Kelvin Brown was all smiles after leading his side to a

Semi-Final win over Yass Golf Club Taipans on Saturday. He is pictured after scoring 18 not out which included 3 well struck 4s.

Harden had a surprising win over Yass Golf Club Taipans in the first semi-final played at O’Connor Park, Yass on Saturday.  Yass came into the game as un-backable favourites but did not count on the fight left in the Harden boys.  Harden winning comfortably by 5 wickets with 8 overs to spare.

The Taipans won the toss and decided to bat first.

Harden’s new look opening attack of Marty Smith and Will Manwaring pegged the batsmen down and made runs difficult to get.  In the 8th over Manwaring got the initial breakthrough when he clean bowled Peter Timmer for 3.  Taipans batsmen, Adrian Waters and Paul Barnes then found runs hard to come by for the next 12 overs. Jeff Brown entered the fray  in the 15th over and turned the game on its head.  Brown had Barnes trapped on (2) not playing a shot. With his fifth delivery he enticed Bailey Maher to drive at a good length ball and the catch was accepted by Luke Brown.          In the following over Adrian Waters then attempted a second run on the arm of the ‘Local Legend’ (Christened by Jeff Brown) Matt Stadtmiller and was run out.  Waters attempted to dive to make his ground but pulled up short, a little like a tug boat still attached to its anchor chain.

At 4 wickets for 33 even the Taipans started to think they were in trouble.  From this point on  batsmen attempted to dig in and occupy the crease but wickets continued to fall.  Luke Brown bowled with good containment and was rewarded with the figures of 3 for 20 from 8 overs. The  Taipans were finally bowled out for 95 in the 34th over.  The pick of the bowlers were Will Manwaring (2 for 14), Jeff Brown (3 for 19), and Luke Brown.  Fielding from the Harden boys was excellent except for difficult chances put down by both Jeff Brown and Luke Brown, the latter has a bullseye bruise on his stomach to prove it!

Harden’s innings got off to the best possible start with Greg Brown and Will Manwaring only playing at balls on the stumps and leaving everything else.  When the ball was there they would cleverly find the gap for a couple runs.  However in the ninth over Manwaring received a well-pitched delivery from Dylan Perceival which clipped off-stump and saw Manwaring back in the pavilion for a well-made 15.  He was shortly followed by Tyler Allen, after he advanced to spinner Barry Potter and was stumped when then ball ricocheted off the keepers pads onto the stumps.  At 2 wickets for 30 Yass were again chirpy in the field with chatter both aimed at the batsmen and the official umpire.  However their heads soon dropped with a 24 run partnership between Greg Brown & Jeff Brown.  Greg Brown was finally out to the last ball before drinks for 24, having done his job for the team.

Matt Stadtmiller joined Brown after drinks and put on another 15 runs, this partnership could have been far greater if the ‘Local Legend’ hadn’t pulled a fetlock in the home straight going for a quick single.  The rules of the game do not allow a runner so Stadtmiller was forced to hobble through turning three’s into ones. Brown was finally out caught and bowled by Hugh Morrison after being the mainstay of the middle order.  This brought Kelvin Brown to the wicket and the only thing that did not change was the running between the wicket.  A Harden wag was overheard to say “Compared to Stadty, Kelvin looks like he is sprinting”.  Stadtmiller (19) was out LBW to Barnes within sight of the finish line and the remaining runs were polished off by Brown (18) and Marty Smith (1).  Harden reached the total in 32nd over with only 5 wickets down.

Harden will now take on Gundaroo in the Preliminary Final having already beaten them earlier this year.