Fiery track at Frankston

Good luck out there! There were few worse places to be than taking guard in the middle of AH Butler Oval on Saturday morning. 265004. Picture: TYLER LEWIS

By Tyler Lewis

The Carlton Cricket Club is an almighty outfit.

And despite being fresh off a win over finals contender Melbourne University in its previous outing, overcoming the Blues was always going to be a daunting task for this developing Frankston Peninsula unit.

With the Heat’s brand-new wicket-square threatening to be a minefield and the ominous cloud cover overhead, Blues skipper Evan Gulbia didn’t hesitate in sending the home side in.

Heat skipper James Nanopoulos took it upon himself to face the brunt of the conditions, promoting himself to the top of the order.

Unfortunately for Frankston Peninsula, his stay at the crease was short lived.

The same can also be said for five other Heat batters, as the home sunk to the decimating score line of 6/15.

While the bowling from Carlton seamer Evan Gulbis and Cameron Stevenson was beyond glorious, the wicket appeared as one that flirted with the pass mark of safe and unsafe.

At times, balls on a good length would kick off to rap the batters on the gloves, and the next delivery in a similar spot would grubber along the grass to Blues gloveman Jai Lemire.

After being in complete disarray, the Heat scrambled to 10/119, off the bat of three lower order batters who embraced the conditions and took the bowling on.

Tej Ghandi pushed around 22 from just 36 balls after striding to the crease at 4/10.

The left-handers approach was tremendous; with the way the track was playing, a positive approach promised at least some runs on the board before the inevitably unplayable delivery came.

A similar approach was taken by number nine and ten – Jacques Augustin and Bailen Clarke – when the pair met at 8/55.

Together the duo inked a much-needed 59-run partnership in the book, before the Blues took their chances to close out the innings in the final overs.

Clarke finished with 32 from 75 deliveries and Augustin 23 from 82, an invaluable partnership when considered the eight batters before them faced a combined total of just 108 balls.

By no means did the pair take advantage of any complacency from Carlton, they simply batted beautifully and were made to grit and grind for every run.

When spin was introduced, Augustin requested to don the Heat blue cap. A decision he has declared he won’t make again, after a ball kicked off a length and struck him in his left-eye.

He was unable to take the gloves in the second innings and has since required two stiches.

In reply, the Blues had similar trouble early, but were able to make it out of the new ball period with smaller scars than the Heat.

While there would be fewer wickets that would suit the relentless line and length of Nanopoulos more than this one, the Blues managed to survive his ten overs unscathed.

The seamer finished with 0/11 from his ten overs, while promising all-rounder Symons finished with 3/35 from his ten.

While the Frankston Peninsula side were arguably the better side in the last 80 overs of the match, it was the first 45 minutes that ultimately resulted in the five wicket defeat.

The Heat take on Greenvale Kangaroos next week on the same track in a must-win clash.