Week 4 – The Opening Spell

_{UTS North Sydney had four players reach half-centuries in a single innings - Second Over, Ball Two}

First Over

First ball – And then there were four

Northern District, Fairfield-Liverpool, Bankstown and St George are the semi-finalists in this year’s Kingsgrove Sports T20 Cup, with a champion to be crowned next Sunday night, under lights at North Sydney Oval. Bankstown and St George will square off in the first semi at 9:30am, before Northern District take on Fairfield-Liverpool at 1:30pm ahead of the decider at 6:30pm.

A cracking day of cricket no doubt, with all welcome to attend.

Second ball – Shaw thing

There is little doubt that Northern District’s Lachlan Shaw is a prodigious talent and the NSW Blues rookie contracted keeper/batter’s full array of stroke play was on show in yesterday’s T20 quarter final against Eastern Suburbs. Opening, Shaw clubbed 107 from 57 balls, including 8 sixes and 7 fours.

Third ball – Skipper leads from front

In women’s first grade, experienced Penrith captain Samantha Arnold led from the front in her side’s one-wicket win over Paramatta. Arnold was miserly with the ball, finishing with figures of 0-11 from three overs before taking up the chase at the top of the order, scoring 42 not out as wickets crumbled around her.

With a target of 103 for victory, Arnold’s opening partner and the next three Penrith batters went for 0, 0, 1, 0 before former Sixers and Breakers squad member Emma Hughes chipped in with 18. Once Hughes was gone, Penrith’s next five batters contributed, 7, 10, 0, 0 and 4 not out as the skipper steered the ship home in the 16th over.

Fourth ball – More experience matters

Just as Arnold showed her experience, fellow veterans Kira Churchland and Rhiannon Dick continued to add chapters to their storied grade careers. Sydney captain Churchland scored 61 not out and took 1-5 from two sets as her side hammered Gordon, while Dick belted 9 fours on her way to 63* (49) in St George-Sutherland’s win over Manly Warringah. She also chipped in with 1-17 (4.0).

Fifth ball – Speaking of experience

In first grade at Bankstown, veteran skipper Dan Solway scored his 25th first-grade century, taking him back to equal with Western Suburbs’ Josh Clarke, the leader amongst active players, who had scored his 25th last week. Chasing Gordon’s 223, Solway batted throughout the innings, scoring 103 not out (154 balls, 2 sixes, 7 fours), with a wide to him with four balls remaining getting his side to 8-224 and the points.    

Sixth ball – Sams joins 8000 club

Saturday was an historic day for Randwick Petersham and popular captain Anthony Sams. When the skilful wicketkeeper/ batter scored two off the 15th ball he faced, he became the first Randy-Pete’s player to bring up 8,000 runs. In the 132 years of Sydney first grade, Sams is just the 70th player to achieve that mark.

And when you consider his 519 wicketkeeping dismissals is the second highest in all that time behind the 542 by St George’s Ernie Laidler, we are looking at one of the greatest Sydney first grade careers. Onya Samsy! 

Second Over

First ball – Calov cleans up

In second grade at Waverley Oval, UNSW’s opening bowler William Calov took an incredible 7-30 from 8.3 overs. Calov took the scalps of the first three and last four Eastern Suburbs batters to fall.

Second ball – North Sydney’s retirement club

In women’s third grade, UTS North Sydney piled on 2/297 in their 40 overs against Bankstown. Opener Amy Gibbons (50), no. 3 Esha Tiwana (53), no. 4 Kayla Robson (52) and no. 5 and captain Bernie Robson (53) all reached their half century before retiring.

Third ball – Runs keep flowing for St George duo

In first grade on Saturday, St. George, sent in by Northern District, got a second wicket stand of 222 from Blake Nikitaras (107 off 136 balls, 1 six, 7 fours) and Kurtis Patterson 114 (112 balls, 1 six, 10 fours). It was Patterson’s 13th century in the top grade, while for Nikitaras, his NSW Blues teammate, it was his fifth.

The pair were at it again on Sunday in their first round T20 Cup final against Penrith, with Nikitaras bludgeoning 86* from 46 (4 sixes, 9 fours) and Patterson scoring 63* from 38 (1 six, 8 fours). Nikitaras was back at it in the second round final, this time against Campbelltown Camden, where he scored 64 from 47. That’s 434 between them across the weekend.

Fourth ball – Super seven

Over the last five years Harry Manenti has won a Sydney first grade competition with Sydney and played in successful teams in both Tasmania and South Australia, but he is currently having a stint with Eastern Suburbs and showed his worth in their 10-wicket victory over UNSW on Saturday, taking 7-35, including UNSW’s last seven batters.

Batting second, domestic one-day star Daniel Hughes scored 69 and Will Simpson 76 in an unbeaten stand in 21.1 overs.

Fifth ball – Captain Smith’s six

Last week Mosman’s Patrick Burr took 5-18 in fifth grade and this week it was his captain, Ben Smith in the wickets. Smith took 6-30 from his ten overs, along with a catch, as his side defeated Blacktown Mounties by eight wickets. Mosman pair Jonty Snyman 62* and Aidan Boulton 52* cruising to victory.

Sixth ball – Extra time

Taking on UTS North Sydney at Townson Oval in Newcastle, Greater Hunter Coast’s first ever second grade women’s match was a thriller.

After the hosts were bowled out for 102, North Sydney could only match that total in their 20 overs. Off to a super over and Norths Kayla Robson (3*) and Bella Johnson (4*) got the visitors to 0/8 before Greater Hunter Coast could only muster 2/1 (1lb) in Emily Horstead’s maiden over.