Week 3 – The Opening Spell

_{Wests' Josh Clarke compiled 175 not out in a win over the weekend // Ian Bird}

First Over

First ball – All hail Ahillen

Just a little over a month after his 38th birthday, Ahillen Beadle batted throughout the Manly-Warringah innings to score his 14th first grade century, 190 not out off 138 balls with 12 sixes and 12 fours. With Joel Foster (63) he put on 175 for the first wicket and Manly-Warringah registered 5-380. Later in the day, Bertie Foreman, last season’s O’Reilly Medal co-winner, took 4-42 for Manly, limiting Blacktown to 197.

Second ball – Silver Century

Again in the top grade, Sydney University won the toss and sent Western Suburbs into bat at Pratten Park. Forty seven overs and 262 runs later, the first wicket fell. Nicholas Cutler had scored 110 (153 balls, 1 six, 9 fours) and his opening partner, Josh Clarke, batted throughout the innings. Clarke made 175 not out (140 balls, 9 sixes, 11 fours) and Western Suburbs was 1-305 at the end of 50 overs. Clarke then claimed 3-36, took a catch and contributed to a run out as the Students could only muster 228. It was Clarke’s 25th first-grade century – his Silver Jubilee, if you will. This put him one ton ahead of Daniel Solway amongst current players. He is the 12th player to reach this mark, the record being 44, held by Greg Mail, followed by Victor Trumper, Warren Bardsley and Bob Simpson, each with 36.

Third ball – Losing double

Imagine scoring an unbeaten double century and still losing. That’s the thankless scenario UTS North Sydney’s Finn Nixon-Tomko faced in second grade against Gordon. Nixon-Tomko belted 207 not out from 153 balls, including 18 fours and ten sixes. Sadly, for Norths, he didn’t receive enough support and Norths were bowled out for 342, short of Gordon’s 5/385.

Fourth ball – Bowl, anyone?

In third grade, Parramatta (7/269) held off Randwick Petersham (6/245) using a ‘many hands make light work’ mantra. In all Parra used eight bowlers, with only one - Vishek Chawla – bowling ten or taking two wickets. The unused three – openers Arjun Nadadur and Athan Maraziotis, alongside ‘keeper Dhanvi Vemulapalli, the latter getting into the action with a catch and a stumping behind the pegs.

Fifth ball – Superb six

In fourth grade for Sydney in their clash with Mosman, Avish Avish took 6/35 from his ten overs, including six of the first seven batters. It wasn’t enough, Mosman winning by 38 runs.

Sixth ball – Snail’s pace

In another fourth’s fixture, St George skittled Bankstown for 91 in 41.5 overs, with Maximilian Condon top scoring for Bankstown with 18 off 84 balls! Sahil Singh Pathania was chief destroyer, snaring 5/17 from his ten overs for St George.

Second Over

First ball – Burr-eautiful

In fifth grade, Mosman’s Patrick Burr almost matched Pathania with figures of 5/18, only for his team to go down to Sydney by 28 runs.

Second ball – Tapia ball

Still in fifth’s, Zaeem Tapia took 5/20 for Northern District, who having scored 5/247, took down Fairfield-Liverpool for just 116 in 34 overs. Fairfield-Liverpool lost their last nine wickets for 31, their last eight for 23, their last seven for 11 and their last three for zero.

Third ball – More five-fa’s

Northern District’s Lachlan Bailey (5/24) in fourth grade and Manly Warringah’s Joshua Wigney (5/32) in thirds, also joined the five-fa club for this weekend. The former’s team won easily, the latter’s lost heavily. Go figure.

Fourth ball – Here’s to 5000

Back to first’s and St George, taking on Bankstown, made 6-283. Kurtis Patterson, 92, scored his second ninety in as many weeks and formats, taking him past 5000 first-grade runs to 5033 at 48.39.

Fifth ball – Masterclass

Back to the second grade fixture where Norths’ Finn Nixon-Tomko bashed a double-century, only to lose. Winners Gordon, put on a batting masterclass – losing Charles Mitchell (57) at 1-157, Apurv Sharma (113) at 2-185, Ryan Tullia (25) at 3-249 and Jamie Bekis (116) at 4-348.

Sixth ball – Perfect three

Three clubs won all five grades on Saturday – Eastern Suburbs, Parramatta and Northern District.