THE United All Blacks are chasing a big run total this weekend after Nulla declared for 9-270 in Saturday’s game.
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Highest run-scorer for Nulla, fourteen-year-old Angus Crotty made 77 with the bat impressing Nulla team captain, Brody Clarke.
“Angus shined with the bat and took us to a good score,” Clarke said.
Fellow batsmen, Andy Watts, 44, and Daniel Baker, 40, also took the game into the high-score rate on a fast pitch that had the All Blacks on the back-foot from the very start
“It was a long day and we were short five players due to injury and players being away. I even had my nine-year-old son out fielding,” All Black captain TJ Smith said.
“The wicket was flat and fast and they got off well with 1-100, but I really think they should have got 350 with the amount of players we didn’t have.”
Smith said due to the loss of players and the way the ball was moving on the pitch, he sent his team into defensive mode.
“I knew it was going to be a struggle getting them out with the way the wicket was playing and the fact that we were low with bowlers,” Smith said.
“I went on the defensive mode and got the boys to bowl outside off stump and across them in the hope of boring them out off the game.
“That worked and I believe we contained them very well considering what they could have made.”
Nulla declared for 9/270 and sent the All Blacks in to bat with only 25 minutes left to play. By stumps, the All Blacks were 3/32.
“We lost three wickets straight-up, but I’m confident that we can get to Nulla’s score with a lightning fast pitch,” Smith said.
“Again, due to the number of players that are out at the moment it will generally be up to four batters to get the remaining 240 runs this Saturday.
“It’s going to be a challenge but myself and the boys are looking forward to it,” he said.