Schaefer stars as Hillgrove beat Baa Baas

Many have tipped Hillgrove to be the team to beat this year and they proved that on Saturday, finishing their innings with 340 runs and only losing four wickets.

After he scored 93 the previous week against City, Matt Schaefer’s form with the bat continued, coming it at number three to top score with 153.

He also managed to take four wickets when it was the Barbarians’ turn to bat. 

Captain Matt Baillie said Schaefer had a “cracker of a game” and highlighted his side’s form at the crease.

"We batted first and we got off to a good start and Matt came out at number three and just looked dangerous from ball one,” he said.

“He settled in and was impossible to get out.  He is hitting the ball beautifully at the moment, hopefully he can continue that.

"I was saying on the weekend that it is really promising that we have only lost six wickets in the last two games for almost 700 runs so I am really pleased with our batting at the moment.

"Really happy with how we are going at the moment.”

It was always going to be a tough ask to chase down 340 runs, but the Barbarians didn’t go down without a fight. The managed 266 but it wasn’t enough.  Ash Clee finished on 92 not out and Nick Levy also scored 64. 

"To have that total on the board when we were bowling was really reassuring but Baa Baas actually came out and batted really well,” Baillie said. 

"They had a couple of guys looked really promising with the bat and were hard to get out."

This weekend will see the final round of matches played ahead of the Christmas break. Hillgrove play Ex-Services in a day-night match at the sportsground while Barbarians play Easts at Lambert Park. Baillie said his team will have to adapt to the conditions of the day-night match and be prepared for anything Servies may throw at them. 

"Servies by no means will be a pushover, I think they have the potential to take the game away from us,” he said.