![Cardiff-Boolaroo's Griffin Lea. Picture by Max Mason-Hubers Cardiff-Boolaroo's Griffin Lea. Picture by Max Mason-Hubers](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/gNecaFSpqFSLkittedmeiY/c18d8607-b283-4526-a900-46cde287b926.jpg/r0_383_3748_2499_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
CARDIFF-BOOLAROO captain Jay Sneddon believes all-rounder Griffin Lea will only grow in confidence to bowl this weekend after bringing up his maiden century in Newcastle first grade on the last ball of the day.
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In a race to qualify for top-four semis in 2023-2024, Lea will help fifth-placed CBs defend 6-275 against Hamwicks at Passmore Oval on Saturday having hit a boundary to reach 103 not out.
"Grif's one of those guys who gets a lot of confidence, as an all-rounder, from performances with the bat or ball. You can see it flows onto the other discipline," Sneddon said.
Lea and NSW Country under-17 representative Austen Hiskens (82 not out) combined for an innings-saving partnership on day one of the round-10 encounter with CBs teammate Ben Roberts (36) the next highest scorer.
Sneddon says a message was sent out to the middle late in the piece, Lea creeping closer to three figures but running out of time.
Batting at No.6, Lea was unbeaten on 99 facing the final delivery of the 90th over.
"It was the last ball of the day and he was on 99 and he hit a four," Sneddon said.
"We ran out a message with about two overs left, I think he was 90 at the time and telling him he needed 10 runs for a hundred. If his maths is any good, he would have known [what he was on]. It was a good way to finish the day and it was really good for him."
Sneddon estimated the Lea-Hiskens stand was worth "around 140, 150" after CBs found themselves"6-130ish".
"We weren't too worried because we bat quite deep ... but we thinking about trying to get to a reasonable score and maybe having 10 or 15 overs at them that night, try and take a few wickets. But they just really dug in ... it was a pretty good total on a pretty slow outfield and a pretty difficult wicket," he said.
Experienced campaigner Matthew Willett returns to the bowling attack for CBs.
"He brings an immeasurable quality and it's unreal having him back'" Sneddon said.