Week 2 – The Opening Spell

_{Scott Rodgie moved into the top 10 first-grade runs-scorers on Sunday // Ian Bird}

First Over - Kingsgrove Sports T20 Cup

First ball – Rodgie rolls on

Northern District captain Scott Rodgie commenced the season with a career total of 11288 first-grade runs. He was 12th on the list of all-time leading scorers. He had just the one match on the first day (21/09), scoring 21 in Round 1. Northern District had a bye in Round 2 (the afternoon of 21/09). In Round 3 (morning of 28/09) he scored 25 against St. George, taking his career total to 11334, past Gordon legend Sid Carroll (11322) and into 11th place on the scoring list. In the afternoon match (Round 4) he made 42, and the next day (Sunday 29/09) he made 39 in Round 5, taking him to 11415, past Grant Lambert (11413) and into the top 10 all-time scorers.

Second ball – Finals bound

UTS North Sydney and Northern District were the two unbeaten teams after the five regular season rounds with a perfect four from four. Paramatta and Campbelltown Camden also topped their groups to progress to the second round of finals on the afternoon of October 13. Earlier that day, Fairfield-Liverpool will take on Western Suburbs, Sydney University will play Eastern Suburbs, Penrith will take on St George and Bankstown will face Sutherland in the first finals round.

Third ball – Blues brothers

On Saturday, NSW Blues keeper/batter Matthew Gilkes got 66 (35 balls, 4 sixes, 7 fours) for UNSW but with no one else scoring above 11, its 9-149, proved no problem for Western Suburbs, with fellow NSW star Josh Phillipe on fire. The Sydney Sixers opener added 110 not out (49 balls, 10 sixes, 4 fours) to the century (139) he scored for New South Wales against Western Australia in the One Day Cup match a week earlier. Wests took only 12.5 overs to get to 151.

Fourth ball – Gilkes does it again

Later that Saturday, Gilkes was even better in the clash of the Unis. UNSW got an opening stand of 127 from Gilkes (88 off 38 balls, 5 sixes, 8 fours) and Suffan Hassan 44 (28 balls 3 sixes, 3 fours) and totalled 5-227 against Sydney University. The latter got 59 (29 balls, 4 sixes, 5 fours) from Damien Mortimer, three others got into the 30s, but they finished 22 short at 9-205.

Fifth ball – Meppem the weapon

For UNSW, Ryan Meppem, produced what was arguably the ‘defensive’ performance of the weekend. He caught both openers, and when brought on as the seventh bowler used, took 5-20.

Sixth ball – Punishing Patterson

Former Test batter Kurtis Patterson, in at 1-0 after three balls, made 95 not out (49 balls, 6 sixes, 9 fours), added 128 for the third wicket with Matt Rodgers 57 (38 balls, 4 sixes, 4 fours), and St. George totalled 2-194 against Northern District.  It was not enough. Corey Miller scored 77 not out (36 balls, 5 sixes, 9 fours) and added 123 for the unfinished 6th wicket stand with Aidan Cahill 44 (23 balls, 4 sixes, 2 fours). Northern District got to 5-200 with a six by Cahill off the first ball of the 16th over. Rodgers’ 57 took him past 5000 runs, to 5034 at 31.26.

Second Over - Poidevin-Gray Shield

First ball – Two from two

UNSW, Fairfield-Liverpool, Mosman, Randwick Petersham, Bankstown are the only teams with a perfect record after the opening two rounds of the season. At the other end of the spectrum, eight clubs are yet to register a win.

Second ball – Zak attack

Zak Keogh went bananas for Randwick Petersham against Northern District at Coogee Oval, belting an unbeaten 83 from 52 rocks with a half dozen fours and as many sixes to steer his side home within 17 overs.

Third ball – White wash for Spencer

Northern District’s Spencer White scored an unbeaten 105 last week, batting at five. This time around White moved up to bat at three and still couldn’t be dismissed, scoring 76* against Randwick Petersham before Keogh’s heroics.

Fourth ball – Burke blitz

Blayde Burke was the highest wicket taker across the round, snaring 5/20 from his four overs for UNSW as they knocked over Blacktown Mounties at David Phillips Memorial Fields.  

Fifth ball – Captain Charlie

Sydney’s skipper Charlie Howard might not have taken as many wickets as Burke but he sure was good in his side’s 11-run victory over Hawkesbury at Bensons Lane. Howard took 4/12 from his 3.5 overs and was ably assisted by Thomas Blowes, who contributed with 2/11 from his four overs.

Sixth ball – Allen key for Mosman

Last week Mosman’s William Allen bludgeoned an unbeaten 148 against Western Suburbs and this week his victim was Eastern Suburbs, with the inform opener scoring a match-high 65 before he was dismissed by Hayden Tipping in the 19th over.