Unlucky Smith blasts Blues to huge total

Port Hedland Cricket Club has sent a clear message to the rest of the Nor West Crane Hire Port Hedland Cricket Association teams with back-to-back demolitions of the South Hedland Cricket Club.

Following on from a 35-over scoreline of 1-217 two weekends ago, the Porters rattled on 246 runs from just 20 overs on Thursday night for the loss of just four wickets.

The batting blitz was started by opener Arron Hamilton with a rapid 63 runs from just 43 deliveries and then continued by Nathan Smith (99 off 44) and Chris Briody (60 from 38).

Smith was dropped when on 98, before being dismissed one short of what would have been one of the fastest centuries in the association’s history.

Making things worse for Smith was the revelation that he was penalised one run in his innings for failing to make the crease at the non-strikers end when returning for a second run earlier in his innings.

Port kept the pressure on the South side when they took to the field . Intensity and enthusiasm by the Blues resulted in early wickets, and the steady procession of dismissals kept the required run rate above the initial 12 throughout.

South Hedland skipper, Shoaib Khan, was one player able to put up some resistance with a composed 31 runs but when he was dismissed with the score on 97, followed by the retirement, through injury, of Inayat Zaman the end was imminent.

In the 35-over fixture on Friday night, Wanderers maintained their dominance over Mines with a 53-run win, giving the Green Machine two wins from two starts in the longer form competition this season .

Twenty20 cricket returns to Kevin Scott Oval this Friday when Mines host South Hedland, while Port will be looking to keep their batting momentum going against top team Wanderers on Saturday night.

Junior cricket will play their first round of “hard-ball” cricket this Thursday under lights at Kevin Scott Oval.

Stage 2 cricket takes the junior players to the next level after in2cricket and T20 Blast. Spectators are welcome.