Saturday in a thriller 40 Overs cricket match.
Photos contributed
Nymagee’s Jade Buckman (168 not out) and Empire’s Jake Harbison (166 no) scored massive tonnes in an incredible day of cricket on Saturday at Nymagee.
Nymagee successfully chased Empire’s 317 runs total for victory with one over to spare in the local 40 Over cricket competition.
Both teams were missing several key players and Empire were short on players making an already difficult day even harder on the fast Nymagee outfield.
Empire won the toss and, without hesitation, choose to bat.
Openers Clay Neale and Travis Dunlevy put on 23 runs for the first wicket before Dunlevy was bowled for eight by Travis Buckman.
Jake Harbison came to the crease, looking to be in ominous form, and shared a 103-run partnership with Neale before Neale fell for 43, caught on the boundary off the bowling of Ben Howson.
Harbison was then joined at the crease by Empire captain Robbie Mitchell and the pair took to Nymagee’s bowling scoring at a rate of 11 runs an over.
Scattered showers didn’t slow the pair down as Harbison brought up his century in style with a big six.
The pair shared a 130-run partnership before Mitchell holed out in the deep for 69 runs with the score on 3/256.
Harbison wasn’t done though, continuing to bludgeon the bowling attack and brought up 150 as wickets fell around him.
Empire was bowled out for 316 in the 37th over with Harbison left stranded on 166 not out.
His innings included 22 fours and 8 sixes.
Jade Buckman was the pick of the Nymagee bowlers taking 3/46.
Nymagee needed to build big partnerships if they were going to chase down Empire’s total.
Their innings, however, didn’t start well losing Mitch Holt for four with the score on 12.
Phil Harley joined Jade Buckman at the crease and the pair set about chasing the target down.
After 20 overs, Nymagee were 1/181 and on track.
Buckman brought up his century shortly after.
Empire changed their tactics which worked to slow down the run rate, but Nymagee were still on track.
Harley and Buckman put on 257 runs for the second wicket before Harley fell for 93 runs after Travis Dunlevy took a classic catch to dismiss
him.
Needing six runs an over from the last eight overs and with rain coming down, the pressure was turning on Nymagee.
Buckman was joined at the crease by Steve Nicholson and the pair put on 36 runs before Nicholson fell for six with Nymagee needing another 12 runs to win from 15 deliveries.
Tony Polack joined Buckman at the crease and pair scored the required runs with six balls to spare as Nymagee finished with 3/317.
Buckman batted through the innings finishing on 168 not out.
Jake Harbison returned the best bowling figures for Empire finishing with 2/47.
