave Burley for the way they handled the team, to the scorers Catherine Craig-Dobson and Wayne Mason.
Carnival Awards: Player of the Carnival – Jonothan Craig-Dobson; Batter of the Carnival – Jake Mullen (124 runs) ; Bowler of the Carnival – Scott Dickson (12/45 off 24 overs).