Twin defeats at Twin Ovals as Greater Northern Raiders twice come up short

A Twenty20 double-header at Kingston's Twin Ovals saw the men's side miss out by nine runs against Kingborough before an 87-run thumping by New Town.

The visitors put up a gallant fight in an entertaining opening game against Kingborough.

Chasing the home side's 7-150, an excellent fourth-wicket partnership of 80 between coach Alistair Taylor and Cooper Anthes had their side within sight of an unlikely victory.

Coming together at 3-60, still 91 runs short of their target, the pair batted well together and when Taylor took 12 off the penultimate over - including his second six off its last ball - they needed 19 off the last.

Taylor managed one more boundary and finished unbeaten on 58 off 32 deliveries, but it was all over when Anthes was run out by Nivethan Radhakrishnan for 40 off 36 and Raiders reached 4-141. Opener Sam O'Mahony had made 27 to get the chase underway.

Alex Vincent (53 off 37), Radhakrishnan (28 off 24) and Jake Steele (25 off 19) were the backbone of the Kingborough innings as Ishang Shah (2-23) and Dravid Rao (2-24) led the wicket-taking.

Playing back-to-back afternoon games, the Raiders could not restrain New Town who rattled up an impressive 5-196.

Jayden Vince led the way with a swashbuckling 85 off 55 including six fours and two sixes, however, Mitch Owen recorded the superior strike-rate of 221.73 with his 51 off 23 which included four maximums.

O'Mahony claimed a wicket and a run-out but all six Raiders bowlers took a pounding in the economy column.

O'Mahony (52 off 37 with three sixes) completed a solid personal performance with a half-century but he was playing a lone hand as every other batter got off the mark but failed to reach double figures.

Vince led the bowling figures with 3-25 as Austin Keeling took 2-8.

In the day's other games, Glenorchy fell eight runs short against South Hobart Sandy Bay.

Electing to bat, the Sharks posted 5-162 boosted by an unbeaten last-wicket partnership of 57 between Caleb Oakes (31*) and Caedence Kuepper (29*) after captain Tom Willoughby had kicked things off with 37 at the top of the order and Harry Nichols added 24.

Glenorchy put up a valiant chase built around captain Josh Hartill's 56 plus 52 not out from Sanjay Anandarajah but came up just short.

University had an easier time of it, cruising to a nine-wicket win against a Lindisfarne team which posted 8-150 on the back of a huge knock of 89 off just 50, including five maximums, by Keegan Oates before he became one of Tim Oakley's 5-36.

An unbeaten 147-run second-wicket stand between Brad Hope (whose 91* off 53 featured 10 sixes and just three fours) and captain Param Uppal (58* off 39) saw the Sharks home.

Clarence posted a massive 4-232 to beat University by 107 runs.

Opener Sam Leon (69), Damien Paul (62) and Sam Rainbird (60 not out) made similar contributions, and nine sixes between them, with Rainbird's 27-ball knock coming at a strike-rate of 222.22.

University were bowled out for 125 in the last over with Zac Phair (33) and Oakley (21) top scoring as Rainbird ripped through them, taking 4-17 off his four overs.

North Hobart beat the South counterparts with a six off the penultimate ball.

South Hobart posted a respectable 4-174 thanks to Sean Willis (58), Kuepper (36) and Oakes (33 not out) as Iain Carlisle took 2-24. Corey Murfet (70), Jack White (33) and Robb Macmillan (30 not out) guided the Demons home.

Raiders complete their weekend CTPL commitments at 10am on Sunday against North Hobart at the TCA Ground before the same teams meet in the women's T20 grand final.