By Trevor Jackson
IT was a classy captain’s knock from North Sportsman’s Nick McInerney as he carried his bat for an unbeaten century at Blue Lake Sports Park on Saturday.
Round 2 of the Hoggies Wines Barber Shield cricket competition saw North set South Gambier an unreachable target on the back of McInerney’s 115 runs, with just one wicket to fall for the 40 allotted overs.
South won the toss and sent North into bat, but the home side was unable to control the Tigers bats as they raced to a total of 228 runs.
McInerney had a day out as his century included nine boundaries and three sixes.
Fellow opener Jake Schutz fell short of his half-century, clean bowled by Adam Kuhl on 43 but the score had already reached 116 and the Tigers were in control.
Aiden Thatcher joined McInerney at the crease and pair pushed on, with the new batsmen reaching his milestone, with 53 at the end of the 40 overs.
That left plenty of work for the Demons to do with the willow in hand, which came tumbling down when Kuhl was clean bowled by Declan Kenny for no score.
Just 16 runs later spearhead Dave Somerfield made his way back to the sidelines for 12, lbw to the North skipper.
Opener Daniel Loupos could only offer three runs to the cause and the Demons slumped to 3/19.
Josh Thompson and Nick Seager settled the run chase somewhat, putting on 36 before the latter fell to Elliott fisher for a handy 27.
South was still a long way from the target and when Thompson went just five runs later the panic set in.
The remaining batsmen rallied, with captain James Dunn caught off Tim Young for 19, Camron Jorgenson caught-and-bowled by McInerney for 13 and Michael Sims not out on 24 at the end of the 40 overs.
South fell 96 runs short of the North total, while McInerney topped off his batting effort with 3/23 off his eight overs.
Young was extremely economical with 2/9 off eight.
