Smooth run for Hills

By Gavin Staindl
DECKED out in their cricket whites for the first time in nearly two years, Endeavour Hills occupied the crease with an air of authority on Saturday – something that has also eluded the Eagles for years.
The Victorian Sub-District team set Brighton 146 runs to win in the first Saturday of the season at Sydney Pargeter Reserve – a reasonable score given it was the Hills’ first 80-over game since the 2009/10 season.
Because of the heavy rain periods during the last summer season, the turf club played all games as one-dayers and thus in their “pyjamas”, as coach John Hayes calls the one day strip.
But on Saturday, after digging out the trusty whites, the Hills batters were able to settle in.
“We are definitely suited to the two-day format,” Hayes said post-match.
Admittedly, Hayes said he had hoped to reach 180 but given the week of wet conditions he believed their score of 145 had them in the “box-seat.”
“We’ve got the runs on the board so it’s up to them (Brighton) to go get them,” he said.
“I knew we were going to have battles with the weather all week and although I can’t guarantee everything is going to go as planned, we’ve at least given ourselves every opportunity.”
Putting on the jumper for the first time was import player Danny Evans, and although the tight-fitting jumper belonged to the coach, Evans wore it well, coming on for the last 11 overs of the match and restricting the two Brighton openers to just six runs.
A dubious call robbed Evans of much time at the crease, but strong showings by brother Richie Evans (32), Chris Peake (22) and productive innings’ by Justin Merlino (11 off 40 balls) and Hayes (13 off 75 balls) will go a long way to blowing away the cobwebs of two-day cricket.
“Most guys chewed up some balls and batted for a while which is certainly encouraging,” Hayes said.
“The structure looks a lot more solid than it did last year and although we lacked concentration on occasions, overall it wasn’t too bad.
“There were a lot of cobwebs being blown out.”