Week 12 – ‘The Opening Spell’

_{Gordon's Tym Crawford in action // pic by Jim Wright}

First ball – Doubling up!

Gordon's first-grade captain, Tym Crawford, delivered just the third double-century in the history of the Sydney first-grade Limited-Overs Cup competition on Saturday at Chatswood Oval. This competition has been contested from 1967/68 to 1975/76, from 1985/86 to 1987/88, and continuously since 1992/93.

Crawford sent 10 deliveries sailing over the boundary rope on the full and 14 along the ground on the way to an unbeaten innings of 205 runs from only 140 balls against a Penrith bowling attack. His extraordinary batting performance comes exactly one week after scoring an outstanding century (101) against UTS North Sydney.

Second ball – Representatives show out!

The women’s first grade match between Manly Warringah and Northern District pitted some of the state’s emerging and current stars against each other, producing some memorable performances.

Manly Warringah skipper Lauren Kua, who will represent NSW Metropolitan at the upcoming U19 National Championships in Brisbane, excelled at the crease, amassing 108 runs. Sharing the middle with her was Georgia Adams, an overseas recruit for the NSW Breakers who recently contributed to Adelaide’s WBBL title retention. Adams led the scoring for the coastal club with an unbeaten 109* (97 balls).

Stella Campbell took two wickets for Northern District in her first competitive outing since returning from WBBL duties with the Perth Scorchers.

Kate McTaggart (Northern District) reinforced her selection into the NSW Country squad for the above-mentioned National Championships, notching 73 runs (103 balls).

Though it was NSW Breakers and Sydney Thunder livewire, Ebony Hoskin (5-37) and Kua (3-40) who would secure a 78-run victory for Manly.  

Third ball – Ranger’s rampage into Poidevin-Gray finals!

Northern District toppled Penrith by a 144-run margin to solidify their spot in the final eight of the 2023-24 Poidevin-Gray Shield.

Losing the toss away from home did little to disrupt the Ranger’s from running riot over Penrith, as captain Mitchell Crayn struck 186 runs (not out) from 143 deliveries in a damaging innings that included 15 boundary 4s and seven boundary 6s.

Northern District opener, Cameron Tunks, would also raise the bat, scoring a composed 102 runs (119 balls).

Fourth ball – Go figure(s)!

• Sydney University Brewer Shield captain, Nadia Carvalho (6-17), claimed the figures of the match against Sydney in their clash at St Andrew’s Oval, though it was the Tiger’s Olivia Pelly (5-6) who would bowl her side to victory and claim the competition points.
• UNSW’s Jay Vallabhoju finished with fixture-leading figures of 6-18 against Sutherland in their fifth-grade encounter, however, the Shark’s took home the win after a Lachlan Pont five-wicket haul (5-37).

_{Olivia Pelly / pic by Edward Rose}

Fifth ball – And he can bat!

Northern District veteran Scott Rodgie continued his habit of taking a wicket in every first-grade match this season, with 3-36 against Campbelltown-Camden. Rodgie is no slouch with the willow either, having tallied 222 runs at 27.25 with two half-centuries.

Sixth ball – Smiley Kylie!

Sydney Cricket Club’s third-grade captain, Kylie Hocknell, had a handful of reasons to smile after dismantling Sydney University in their clash at Campbell Park. Hocknell struck an unbeaten 31* from 18 deliveries before claiming ‘best on ground’ figures with 5-4 from four overs. Sydney Cricket Club won by 37 runs.

_{Kylie Hocknell / pic by Deborah Smith}

Second Over

First ball – 10 in two!

Parramatta second-grader, Vrusti Valani, dismissed six of Sydney University’s top eight batters as her side ran out 7-wicket winners at Merrylands Park. Valani finished with bowling figures of 6-15.

Last week, Valani snared a 4fa against St George-Sutherland meaning she has more than doubled her second-grade wicket taking tally from the first eight round, over the last two weeks.  

Second ball – Places to be!

• Chasing 130 for the win, Manly Warringah’s Sydney Sixers recruit Joel Davies put the foot down, racing to 84 (not out) from just 41 deliveries. Davies would guide his first-grade side to a bonus point win against Sydney, striking eight 4s and six 6s along the way.
• Similarly, needing 134 to win, Northern District’s Danul Dassanayake lit up Asquith Oval, dispatching 84 (not out) runs from 55 balls including 10 4s and three 6s in his sides’ second-grade victory against Campbelltown Camden.

Third ball – Cheadle sets the tone, Stickland brings it home!  

Nicholas Cheadle struck 129 runs to propel his third-grade Rangers side to 7/312 from their allotted 50 overs, before teammate Daniel Stickland snared figures of 5-13 to ensure the opposition Ghosts fell 190 runs shy of their target.

Fourth ball – Stress-free run chase!

The following Brewer Shielders put on marvellous hitting displays in winning run chases:

• With the score at 1-1, Parramatta’s Aarna Patel (51*) and Sarah Bawcombe (60*) did not falter, sticking together for 134 runs and guiding their team to a nine-wicket win against Bankstown.
• Greater Hunter Coast’s opening pair of Sophie McCrae (56) and Jazlyn Dennis (64) combined for 111 runs. This partnership would allow the Greater Hunter Coast middle-order to chase down St George-Sutherland’s 162-run total.
• UTS North Sydney’s Sameeksha Kuncham struck 77 (not out) in her side’s successful chase of Campbelltown Camden’s 109 run total.

Fifth ball – Back to his best?!

The 2021-22 leading second-grade wicket taker, Harjit Singh, returned to form for Blacktown over the weekend, taking 5-36 against Eastern Suburbs. Singh snared 45 poles in season 2021-22, 18 more than his nearest opponent…could this performance re-ignite his wicket taking prowess?

Sixth ball – Around the grounds!

• Sam Konstas continued his dominating form with the willow, striking 111 for Sutherland against UNSW in their first-grade encounter. Fairfield-Liverpool’s Yuvraj Sharma (108) and UTS North Sydney’s Tim Reynolds round out the first-grade centurions from the weekend’s limited-overs fixtures.
• Sydney University’s Matt Powys (132*) hit his way to a seventh consecutive third-grade win, whilst Eastern Suburbs’ third-grader, Arjun Gill, raised the bat for an even 100 run innings.
• Fifth-grade had four centurions: Rehaab Afzaal (124*) for Eastern Suburbs, Lachlan Snell (121) for Bankstown, Bailey Foster (120*) for Gordon and Alexander Gomez (103) for Fairfield-Liverpool.
• Mosman’s Will Adlam (102*) and Fairfield-Liverpool’s Ethan Deal (100) reached triple figures in the last regular round of the Poidevin-Gray Shield.
• Elizabeth Cambridge led Manly Warringah to a Brewer Shield win over Gordon after striking 107 (not out) at Mike Pawley Oval.