Week 20 – ‘The Opening Spell’

Western Suburbs' Tom Brooks / Pic from Western Suburbs DCC Facebook

First ball – Wests get the best of the weekend!

Western Suburbs secured victory over cross-town rivals Eastern Suburbs by 179 runs in their Belvidere Cup clash at Pratten Park on Saturday. Tom Brooks claimed 5-32 to elevate his wickets tally to 43 for the season. The Magpies sit in fifth place with two regular rounds remaining.

On Sunday at Hurstville Oval, Western Suburbs overcame an undefeated St George side in the Limited-Overs Cup preliminary final. Muhammad Irfan snared figures of 5-32 to ensure his Magpies moved on to the decider. Wests will face Northern District in the final on March 3.

Second ball – Burrows beatdown in table-topping clash!

St George-Sutherland’s Abby Burrows achieved a clutch six-wicket-haul against Manly on Sunday at Weldon Oval.

The Slayers sat atop the women’s first-grade table and Manly in second, leading into the matchup. Burrows’ 6-17 prevented the Waratah’s from chasing their target and all but secured the minor premiership for the St-George-Sutherland side.

Third ball – Cricket...!

Fairfield-Liverpool compiled 435 runs before declaring in their second-grade meeting with Gordon at Chatswood Oval. Opening bat, Brock Fitton (109) and fourth-drop Jake Langdon (105) reached triple-figures for the Lions.

In response, the hosts managed 6/282 with Ryan Tullia remaining unbeaten on 104*.  

So, after 717 runs from 183 overs between two innings, three batters achieving centuries and three more earning half-centuries, the match was drawn.

Fourth ball – Hale-storm hits Killara!

Gordon downed a top-of-the-table Manly Warringah third-grade team at Koola Park on Saturday, thanks to a sharp spell from Amy Hale.

Hale damaged the Manly batting order, finishing with figures of 5-11 from 6.4 overs.

Fifth ball – Finish what you start!

Randwick Petersham’s Rory Anderson (6-14) ripped through the Blacktown Mounties third-grade outfit at Petersham Oval.

Anderson dismissed the visiting sides’ top four, before also taking their final two batters to secure the competition points.

Sixth ball – Waratahs sit in pole position heading into final corner!

Manly Warringah have extended their lead atop the men’s Club Championship ladder after overcoming a then second placed Parramatta, in every grade during round 14. The club from the Northern Beaches will be eager to retain the esteemed shield, as they prepare to face Mosman and Penrith in their final two rounds.

The Waratahs also sit in first place on the women’s Club Championship ladder and have defending champions Sydney hot on their heels with just one round to go.

View the Club Championship ladders: HERE

Second Over

First ball – Heading to Alice Springs in red-hot form!

Penrith’s Aimee Ravot has capped off a special week with a superb first-grade five-wicket-haul.

Just hours after being named in the NSW Women’s Indigenous team heading to the National Indigenous Cricket Championships in Alice Springs, Ravot bagged 5-37 against Parramatta’s first-grade outfit at Howell Oval.

Penrith's Aimee Ravot in action / Pic supplied by Penrith CC

Second ball – SOK 300!

Hawkesbury’s Stephen O’Keeffe surpassed 300 first-grade wickets on Saturday, taking 3-55 in a narrow win over Sydney University.

The former Australian, NSW and Sydney Sixers representative removed one 99 from his record, going from 299 to 302 first-grade wickets. He is left with a highest first-class score of 99 and 99 BBL wickets.  

Third ball – Seven for Sidhaarthaa!

Sydney University stormed to a fifth-grade win over Hawkesbury at Bensons Lane after Sidhaarthaa Savelimedu Veeravalli claimed figures of 7-78.

The Students jump into the top eight with two rounds remaining.

Fourth ball – Best of the bunch!

C A Tanishka Shardha Reddy claimed the best bowling figures from every fixture across the Brewer Shield competition’s final regular round.  

The Blacktown Brewer bowled impressively to snare 5-44 against the ladder leading Northern District team.

Fifth ball – Milestone Men!

  • Fairfield-Liverpool’s Nick Carruthers scored his second century of the season (116), the eighth of his first-grade career and past 7,000 runs, to 7,022 at 29.16.  
  • Western Suburbs skipper, James Psarakis added 77 (not out) against St George in his sides’ winning Limited-Overs Cup semi-final which took him to 5,006 first-grade runs.
  • On Sunday, Scott Rodgie took 3/47 as Northern District defeated Manly-Warringah in the other Limited-Over semi-final. It took the 37-year-old veteran to 42 wickets for the season, completing the all-rounders double of 500 runs plus 40 wickets in a season.

Sixth ball – Lucky letter?

Round 14 of the men’s McDonald’s NSW Premier Cricket competition saw:

  • Jack James have 5-61 for Hawkesbury v Sydney University (1s)
  • Jake Cormack make 152* for Bankstown v Mosman (3s)
  • Jake Greenberg take 5-23 for UNSW v UTS North Sydney (3s)
  • James Hooke snare 5-38 for Eastern Suburbs v Western Suburbs (3s)
  • James Barwise collect 5-23 for Western Suburbs v Eastern Suburbs (3s)
  • Jared Ball notch 102* for Sutherland v Sydney (3s)
  • Jayden Wheeler finish with 5-40 for Western Suburbs v Eastern Suburbs (4s)
  • Jordan Fullagar grab 5-27 for Northern District v Penrith (4s)
  • James Duckett claim 5-21 for Bankstown v Mosman (5s)

Extras

Etched in history!

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