Hills aim to bust two tons

By Marc McGowan
IF EVER Endeavour Hills’ batsmen needed to break through the 200-run barrier, this is the week.
The Hills has not managed 200 runs in an innings this season, but requires 229 to defeat fifth-placed Brighton at Brighton Beach Oval and post its fourth win of the summer.
The victory would also give Endeavour Hills more credibility, with its three triumphs to date coming against weaker rivals. The run chase could have been much less if the Hills’ fielders had held two straight-forward catches and one tough chance.
Jonathon Caroe (60) hit his fourth half-century of the season to guide Brighton to 9/228 from its 80 overs.
Kim Teschendorff (37 not-out) and Thomas Corker (31) also made solid contributions.
The hosts were in a strong position at 2/109, but lost 3/31 before their lower-order batsmen helped Teschendorff reach the final tally.
Off-spinner Shane Peake (3/71) starred with the ball again, but the 25-minute rain break late in the afternoon curbed his influence on the contest.
He was only able to bowl one over – where he was hit for two fours – after the interruption as he struggled with the wet ball.
Peake’s brother Chris (3/39) claimed Endeavour Hills’ best figures, but 15-year-old Lachlan McIver’s performance was the story of the day.
McIver (2/25) opened the bowling after being hit for 35 runs off four overs against Box Hill the previous round. Hills’ captain-coach Vaughan Baxter was delighted with McIver’s display.
“He’s bowled all right all year, apart from last week, and one of the guys (Richard Saniga) who has been opening the bowling prefers to bowl first change,” he said.
“When I went up to him at training he thought I was dropping him and was quite relieved.
“To be led by an 18-year-old (Matthew Foenander) and a 15-year-old (McIver) and for them to both do the job was fantastic.”
But Endeavour Hills’ fielding efforts incensed Baxter.
“We bowled very well overall, but I’m pretty disappointed in our fielding,” he said.
“It’s the worst we’ve fielded all year and it probably cost us 25 runs.
“We dropped two easy ones and one really difficult one, but the ground fielding was average as well.”
Baxter has no doubt his batsmen can reach the target – if they use their full 80 overs.
“I said to the boys at the end of the day that if you bat your 80 overs you’ll win,” he said.
“We haven’t done it all year and I’ve put the acid on them to bat the 80 overs.
“It will be interesting to see how they respond to last week when they threw away four or five wickets.”
The encounter resumes at Brighton Beach Oval on Saturday at 1pm.