Gerits To Rescue As Nsw Take Box Seat
Newcastle Herald
Saturday January 10, 2004
NEWCASTLE City all-rounder Michael Gerits compiled a courageous innings of 80 to put NSW in command against Western Australian in their Australian Country Cricket Championship battle at Mount Gambier yesterday.
Gerits faced 169 balls in his stand as NSW were bundled out for 172.
Merewether paceman Duncan McIlveen made sure Gerits's effort was not wasted.
The right-armer claimed 4-28 from 18 straight overs to send Western Australia crashing to 8-72 at stumps.
NSW were in a disastrous position at 2-1 when Gerits came to the crease.
He helped Merewether and NSW Country captain Simon Moore restore order as the pair combined for a 75-run partnership.
Moore took plenty of punishment on the body on the way to a dogged 11 runs from 89 balls.
The Western Australia attack, buoyed by a bouncy, seaming wicket, continued to bowl short to Gerits, who made them pay.
McIlveen (seven not out) was the next-best Newcastle performer with the bat. Darren Herbert made four and Brad Bannister five.
Herbert made amends for his poor showing with the bat by helping McIlveen tear the heart out of the West Australian top order.
The left-armer used the conditions to perfection and had 2-20 from 10 overs when forced from the field with a groin strain.
NSW hope to roll Western Australia early today then set them a target in hope of an outright win to get their title hopes back on track.
``It was pretty tough out there today," Moore said.
``They won the toss and sent us in on wicket which had plenty in it.
``Michael was superb. He was patient early and then once he got comfortable, he took them on.
``They kept bowling short to him and he kept hitting them to the boundary. It was an inspired innings."
Narara batsman Peter Gallichan steered Central Coast to a six-wicket victory over arch rivals Newcastle in the final of the Bradman Cup in Bowral yesterday.
Gallichan hit an unbeaten 49 as Central Coast reached 4-150 in reply to Newcastle's modest 149 to claim the under-16 title.
Paceman Alex Brown put the Coast on the way to victory when he claimed 3-15 as the highly rated Newcastle top order were knocked over cheaply.
Blake Creighton (46) was the best with the bat for Newcastle, and Corey Murnaine took 3-34.
Central Coast will now play the winners of the Sydney equivalent, the AW Green Shield, in the state final.
Central Coast were the only one of the 12 teams to go through undefeated.
Defending champions Newcastle were unbeaten before yesterday.
© 2004 Newcastle Herald
