One-day Rematch Fires Up Old Foes

Central Coast Herald

Saturday November 9, 2002

By ADAM COUZENS

MOUNTAINS and Wyong will each face a maximum of 50 overs in their rescheduled first-grade cricket clash at Baker Park today.

The game was halted after an hour last week when fire crews commandeered the Wyong pitch to fight a scrub blaze at nearby Tacoma.

`It's a new game basically, 50 overs each,' Mountains skipper Glen Rowlands said.

`It was one of those situations where we would have been happy to carry on.

`But it's sort of here or there what sort of game we prefer, really.

`I would have been happy to keep the 57 runs but we'll just have to start again.'

When they do, Mountains will be without all-rounder Danny Redrup, who will be absent to attend a wedding.

Redrup was unbeaten on 22 when play was stopped last week, and he is a handy one-day medium-pace bowler.

He will be replaced by experienced first-grader Kevin Searle.

All-rounder Ben Stewart slips into Wyong's vacant skipper role, while Rod Barnes also attends a wedding.

But Wyong's hard-hitting trump card Shane Burgoyne is listed to play.

Elsewhere, the contest between Matcham and Kincumber will be a one-dayer after play was abandoned last week due to the pitch condition at Duffys Road, Terrigal.

Injured batsmen Dane Stevenson has been cleared to play and, along with skipper Chris Henry, should pose a handful for the Kincumber bowlers.

Home team The Entrance will resume at 0-14 at Taylor Park, chasing Lisarow's 210.

Stand-in Umina captain Mark Cattley has an even chance at an outright win against Toukley at Harry Moore Oval.

The home team returns with the diabolical figures of 5-21 after Umina was dismissed for 219.

Narara's in-form batting line-up will be eager to get back into the middle against Gosford at Fagans Park.

The visitors return to bat at 0-16 in pursuit of Gosford's modest total of 207.

Finally, Doyalson faces the biggest run-chase of the round against Woy Woy at Fagans Park on the Peninsula.

Doyalson are 0-2 after Woy Woy declared at 9-283. AAP reports: Australia's Test cricketers will have the rare opportunity of playing for their State sides in next week's round of four-day matches.

The Australian Cricket Board yesterday brought forward the start of the three fixtures from Friday to Thursday to allow the international players a hit-out before the second Ashes Test, which starts on November 21 at Adelaide Oval.

But the State teams will not be at full strength because Australia A will be playing England in a three-day tour match in Hobart from next Friday.