Pushed for most of the game, Thornton put together a mature team performance to beat Eastern Suburbs and push within five points of top spot after City United’s loss to Raymond Terrace on Saturday.
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The Thunder were able to maintain momentum throughout their innings to make 8/236 with skipper Jake Moore top scoring with 67.
It was not until the final session that Thornton’s bowlers were able to take control of the game and dismiss a game Griffins for 185 in the 47th over.
Jono Gabriel maintained his recent good form at the top of the innings to make 51. Peter Gabriel contributed 44 and Dan Willis finished on 38 not out.
“We’re going good. These are the type of games that say three years ago we would have let slip,” Moore said.
“We are starting to learn, we’ve got the boys there to do it.
“Over the last two weeks we’ve had everyone in the top six score runs it’s something we haven’t done in the past few years.
“It’s been one player, maybe two doing something but today we had blokes get two 50s and two 40s.
“It goes a long way to putting up decent scores.
“It’s a bit of experience, blokes are stepping up learning.”
Moore said he could see parallels in Easts’ current development with that of Thornton over the past few years.
“I spoke to (Easts co-skipper) Trent (Park) before the game and we both agreed there were elements in the last time we met that they could take confidence out of, despite us outrighting them,” he said.
“I think they’re coming along well, they knocked two teams off on the trot and it was very in the for a long time balance today.
“Runs on the board always helps, but they put it to us until that last session when we picked up a couple of quick wickets after drinks.
“I think it’s a lot easier to defend in one-day cricket. They did well to keep up with the run-rate for a long while.”
Park top scored with 60, Will Stoneman made 28 and Daniel Stoneman finished unbeaten on 36, hitting a huge six straight over the top of the sight-board.”
Moore said Thornton’s main objective was to secure a semi-finals spot.
“For us from now it is just about making the top four, we can’t be worried about home finals at this point,” he said. “No matter what happens if you get in the four you are a chance. You can’t win from fifth.”
Moore said there had been a number of areas of improvement, but evenness of contributions across the team was a key factor in the success they are having.
“To be honest I don’t think anyone has been a stand-out for us, we’re all putting in.”