Week 10 – ‘The Opening Spell’

_{Gordon Women's District Cricket Club's wicketkeeper attempts a run out // Beny Chun}

First ball – Wicketkeeper appreciation post!

• Taara Kotibhaskar (Gordon) took a catch, two stumpings and three run-outs in a reduced-overs second-grade win against Manly Warringah at Killara Park.
• Cam Middleton (Bankstown) claimed six catches as his Bulldog’s side secured first-innings points against Sutherland at Bankstown Oval.

Second ball – Adelaide the striker!

Anyone at Bon Andrews Park on Sunday would have thought they were at the SCG watching the WBBL with the way UTS North Sydney second-grader, Adelaide Hicks, was striking the ball. Hicks dispatched a Sydney University bowling attack for 98 (not out) runs from just 72 deliveries, propelling her Bears side to a 114-run victory.  

Third ball – “A good captain is not made from calm seas”

The following skippers steadied their sides to safety whilst wet weather worked its way around NSW’s premier cricket scene:

• With a Mosman first-grade partnership building at Allan Border Oval, Randwick Petersham captain Riley Ayre lay down an anchoring spell to disrupt a potentially monstrous first-innings total. Ayre claimed the wickets of batters 5 to 10, finishing with figures of 6-42 and bringing the Whales’ total to a halt on 252. Rain would force an early end to the fixture and with it bring a drawn result.
• Coming in at a compromising position of 3-33, Campbelltown Camden third-grade skipper, James Broadbent, held his nerve to reach triple figures (109 runs) and elevate his Ghosts side to a defendable total of 255 against Sydney. The match was washed out before a result could be achieved.
• Walking to the crease with his Gordon fourth-grade team five wickets down for not nearly enough, captain Stephen Bristow battled on to raise the bat for a masterful 117 (not out) runs against Hawkesbury. The Stags were denied the opportunity to defend their first-innings total due to rain.
• Sydney University fourth-grade captain, Andrew Wilkinson, took 6-27 with ball before sealing first-innings points with the bat, hitting an unbeaten 29 against the Dolphins at St Paul’s Oval.

Fourth ball – Bray leads the way!

Greater Hunter Coast Premier Cricket Club’s Caoimhe Bray scored 63 runs in a 64-run win over Southern Swans on Sunday. Bray’s half-century shot her to the top of the pile for Brewer Shield runs scored this season. Bray has 279 runs at an average of 55.8!

Fifth ball – Hitting form for Nationals!

Just days after being named in the U19 NSW Metropolitan state side set to compete in the National Championships in Albury later this week, Charlie Anderson, 18, has ripped into form for his first-grade Northern District team. Anderson claimed figures of 2-16 and 7-33 to secure an innings and 68-run win over Western Suburbs at Pratten Park.

Read more from the Daily Telegraph HERE

Sixth ball – Daniel debuts for Dolphins!

In a massive coup for Eastern Suburbs, NSW Blues’ current Steve Waugh medallist, Daniel Hughes, has become Dolphin #742.

Second Over

First ball – Hosts win final ball thriller at Howell Oval!

Penrith have defended their 100-run total against an in-form Campbelltown-Camden side in front of a home crowd, restricting the visitors to 9/99 from their allotted 20 overs. Cat’s vice-captain, Elise Noble, scored 39 runs before taking 2-9 from two overs to earn the crucial competition points.

Second ball – Former Tiger tears Tigers apart!

Having achieved a half-century of tries throughout a stellar NRL career with the Wests Tigers, former rugby league player, Pat Richards, has again raised the bat, this time for a triple figure score against the Sydney Tigers. Richards’ 128 run innings allowed his Campbelltown Camden Ghosts to post a 298-run total against Sydney at Raby Sports Complex. The match would unfortunately drizzle to a drawn result due to wet weather.

Third ball – Why change a successful formula!

Blacktown Mounties bowling pair, Ajil Vijayan (5-38) and Dhiraj Sharma (5-24), took five wickets a piece to dismiss Fairfield-Liverpool for 80 runs in their third-grade encounter at Whalan Reserve. The pair were two of three bowlers to run in for Blacktown, completing 19 and 15 overs, respectively. Xavier Nath was the other, completing three overs. Blacktown would surpass their opposition’s first-innings total with five wickets in hand.

Fourth ball – Who said it’s a batter’s game?!

These fifth-grade bowlers produced the goods in round 6:

• UTS North Sydney’s Travis McKenna took seven wickets against Parramatta at Grahame Thomas Oval, though his Bears would lose on the first-innings result.
• Mosman’s Charles Conlon claimed figures of 6-6 in a 55-run win over Randwick Petersham at Kensington Oval.
• Mikoto Quinn, from Eastern Suburbs, snared 6-52 in a thrilling 21-run victory over Sydney University at Snape Oval.
• Blacktown Mounties’ Amitkumar Kalpe finished with five wickets against Fairfield-Liverpool, but rain would restrict his side from attempting a run-chase.

Fifth ball – Darby(s) day!

Penrith’s second-grade side took home the points against Campbelltown Camden, with opening batter April Darby racing to 77 runs from 67 balls at Bill Ball Oval on Sunday.

Sixth ball – Sydney Smash x Premier Cricket!

It was great to see our NSW Premier Cricket clubs show support for the Sydney Big Bash sides at the SCG on Sunday!