The team journeyed to the coast for their game against Illawarra but the playing conditions were discounted by the cool weather that swept after the Highlands and coast on Friday night.

Prior to the game, seven players were presented with their HDCA baggy blue representative caps.

Invited to bat first, the Illawarra bowlers were extremely accurate and the top four HDCA batsmen were dismissed for a combined total of 40 runs after 10 overs.

Middle order batsmen Hayden Willebrand demonstrated pleasing shot selection and the ability to wait for the right ball to hit. His 25 overs at the crease rewarded him with 69 runs.

Will Kowalski also provided a steadying influence and scored 22 runs. Jack McCallum’s quick fire innings of 15 runs at number eight and Brendan Hughes’ nine runs made the visitors bat out their 40 overs, whuich they finished with 158 runs with the loss of nine wickets.

Illawarra was challenged to reach their target. The HDCA opening partnership of Willebrand and captain Will Watson restricted the oppositions score to 13 runs after seven overs.

Willebrand’s finished his four over spell with one wicket for three runs. Flynn Corby took one wicket for 26 runs and Max Harmey also took a wicket for the cost of 19 runs, which limited Illawarra’s run chase. Kowalski also bowled tightly finishing with two wicket for 13 runs.

Darcy McNamara and Daniel Treddinick were called to the bowling crease but found the opposition’s defence solid and gave away four runs and five runs respectively from their four overs. Dropped catches were costly.

With the batting side’s run rate creeping up, the opening bowlers were provided with a final opportunity to break the strangle hold exhibited by Illawarra, but to no avail.

The target was reached after 34 overs with half the side not required to bat. To their credit, the HDCA players continued the fight until the final bowl was bowled.

Michael Heinecke was thanked for his scoring and Geoff McCallum for entering the details of the match on line.

Round two for the team will be a home game against South Coast at Centennial Park on October 30. 

Robertson/Burrawang moved into the next stage of the open Country Cricket McDonalds Cup with a resounding 45 run win against Corrimal.

Playing away, the local team batted first and from 36 overs accumulated 156 runs.

The four main contributions with the bat were provided by captain Nathan Wright with 39 runs, Mitchell Wright with 23 runs, Aaron de Jager with 22 runs and Ben Wright with 21 runs. 

Chasing an achievable target, the coastal opposition fell short as a result of determined bowling by the five Robertson/Burrawang bowlers.

Nathan Wright registered a fine double- taking three wickets for 18 runs from 17 balls.  

Sean Young and Mitchell Wright took two wickets each costing 22 runs and 23 runs respectively.

The remaining two wickets were accredited to David McMillan one for 24 and Wayne Angel one for 21. Robertson/Burrawang move into round 3 with another away game against Wollongong at North Dalton Park on Sunday, November 6.