Cricket
16 February, 2025
Simon Close smashes triple century
"Simply Marvellous", as Richie Benaud would have put it, described Simon Close's innings in the Hamilton District Cricket Association. Close scored 304 off 223 balls, helping guide Pigeon Ponds to 7/507 off their 75 overs on day one in their two-day game against Tahara at the Tahara Recreation Reserve.
Close's innings consisted of 36 fours and five sixes, and it was his third consecutive century triple-figure score, having scored 106 against Casterton two weeks ago and an unbeaten 110 against College Cricket Club the game before.
Close scored his 100 before lunch and, at the halfway point of the day, was sitting on 111 off 118 balls, so what he did in the last half of the day was simply marvellous.
In the last over, he was sitting on 280 and hit 24 runs off the over, including a six on the penultimate ball to bring up his 300.
Nathan Slaughter bowled the over. The first ball was a four, the second a four off a no-ball, the third a six, the fourth a dot ball, the fifth two runs, the sixth a six to bring up the 300, and the last a two.
Close's previous best was 204. His score of 304 on Saturday is the second-highest recorded in Australia this season. Rahul Bal, for the SSCC Lions in the Ipswich Cricket Competition in Queensland, scored 306 against the Thunder on December 7.
It's also the second-highest in the Hamilton District Cricket Association. The record holder, Les Wallace, scored 308 for St Andrew's against Cavendish at the KFC oval in 1957.
Pigeon Ponds team score is the highest ever in the Hamilton District Cricket Association.
Close said he never thought he would score as much as he did.
"I had no idea it was an option at all," Close said.
"When I scored the 100, I thought I might get a double if I am lucky, and things progressed.
"There were a few overs where I hit the 20s, and when the 250 came around, I needed about 50 off the last six overs and then had a few good overs, and it came closer."
"I didn't want to leave it to the last ball as it would have been nerve-wracking, so I went for it on that second last ball and managed to hit a six."
"The pitch was hard, and the outfield was fast, and you could score boundaries if you pierced the gap and could score anywhere, and it was good batting conditions."
Close said that while it's still sinking in, he knows it's a special milestone that will never happen again.
"It sunk in a bit last night while driving home while we were on the bus. I had my wife and kids there, my dad and brothers, and my teammates, and it was a special achievement," Close said.
"As time passes, momentum will probably gather on how special it was.
"I said on my way home that it would never happen again, and the conditions were right. There were good partnerships and running between wickets, and it all clicked."
Despite one ball flying to the first slip, which was never likely to be caught, it was a chanceless innings, making the feat even more remarkable.
Close is 15 months on from a knee reconstruction. Even though cricket is a different beast from footy, running 130 off his runs in an innings plus more running off his teammates' bat, he said his knee is fine, which is a massive sign for the Harrow Balmoral Football Netball Club.
"The knee is feeling pretty good. The last couple of weeks of footy training have been good, and while everything is going alright with the knee, the focus is on cricket," Close said.
"As club president, I want to ensure it's run right. We won't play finals as it's a tough competition with 13 teams in the A-grade competition, so it's hard to make finals, so we want to finish the year off strong and build for next year.
"We have three weeks left, and when cricket season ends, my focus will then turn to football."