By Pat Kerin
Southern Highlands has again proved too strong in the 47th Bradman Letter match which was played at Albert Park on Saturday 17th of January.
Winning the toss and batting, the visitors scored an impressive tally of 191 in 49.3 overs. Cootamundra were bowled out in the 20th over for 95. The match was played in very ordinary conditions with light rain falling at the beginning of the match, plus 35kph winds for the duration, made it hard going for cricketers, umpires and spectators.
Cootamundra got away to a bright start removing both openers early, Frederick Kettle for a duck and Hudson Schmidt for 7. Southern Highlands 2/15. Then Orson Francis with 51 and Charlie Truman 34 added 88 for the 3rd wicket.
Cootamundra’s poor fielding marred the latter part of Highlands innings. A number of dropped catches and poor ground fielding saw Highlands make a competitive score of 191. Letting 22 byes through certainly helped Highlands’ total.
Cootamundra captain Harry Simons who opened the bowling, bowled impressively. Harry who bowled with plenty of pace finished with 2/22 from ten overs. Our spinners chimed in well, leg spinner Roy Dunk captured 3/42 and off spinner Jett Johnson snared 2/28.
Making her debut in the Bradman Letter was 12- year- old Arabella Bassingthwaighte captured 2/28. Arabella becomes only the third girl to play in the coveted Bradman Letter following on from Ella McTavish and Madeline Twyford.
After lunch, the Cootamundra side set about the scoring the 192 runs for victory. While scoring quickly, the home side continually lost wickets.
Harry Simons stood out like a beacon. The skipper scored 40 from 34 balls. No other Cootamundra player reached double figures. The quicks did the damage for the Highlands’ side. Charlie Truman bowling with left arm express pace captured 3/15 off five overs.
The Bradman Letter which was first played for in 1978, as an under 16 match, sees Bowral/ Southern Highlands lead 34-13.
The Cootamundra side was, Harry Simons [Capt.] Liam Drum, Roy Dunk, Jett Johnson, Harry Windsor, Arabella Bassingthwaighte, Patrick Crawford, Nate Vitnell, Harvey Fitzgerald, Kyle Lewis and Malakhi Wilson. The umpires were Kelvin Brown and Pat Kerin. Arabella is just the third young lady to represent Coota in the Bradman Letter.
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