Seconds out, round one... let's
get ready to rumble with Australian baseball's version of a heavyweight
title fight... the famous Claxton Shield... it never gets old!
But, for a slightly pleasant change (although not quite pleasant
enough!) the game was not to be staged at Blacktown Olympic Park,
but the little known Narabundah, ACT where, we guess, the Aussie
Provincials would have enjoyed the "home town" support
for probably the first time in their short Claxton Shield history
If that local support was anything daunting for the visiting Queenslanders,
then they certainly didn't show it early in the game when they
jumped all over Provincials starter Luke Acret who produced a
tremendous start against NSW last year
He endured a battering from the Rams who were determined to exorcise
the demons of Claxton 2005 when they lost to 'AP' en-route to
last place
AMLB Rookie Michael Williams took over on the mound and he did
a fine job on debut with no damage done in 2.2 innings of work
Next in line was former professional Paul Weichard who could be
excused for wondering why he was ever converted from an outfielder
where he enjoyed much more fun in AMLB?
Weichard was torched for five runs while getting just one out...
OUCH!!
It was left to diminutive Provincials stalwart Casey Jones to
tidy up the mess, which he did very neatly, but after too much
damage had already been done
Queensland's starter Matt Gahan deserved the win after five scoreless
innings and allowing only one run in the sixth
By the time he was replaced at the bottom of the seventh dig,
he would have felt very relaxed and satisfied with a massive 10-1
lead in the contest
Little would he have expected to be nibbling his fingernails when
the Provincials, quite typically, hit back with seven runs in
the next two frames!!
Youngster Luke Thwaites and veteran Tristan Loetzsch were both
dealt with harshly by the underrated 'AP' batting arsenal before
the more highly credentialled Phil Stockman and Tristan Crawford
were used (maybe unexpectedly?) to make sure that the result would
not go sour at the end for Queensland
Brad Dutton topped the "hit parade" for the Rams today
with his gaudy 4-5, while Ben Foster was a one man run machine
with five "ribbies" flowing from his 3-5 bat ... along
with Andy Utting who also knocked out a hot 3-5 to open 2006
We don't know the diamond dimensions or the wind conditions but
it is unusual these days to see three balls leave the yard in
a Claxton Shield game, but this was achieved by Dutton for Queensland
along with Kimpton and Saunderson for 'AP'
Nick Kimpton swung the best bat for the Provincials with his 2-5
(4RBI) game while rookie Adam Courcha announced himself to Australia's
'big league' by pinch hitting and finishing the game with a perfect
2-2 and a RBI
2005 Claxton Shield star Mark Saunderson clouted a two-run jack
to make sure that he protected his massive .647 AMLB slugging
percentage
Like every team who play the Australian Provincials and escape
with the points, the Queensland Rams will he breathing a satisfied
sigh of relief tonight
The Provincials may be disappointed to have lost after their traditionally
gallant fight while also lamenting eight green shirts left on
base compared with Queensland's six, but they would also realise
that they were out-hit by the decisive margin of 15-8... and it's
only the 'R' column that really counts in the end