Hudson’s last over the clincher for Broncos

MATCH-WINNER: Graham Hudson bowled the crucial final over for Broncos against Bail Breakers last night. Picture by Paul Rickard

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GRAHAM Hudson ripped through his final over like a hurricane at Harry Barker Reserve last night, and Eastland Broncos won their first game in the Walker Shield T15 Blast, ending Smash Palace Bail Breakers’ winning run.

Chasing 115 to win, the competition front-runners went into the final over needing only five runs to extend their lead at the top of the table.

With Poverty Bay skipper Nick Hendrie at the crease on 40, the odds were in their favour.

Broncos skipper Craig Christophers, who played his part in the win with three tidy overs, turned to Hudson.

After a dot-ball first delivery, to Gisborne Boys’ High School batsman Ben McNeil, Hendrie had a chat to his younger teammate.

“Bat on ball and run” was the call.

It worked and the equation was now four runs off four balls, with the experienced Hendrie on strike.

“Nick will hit this one over cow corner,” said one Bail Breakers teammate.

“One boundary will do it, Nick,” shouted another.

Sounds good in theory; putting it into practice against speedster Hudson was a different matter. Hudson restricted Hendrie to a single, bringing McNeil back on strike.

McNeil did his bit with another single, leaving Hendrie to face the penultimate ball with one run to tie, two to win.

Hudson bowled a beauty and Hendrie was caught behind by Tom Needham, down legside, playing his only loose shot of the night.

That brought Ryan Majstrovic to the crease to face a fired-up Hudson, who came steaming in and bowled a yorker. Majstrovic got bat on ball but the pace knocked Majstrovic off his feet, injurying his shoulder, leaving Hudson to pick up the ball and run Majstrovic out.

Hudson finished with three wickets for nine runs from his three overs, as well as the run-out.

The win has thrown the competition wide open. With Hudson in their line-up, the Broncos will fancy their chances of beating anyone.

“The plan was to go hard from the start, as the pink ball tends to soften as the night goes on,” Christophers said.

“That’s why we opened with Robbie Tallott and me trying to get quick runs on the board.

Christophers (16 off seven balls) departed with the score at 19.

Tallott and Jack Faulkner took the score to 54 off 4.3 overs before Tallott, who top-scored with 29 off 15, was caught by McNeil off the bowing of Bail Breakers captain Jak Rowe.

With Tallott gone, it was left to Jack Faulkner (24 off 30) and Hudson (unbeaten on 12) to wag the tail as the Broncos posted 114-5.

The Broncos win opened the door for Bollywood Stars, who beat Auto Tyres Eagles by 11 runs, to go joint top with Bail Breakers. Both teams are on eight points.

The Broncos and Eagles each have four points after three rounds.

The Stars posted 145-5, thanks to Dane Thompson’s superb knock of 54 off 45 balls. It included four sixes and two fours. Thompson also shared a fifth-wicket stand of 41 with Ajay Kumar (14 off 15) before the Stars restricted the Eagles to 133-6.

Eagles openers Baxter Mackay and Matt Crampton gave their side a flying start with a 50-run partnership after four overs. Then Mackay was bowled by in-form Paul Stewart for 35 off 19 balls.

Crampton went on to score 37 off 24, but tight and accurate bowling from Scott Tallott (2-19 off three overs), Thompson (1-23 off three) and Paul Stewart (1-27 off three) slowed the run rate down.

For Eagles, the pick of the bowlers were Tayla Hollis, Matty Crampton and Tom Keogh, who also hit the shot of the night, a four over extra cover off Dane Thompson.