1^st XI vs Johnson Park @ Fair Park Reserve

 Last week we headed to Fair Park Reserve in excitement that we finally might get two full days of cricket in. In saying that, there were a few of us who were a little flat we couldn’t listen to Triple J’s hottest 100. Despite that, the boys were confident in taking on Johnson Park with both sides desperate for a win

As always I lost the toss on a day that can only be described as bloody boiling hot! The rest of the team were least impressed but we got on with the job as we were asked to field. All was well as Wilba got us off to a flyer with a wicket in the first over but Johnson park batted extremely well in Bali like conditions with one of their gun bats Steve Devenish making a fantastic 144. The boys did the best we could with little luck as Johnson Park compiled 9/289 on day one. The pick of the bowlers being Wilba with 3/67 off his 15 and Shannon small with 12 overs, 5 maidens, 0/26.

After having a lawn bowls session on the Thursday night for our training session, all the boys turned up fresh and ready to attack the run chase. We had an ok start as we were 2/40 early but we controlled the day from then on. Josh Gregory and myself putting on a 120 run partnership before Boofa was trapped in front for a well-made 55. Niraj then came to the crease and he continued where Boof left off, taking control of the game. Niraj and Myself put on an unbeaten 127 run partnership helping us pass the total off 289 with 7 wickets in hand and 13 overs to spare. Niraj finished on 47* and I ended up on 143*. It was one of the better batting days I can remember for our club and gives us a real boot coming into this week’s match against our old foe in Eildon Park.

Butch

2nd XI vs Johnson Park @ Knox Gardens Reserve

Finally back on home soil and with my lucky gold coin in hand, I flipped it like a wizard casting a spell across the land. For the 9^th time this season I won the toss and I really considered bowling before once again panicking and giving the young lads a hit.

After a passionate spiel about our batsmen going on to make massive scores the old fox reiterated what I just said seconds before and we were out in the middle on what seemed a batsman friendly afternoon.

A steady batting line up once again but unfortunately without our Mr consistent so far this season Gerard Jongen as he had better things to do. In his place was the loveable and wonderfully talented Callum O’Connor back to stake his claim for a position. We started ok without the usual fireworks as we steadily pounded the runs before senior Morro was adjudged leg before for an unlucky 13. Our young batting stars were up for the challenge with Lachie ‘God I love cricket’ Stuckey once again amongst the runs with a very mature 40, not his most fluent innings but keeps learning and impressing with each game. Pint sized Adam Wylde looked a million bucks before running himself out for a classy 28 and just about the pick of the batsmen Callum batted really positively and was smart about his innings before being stumped by the smallest of margins for 70 with the score on 4/172. Needing another big partnership to reach our pre-game target Hayden Morrison was joined by the super slick Dyl Wylde and the two were brilliant. The two combined for a possibly record breaking 209 run partnership to blast the team to a whopping 4/381. Hayden was measured and picked the gaps well the longer he batted and Dyl finished with a flurry to entertain the small crowd. Hayden finishing on 102* and Dyl 107*, fantastic display by the two young men. Not that Mitchy Gregory was overly impressed padded up to bat next and not being used.

Day 2 was upon us and the clouds were staying away so we were very confident of getting the points. A lowly ranked team we backed ourselves to get their wickets with little fuss, especially since we were welcoming back the young looking and rather old moving spearhead Drew Withers. Drewy went bang bang bang and just like that they were 3/30 and we were in control. Young Curney was trialed with the new pill also and did quite well without snaring a pole. The old fox bowled his usual spell without luck before myself and Mitchy Gregory guided us to tea with the score 5/98 and the weapon had a couple. I picked up the opposition skipper and then Mitchy did the rest. MG bowled and barnstorming 22 straight overs bamboozling the middle to latter order and picked up a career best 6/69 but that didn’t quite ease the pain of not getting a hit the week before…

Solid win against a lowly ranked team but now we ramp it up playing a couple of contenders on the run to finals. Really excited about the progress of our young stars week in, week out.

Daine

3rd XI vs FTG Footballer @ Knox Gardens Reserve #2

The long awaited opening of the bottom oval against Footballers had finally arrived with them winning the toss and deciding to bat first on what looked to be a very slow outfield on a warm and humid day. We started off with Devo and young  Bailey with the new ball, with both of them getting an early wicket each and keeping the runs well down. It was trying conditions for them as the heat made them tire a bit earlier than in previous weeks and we soon went to spin with Nixon and King coming into the attack with great effect.

The spinners bowled the majority of the remaining overs after the first spell, save for a few overs of pace from Devo and Bailey to break things up, and whatever Josh Wylde calls what he delivers (unsure if it is pace, spin or a combination of both). King was the pick of the bowlers with 4/45 from 22 while Nixon supported him well with 2/40 off 23.5 overs to take the game away from the Footballers and dismiss them for 144 in 72.5 overs, which was just enough to ensure we didn’t have to bat overnight. Of the rest of the bowlers Bailey had 1/22 off 12, Devo 1/34 off 13 and Josh 0/3 off 2. In total we bowled 22 maidens which built up enough pressure for us to get wickets which was really pleasing as we followed our game plan.

Coming in to bat the next week the ground was significantly quicker. Unfortunately I had pinged my hammy in the field and Nixon was forced to run for me throughout the roughly 2 and a half hours I spent at the crease. Rhys got off to a quick start before Cranston hit the top of off with him on 7 and the score on 8 in the second over, with no shot offered. Josh came in at 3 and looked reasonably comfortable turning the strike over and manipulating the field well. Unfortunately he again got trapped in front ending a 42 run partnership with him on 27.

Reidy was in at 4 and looked to bat time. He and I put on 67 for the 3^rd wicket which really put us in a great position before I skied one to mid on who took a pretty good catch, for 47. Spencer came in and he and Reidy got us to the finish line, however soon after Spencer was dismissed for 12 with the score on 145. Lamby was next in and he crashed 36 in a partnership of 47 before being caught. We then finished the day with an unbeaten 67 run partnership between Reidy and Nibby who ended up 66 and 42 respectively. Reidy was extremely patient in his innings and this is hopefully something he can build upon going into the latter part of the season and hopefully into March.

It was a pleasing performance and one we can build on going into next week against the unbeaten Lysterfield. With all respect to Footballers, we know that next week is going to be a much tougher challenge for us, but one that we are looking forward to taking on and hopefully proving that we deserve to be up there with the best teams in division 4.

Pottsy

4^th XI vs Upwey Tecoma @ Upwey Recreation Reserve

This week we had Upwey Tecoma at their postage stamp ground and needed to give them a red hot crack to cement our spot in the top 4 for finals.

I lost the toss and they sent us in to bat.

Scotty and Deepak opened for us and as per usual had us off to a quick solid start before Scotty fell victim to the keeper’s quick hands behind the stumps while being up and that saw us lose our first wicket for 30 with Scotty making 25. From there, Jay and Deepak dug deep and put some great value on their wickets for a partnership of 82 which included Deepak making another 50 before he was trapped LBW by Crossy for 55 with the score 2/112. Unfortunately, they got a couple of quick wickets with Jay caught behind not too long after to have the score 3/131 and then Ben Marget with the score 4/131. We then had two fresh batters to the crease in Sammy and Tommy who saw out the last couple of overs with no loss.

Mitch Potts and Nikkas opened the bowling for us but luck was on their side with the opener batters having more edges than a 50 cent piece! I came into the attack and had one of the openers caught behind for 29 and the score at 1/55. Myself and Sammy worked hard and they continued to ride their luck with edges galore and 4 runs being the result pretty much every time. A change in bowling had Tommy get a crisp stumping and the score was now at 2/100. Scotty and Varun came into the attack and after a few overs Scotty got the other opener trapped LBW with the score 3/196. We didn’t have any other joy for the day with them ending up on 210 at the end of day’s play.

Second week we regrouped and knew it was not going to be easy but we needed to bat well and not give them anything. Tommy and Sammy did exactly that, seeing off the openers and first change bowlers before playing some beautiful shots until an absolute freak delivery had Tom bowled for 22 with the ball just taking the top of the bail to end a 76 run partnership and have us 5/207 and still 3 runs behind their score. Gerard then graced us with his presence and got to work with Sammy combining well together for a 71 run partnership before Gerard put a short ball that was hit like a laser straight to the fielder on the boundary to have him out for 22 and us 6/278. We had 6 overs left to put a score up and it was go time as Porno made a quick fire 6, I only managed 4 and we were 8/295. Gregor came in and managed to hit yet another 6 for the season although some would argue that it didn’t count on that ground as he and Sammy got us up to 316 with Gregor on 13 not and a bloody brilliant knock by Sammy seeing him finish on a fantastic 90 not!!

They needed 107 for victory and we needed things to go our way with much needed early wickets! Nikkas bowled beautifully straight up and in his first 2 overs got two edges behind but unluckily for us and him, he was a victim of some dubious decision making and questionable sportsmanship from one of their umps. We put that behind us and kept fighting while their old blocks continued to swing out of their arses and unfortunately we couldn’t manage a scalp with one of their players reaching his 100 and retiring before reaching our score with 19 overs to spare!

It was a very tough game in the end and one that had a high importance for us to win. Most batters all got starts, a big congrats to a great knock by Deepak and another bloody fantastic effort from Sammy with the bat. Although things didn’t go our way in the field we kept the chat up, kept our heads up and fought all the way and that was great to see. We have now dropped down to 4^th on the ladder with 10 points between us and 5^th. We however have 2 games remaining for the season against 1^st and 2^nd on the ladder and will need to win at least 1 of these games to play finals. It wont be easy but if we can’t beat the teams in the top 4 then we aren’t ready and don’t deserve to play finals against those same teams.

Crookie