Jake Greenslade

In a low scoring game played at the Mill Reserve in Palmerston, the Union Senior side beat Eastern by 15 runs.

Batting first the visitors could only notch up 140 runs for its innings, bowled all out in the 50th over. For Union, captain Thomas Shields and Jake Greenslade combined for a 52 run partnership with Greenslade top scoring with 27 while Shields got 22. The batsmen struggled to hit boundaries in the thick outfield with the first boundary coming in the 15th over. For Eastern all bowlers recorded some very economical figures with Matt McLelland (3-18) and Cameron Grubb (3-21) taking two wickets each and veteran Richard Snell taking 2-44.

Realising that in order to win the match Union would effectively need to take 10 wickets, they got of to the best possible start with Eastern 2 wickets down for 6 runs in the 5th over. This bought together Murray Dempster and Cameron Grubb who had looked to put their team in a winning position combining for a 61 run partnership for the 3rd wicket. With the wicket of Dempster for 39, bowled by Brad Fleming, this was the start of a spectacular collapse that saw 7 wickets fall for only 27 runs. Fleming was the main instigator taking 5 wickets for 9 runs in the space of 6 overs, to leave Eastern in tatters at 94-9 with a further 46 runs required. James Dempster (31) then looked to try and play a lone hand to try to bring his team home but after putting on 31 runs for the final wicket with youngster Bob Martin he was bowled by Dan Conlan for 31 giving Union a victory by 15 runs.

Brad Fleming took his third five wicket bag in Union colors finishing with 5-27 while Matt Lilley took 2-27.

Player Pages:
Daniel Conlan | Brad Fleming | Jake Greenslade | Thomas Shields |

Union 140 ( J. Greenslade 27, T. Shields 23, M. Wilson 22, M. Lilley 12, M. McLelland 3-18, C. Grubb 3-21, R. Snell 2-44 )
Eastern 125 ( M. Dempster 39, J. Dempster 31, C. Grubb 18, B. Fleming 5-27, M. Wilson 2-9, M. Lilley 2-27 )
Union won by 15 runs
Full scorecard for the match