July 30, 2008

Extra, extra, read all about it Craig

Dishy boy has gone and done it again. First, his spate of hat-tricks had him hogging column inches, now his batting has landed him in the spotlight after scoring 61 off 18 balls in the Southern Electric Twenty 20 Cup on Sunday.

Here's what the Bournemouth Daily Echo (July 28, 2008) had to say about it:

Garden centre hit by explosive Craig
By Neil Perret

DEMOLITION man Craig O'Shannessy wrote the first chapter in the Southern Electric Twenty 20 Cup record books as Lymington gunned down arch rivals Bashley yesterday.

The Aussie ace plundered a breathtaking 15-ball half-century - the fastest in the competition so far - to help Lymington claim the New Forest bragging rights with a 16-run win at Bashley Road.
O'Shannessy laid the foundations for Lymington's passage into today's quarter-final draw after coming to the crease in the first over following the dismissal of Morgan Rushbrook.

And the Sydneysider immediately set about the Bashley attack, taking no prisoners as he bludgeoned the orange ball until it was metaphorically black and blue.

O'Shannessy also had visitors to the nearby Redcliffe Garden Centre running for cover after clubbing two towering sixes out of the ground and over the B3058.

He hit no fewer than 12 boundaries during his explosive stay before his luck finally ran out when he was caught by Andy Neal off the bowling of ex-Lymington man Mike West.

But having helped the visitors rack up 94 from fewer than seven overs, his exploits ultimately proved decisive with his 61 off 18 balls - including five sixes and sevens fours - paving the way for victory.

Although the rate dropped markedly following O'Shannessy's departure, Dave Griffiths (39) and skipper Adie Hunt (23) kept the scoreboard ticking over as Lymington closed on 183 for nine (Kevin Nash 3-31, West 2-43).

Bashley were always up against it and lost wickets at regular intervals - with Adam Darbyshire (4-30) ripping out their top order - before Neal and West joined forces with the score on 84 for seven.

They added 40 for the eighth wicket before man of the moment O'Shannessy (2-23) separated them after demolishing West's stumps with the first ball of his second spell.

Neal (28) and Nash (21) briefly threatened to pull off an unlikely run chase, although Bashley eventually came up well short on 167 for eight.