1^st XI vs Eildon Park @ Eildon Park

Once again losing the toss we were sent into the field and tried hard without luck as Eildon Park amassed 243 off their allotted overs. All bowlers were good.

We batted and scored nicely! Most notably the following: Me, Boof, Niraj, Joe and Scotty.

We won with only 6 wickets down and had a good day.

Butch

(P.S Butch will hopefully be able to respond with the best match report ever told next week, hopefully! Go team!)

2^nd XI vs Eildon Park @ Knox Gardens Reserve

Up against an old foe in Eildon Park whom we snuck past in last season’s semi final for the penultimate round of 2017/2018.

The day started swimmingly until I somehow lost the toss and we were sent in to field. Looking around at my eight players who bothered to turn up on time had me quite concerned that the diabolical wicket collector Drew Withers wouldn’t be able to have his 6 slips and 2 gullys that we usually set aside for him. Never the less we prepared somewhat as usual needing a win to help try and cement a top 2 spot and a home final.

The wildcats, as they prefer to be called, got off to a reasonable if not a tad flukey of a start with the bat being thrown around like a hot potato, unfortunately much like some of our catching efforts for the most part of the day. We were able to collect a few poles through the ever reliable and occasionally foul-mouthed Drew ‘Tale Tickets to have them under control but we weren’t able to ever stamp our authority on the game with a number of ‘Jarrod’ butchered attempts in the field.  

Tea came around and we collected the 5^th pole just before the break to hopefully give us some momentum and the first crack at the delicious sandwiches.

We managed to slow the scoring rate down with some experienced bowling but didn’t have the killer blows from our usually extremely gifted youngsters in the field. They managed to scratch their way to 270 all out which was disappointing from the standards we like to set.

The Simpson Desert was a welcome addition to Knox Gardens Reserve for week two and our run chase may have become a tad trickier, but we like to back ourselves no matter what is thrown at us and were very confident of chasing down the runs.

The exciting duo of ‘Pencil Stache’ Stuckey and the ‘Southern Dandy’ Callum O’Connor were keen to put on a show for the big crowd of the two moths hanging around the busted security light as well as their team mates. Unfortunately, we were more captivated by the two moths duelling it out near us than what was happening in the middle as the boys found it really hard to score against some patient bowling. Cal then missed a pearl of a delivery and Stuck kept fighting it out with Gez before he found himself run out again which then bought out the ridiculously talented skipper to umpire and even more talented Adam Wylde. The two of them were magnificent at rotating the strike and really got us going and almost to the tea break. Stuckey departed, and Dos survived until tea with the score 3/120 off 50 overs.

The scoring rate needed to be lifted to get ourselves close and that’s what happened. Dos Bradman fell cheaply which saw Dylan bat with his brother and there was an instant momentum shift with great running between the wickets matched with exhilarating shot making and untucked cricket whites. Adam departed for a dabbing good 51 and looks the goods with the stick at this level while Dyl continued to build his innings. Mitch, Curn and Fox couldn’t get going and we were reeling at 8/214 with just 8 overs left. I tried, and I clubbed a few before departing with score on 258 which saw us needing 11 off the final over. Dyl departed on the last ball with us 2 runs short of a great victory but little Dyl was fantastic blasting his way to 87 and almost getting us home. Not at our best but still able to mix it with a decent team so not the worst thing to happen.

A first loss for the season and now down to third place with one game to go. A win and we play at home, a loss we are away for the Semi Final but wherever the game is it doesn’t faze us.

A big game next week and really proud of one of the youngest teams to ever walk out on the park for our great club. Bigger things to come for us in season 2017/18.

Daine

3^rd XI vs Lysterfield @ Knox Gardens Reserve #2

We were at home again taking on the ladder leaders Lysterfield who were yet to lose a game. We knew it was going to be a tough challenge and the ground had just been sanded and there was a bit of rain around making it a toss you really want to lose. Unfortunately I won’t the toss and with the rain around decided we would have a bat. Myself and Brett Morrison opening the batting and things didn’t go to plan as Brett was out for 8 caught at gully and was quickly followed by Reidy who did not trouble the scorers. Rhys was down the order at 4 this week and we hoped to build a partnership like many of our opening standing this year. Unfortunately I edged one behind for 5 and both Rhys and Mitch followed soon after to leave us at 5/21.

Lamby and Josh looked to rebuild the innings and did a good job before Lamby fell for 13 and Josh for 16. Bailey batted quite well for his 10 not out and Nixon got 15, including the only four for the innings. Once Devo and King both fell for ducks we were left all out for 84. Unfortunately things didn’t start that well either with the ball as they were 0/20 overnight when really we needed a few back in the sheds overnight.

We came back with a positive attitude the next week and worked hard to have wickets fall at 31, 32, 45 and 48 thanks to an excellent first up spell from Mitch and Nix who both bowled exceptionally well and with a few more on the board would have bowled us to victory in my opinion. Unfortunately, we dropped some catches, myself well and truly included in that and they finished up at 8/134 through 66 overs before stumps were called at tea with nothing further to be gained by either side.

Mitch was the pick of the bowlers with 22 over, 9 maidens 3/33. Devo bowled well in the later stages ending with 3/19 from 11 and Nix was again excellent with 1/21 from 17 well bowled overs. King, by his own admission had a bit of an off day and was not helped by my catching ending with 0/36 from 8, but no doubt he will bounce back well. Bailey was solid again with 1/24 from his 7 overs and will be one to watch in future years and for some unknown reason I bowled the last over before we called stumps and ended up with 0/1 from that over.

All in all, everything that they tried went right and a lot of our batting went wrong. That happens in cricket and they caught really well and outplayed us in that aspect of the game. I thought our fight at the end of our batting innings from the lower order and the fight with the ball was a good sign and I have no doubt that we can put it all together if we earn the right to play Lysterfield later on in the season. Looking forward we have a one day game against Monbulk who are playing to secure a spot in the final 4. We will finish 3^rd and play Rowville away in the first final, but it is important we don’t look too far ahead and get the job done this week and look to knock out a good side.

Pottsy

4^th XI vs Monbulk @ Silvan Recreation Reserve

This week we had Monbulk at the Silvan Rec Reserve and needed to ensure a win to be able to cement a spot to play finals.

Unfortunately, I lost the toss and they decided to bat with rain forecast on and off for the day.

Myself and Nikas opened the bowling for us and both openers were edgy with nothing carrying to slips and plenty of plays and misses. They were unable to score from the tight bowling and after 9 overs were 0/12. Varun and Scotty were next into the attack and it was hard going as the drizzle continued on and off and we had to leave the field and return several times. We bowled well and they took advantage of the wet ball and scored a little more freely till a bowling change saw Sammy managed to get the breakthrough in his second over with them 1/51 off 20. We came off the field for a fair while with heavier rain and not long after returning Tommy came into the attack and getting the other opener out stumped in his second over with them 2/79 off 28. They managed to be 2/107 after 35 overs which was a great effort from the boys especially given the conditions.

Scotty and Deepak opened for us and scoring wasn’t very easy first up and Deepak was very unlucky to be caught and bowled by a diving one hander to have us 1/8 after 5! Jay was in next and as he has done this season very well he supported Scotty and hung around fantastically with us finishing the days play on 1/55 after 20 overs due to time lost to rain.

We returned the second week to face our remaining 15 overs from the previous week. The scoring again wasn’t easy but Scotty dug deep. Jay was unlucky to drag on a delivery to have us 2/72 after 26. Nibby was in next and wasted no time going after their bowlers and himself and Scotty were scoring well with Scotty bringing up his first 50 for the season before skying a half tracker to have us 3/96 off 30. Not long after and Nibby fell victim to the same fate and we were 4/101 off 33 with Sammy and Spence fresh at the crease. They saw out the last 2 overs for us to finish on 4/110 after our 35 overs.

We were then straight into bowling our 35 overs with Varun and Nikas starting things off for us. They took advantage of a couple of loose balls and got off to a quick start before Varun got the breakthrough on the last ball of the over and we had them 3/134 after 41. Their skip came in and with Varuns first ball of his next over he sent the leg stump cartwheeling and they were 4/136 and Varun was on a hattrick. Unfortunately, in true Varun style the hattrick bowl was bowled down leg side! A bowling change later saw Scotty and not long after myself come back into the attack. I then struck and had them 5/157. They rode their luck after with plenty of missed shots and balls in the air just out of reach of fielders before Scotty struck with a magnificent catch and even better celebration from Deepak to have them 6/174 and then the next over taking a blinder off my bowling to have them 7/175. The next 2 took chances and were able to ride their luck before Sammy coming back into the attack got the breakthrough to have them 8/223. Nikas picked up the next with a well-deserved wicket to have them 9/223 and we wrapped things up to have them all out for 225.

Knowing that we probably wouldn’t get to face our full 35 overs by the end of the day it was very important for us to really dig deep and see out the overs to win or draw the game as any points from this game would secure a finals spot and that is exactly what Sammy and Spence did. It wasn’t easy for Spence with their divvy 3 bowler first game back from injury bowling good areas and frustrating Spence. To his credit though, and Sammy’s support he stuck it out and got the reward. They were both scoring freely before Sammy got a little too excited and missed one to be bowled for 41 and we were 5/177 off 53 overs. From there Tommy and Spence combined well before Spence was just short of his ground trying to push the run rate and was run out for 42 with the score at 6/193 after 58. Ben followed not long after with a caught and bowled and we were 7/201 off 59. Things were getting a bit tight and Tommy and Porno saw us reach 213 and what would a 4ths game be without some controversy as Porno was caught on the boundary with the fielder stepping back over the line after taking the catch but unfortunately the fielder still claimed the catch and Porno had to walk with us 8/213. I put myself in next to have a crack at the win and had Nikas in after me to steady if I went out as time was running out and we only had 6 mins left of play for the day. Tommy was on strike and called through the run and what would have been the funniest course of events for everyone else bar myself, I was watching the ball and the fielder to look up and collide with Tommy putting us both on our arses and me ultimately being run out and we were now 9/213! The boys were told to stick out the remaining couple of overs and they did that perfectly seeing us finish on 9/216 after 66 and the game ending in a draw.

We were really wanting the win especially against the unbeaten top team but the draw saw us guarantee a spot in the finals and with fantastic performances from everyone involved and some of the best fielding I have witnessed in the 4s, I think the game gave us the confidence that we can be very competitive in the finals and have every chance of winning games if we apply ourselves.

Crookie