Paul Johnston

Brad Fleming celebrated team mate Paul Johnston 200th senior game with a hatrick as the senior team pulled of a massive victory over St Kevin's at King George Park in the weekend.

With a win guaranteeing top place for the Borton Cup semi-finals and the Payne Tempero being put away till next season they won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Glynn Cameron and Jeremiah Shields got them of the best possible start putting on 76 for the first wicket before Cameron was caught behind to the bowling of Brien for 29. Shields was out 12 runs later for 42. Captain Thomas Shields and Duncan Drew then combined for 70 runs to put their team firmly in control of the match before Shields was caught of the bowling of Brien for 34. With the score on 184 and 10 overs to got a big score was beckoning but a collapse saw the home team lose 4 wickets with the score 184 to leave them 184-7 and another wicket was lost 5 runs later with the score on 189. Fleming was the pick of the lower order notching up 25 with the last wicket falling at 219 on the final ball of the 50th over, a competitive total but a lot less than was threatening at 184-3.

It was a horror innings from St Kevin's in their chase of the required 220 for victory. Losing wickets constantly - they were 19-6 at one point - Flannery and Robertson looked to be combining to add some respectability to the score doubling it with a 23 run partnership for the 7th wicket but another collapse on 42 saw them lose their final four wickets with the addition of no runs. St Kevin's were all out for a miserly 42, 19 of those runs from extras, and in all 7 ducks in the innings. Fleming was in brilliant touch with the new ball getting a fair bit of cut of the wicket in his 5-11, which included his first hatrick for the club. Phillip Crossan was another notable performer with the ball taking the incredible figures of 3 wickets for 0 runs, while Isaac Shields (1-0) and Glynn Cameron (1-26) took a wicket each. A win to Union by 177 runs and the team successfully defending the Payne Tempero for the entire season.

The Senior team will now go into the Borton Cup semi-finals in a fortnight as top qualifiers as it continues its attempt to become the first side to win the Borton Cup five seasons in a row.

Player Pages:
Philip Crossan | Duncan Drew | Brad Fleming | Paul Johnston | Isaac Shields | Jeremiah Shields | Thomas Shields |

Union 219 ( D. Drew 45, J. Shields 42, T. Shields 34, G. Cameron 29, B. Fleming 23no, Kingan 3-29, Kelliher 3-39, Brien 2-35, McCormick 2-44 )
St Kevins 42 ( M. Seddon 12, Fleming 5-11, Crossan 3-0 )
Union won by 177 runs
Full scorecard for the match