Starting the day with a fair chance across the grades we are left with the solitary win in 2nds. 1sts and 4ths had similar results being passed 7 down after looking good things, 3rds never really got themselves into it and 5s put up a fight but couldn’t finish them off. Manly Oval was the place to be on Sunday with over 360 runs scored in the T20 QF against Campbelltown Camden. We went down in a tight one but the boys can again be proud of their efforts in making it so far and again putting on a great day of cricket.
4 Pines Brewery Player of the Week – Matt Alexander
This bloke is impressing all comers in the nets lately and this is showing in the games. A slow start to the year has seen him address his issues in the nets and he is now working up a good pace and is proving too difficult for most 2nd graders. On the weekend he continued his run of good form with 6/54 off 24 overs and if that wasn’t enough he had to finish them off with a run out. This follows his handy 27 on the first day. He is leading by example on practice days and for anybody else struggling for form ( I dare say there are a few of us) please take a leaf out of his book and bowl for a few hours every week.
1st Grade – Manly 230 (T Cruickshank 70, N Watkins 38, M Cleary 38) lost to Gordon 7/232 (N McLachlan 3/45, M Edwards 3/53)
We started the day off very well with Nick McLachlan taking a wicket off only the second ball of the day to have Gordon placed at 5-100 chasing 230. Unfortunately a partnership then developed, however with the introduction of a 7-2 field and some disciplined bowling outside off stump, the batsmen were eventually forced into some errors. At 7 for 200 we had a massive caught behind shout turned down which swung the game into Gordon’s favour. Unfortunately we could not break this 8th wicket partnership and Gordon passed us 7 down. Mickey and Nicko’s each took 3 wickets while Benny Martin took 1. At the end of the day, 230 was simply not enough runs.
2nd Grade – Manly 207 (L Edgell 89, M Pugh 38, M Alexander 27) beat Gordon 193( M Alexander 6/54, L Edgell 3/36)
No 2nd Grade match report has beeen provided by 2nd Grade. Bad luck Matty A (pictured below winning the match)
3rd Grade – Manly 156 ( C Little 32, S Gainsford 25no) and 1/24 lost to Gordon 4/162 dec ( R Davis 3/40)
The deciding day of round 5 produced disappointing results for 3rd Grade. The outcome of the match hung in the balance over the week as the waratahs posted a respectable 156 on a testing wicket and took two valuable wickets before the close of play. Come midday on Saturday, the Manly boys were very keen to put in a strong showing and started well with a consistent spell of bowling from Ronnie ‘the phantom’ Davis. An early wicket, with Sammy Webber taking a comfortable catch off Ronnie, had the visitors in the hunt for first innings point.
A couple of missed opportunities and indifferent fielding displays enabled the Gordon batsmen to take the game away from us. A thoroughly deserved wicket to Ron was the final positive to take away from our fielding display on an otherwise disappointing day for the Manly boys. Once Gordon had passed the total we had set, they declared to try and turn six points into ten. The Manly boys looked convincing batting out the day to finish on 1/24, Scotty Patterson finishing with 17*.
The editor has finally decided to unveil Ronnie D in the attached photo.Taken on his 1st grade debut. Note the high arm you young blokes and the walking in with the bowler.
4th Grade – Manly 232 (L Weston 94, A Verdi 39, S Alexander 26no) lost to Gordon 7/233 (C Gardiner 4/56)
An inspection of the pitch showed a drier surface than last week but with a fair cover of grass, good enough for both teams to fancy their chances. Luke G and Sheedy opened up and again bowled without luck. Arguably LG had some luck as his first 3 balls didn’t go for 18 but after that he got on top of the two bats but can’t buy a wicket at the moment. Sheeds bowled well and a few of us were convinced of an edge but not the man that mattered. The two batsman scractched their way to about 45 before a double change bringing on Evans and Gardiner. Chris worked up good pace, the quickest we’ve seen this year by a yard or two (and probably the longest follow through by 10 yards – if you could just learn to mutter some things under your breath when your’e way down there mate, nobody will hear you except the batsman) and bowled with great aggression throughout the day where he pushed himself for 16 overs to finish with 4/56. He got their 3rd wicket with a great diving leg side catch by Boyer. Evans then snicked off the other bloke to have them 4/60 odd. Gardiner continued to intimidate and he clean bowled two blokes, beaten by pace and trapped one in front to have them in all sorts just after tea at 7/105.
As so often happens in lower grades, a young bloke batting near the bottom comes out and proves to be clearly the best batsman for the game. The writing was on the wall with the first ball he faced, Gardiner steaming in and he casually works one from middle & leg to backward square for 4. This young bloke (Axel Cahlin 14yo) came straight in from Gordon colts and my instincts tell me he’ll play 1st grade soon and score 15,000 runs by the time he is 30. The bowling will not come much quicker in 2nd grade then what Chris was bowling and he dealt with it, well, easily. He hit the ball beautifully along the ground with power and he had great body language between balls. Mate, if you’re reading this ( I know McCloskey will be so he should tell you) come to Manly if you get graded less than 2nds next year.
Anyway, he and the skipper (who slashed his way to 70no in an entertaining dig but always not far away from giving a chance) put on 130 odd unbroken to take the game away. We didn’t suddenly start playing poor cricket, there were no dropped catches, Sam A again the man to miss out on the only chance offered during the stand. We created some half chances and the bowlers bowled well, Gardiner looked the man most likely but the pitch was a belter by now and it was his first bowl for the year so match fitness became an issue. What we do need to improve is our body language and the intensity when fielding. I spent a few overs down at fine leg and we looked like we were about to be beaten outright our body language was so poor.
Let’s make Sutherland fight for it next week in the grand final rematch.
Wazza
5th Grade – Manly 140 (R.Trewartha 47) and 2/48 lost to Gordon 8/153 (Z Trewartha 3/24, W Jonkers 2/48)
The Mighty Fives turned up to Beauchamp Oval on Saturday and were greeted by the same deck from last weekend, perhaps a little firmer, but still with ‘Green top’ written all over it. Overnight the Gordonians were 2-30 chasing 140, but we knew if we hit the spots, the ball would talk.
After Cap-Gun Jonkers led a rousing warm-up, over-seen by Dollars keen eye, the umpires were eager to get into it and we resumed at 12.12, Jonker s and Zach starting with immediate effect. Last weeks opener failed to spot Benny Wickham in the grass at short cover and drove airily at Zach, smashing it inches off the turf, straight at Benny’s face. 3-30. Next over Number 4 drove at Jonkers and sliced out to point, James McClintock waking just in time to take the catch. 4-40.
After Air-Horn Jonkers and Zach completed their Under Age bowling allotment…JimmyMac came on and offered their number 5 cutting practice. Alas after a dozen attempts, he gave up and tried to swat one over square leg instead, and nicked through to Tommy Skye. 5-60.
We were in up to Virat Coleys shaded eyeballs, and with Pooley ducking for his life in the gully with every slash and miss by the Gordoners, things were hotting up.
Knighty came on from his favourite Northern end and again bowled 6 overs of play and miss…only the occasional wide one gave them any break. However they eeked and slashed their way up to 110 before he struck. The former St Augustines school teacher smashed one to SkyFall, and thought he was back in the playground, with students Virat and JimmyMac giving him an educated send off.
Sac provided the first chainsaw of the year when their skipper played off the back foot to Benny in the long grass and they were 7-110.
Knighty was talking movies with Skyfall and ate up valuable time off the long run to ensure Jonkers had rested for the required time period. Air-Horn came back on and snuck through their 6ft 8 strike bowler with the double barrelled North Shore surname, to leave them 8 for 124, a further 16 to get, or 2 wickets for the good guys. Number 10 dispensed with the helmet and received the obligatory bouncer from Cap-Gun, and then proceeded to play and miss his way to a few.
A ‘very adjacent’ Lbw off Sac was dismissed by the official and in the end the Gordonite number 8 squirted one through the slips for 4 and that was that.
Overall, a really good effort, by our young team. Last year’s premiers, Gordon had all 11 players over the age of 20, we had just 1. Over the 2 days, both teams had their chances to take charge, on a deck which was fast and offered plenty for the bowlers. We’ve bowled pretty well in all games this year, and this week was no exception (Zach 3-24, Jonkers 2-48, Knighty 1-29, JimmyMac 1-29, Sac 1-20) We just need to make a few more runs to make it easier on ourselves. As Donny Dollars says “you can’t rin ‘em all’.
Cheers
Roscoe
T20 QF – Campbelltown Camden 9/188 ( LEdgell 3/25, B Martin 2/25, A Beadle 2/50) beat Manly 3/182 ( A Crosthwaite 69, T Crickshank 46, J Ritchie 42)
Shank won the toss and had a bowl on a new deck with a decent covering of grass. Campbelltown got away to a decent start however we managed to peg them back with some disciplined bowling from Luke Edgell in particular. A score of around 140 was looking likely, however the Campbelltown lower order got away from us in the final few over’s and they ended up posting a massive 188. We were our own worst enemies in the field with some simple errors made. Lukey was the pick of the bowlers with 3-25 off 4.
We started our chase well with the first wicket falling at 85 in the 11th over. Shank (46) and Crossy (69) continued on and for the majority of the innings we were right on target. However, their quality bowling line up bowled very well, keeping the ball full and in the block hole making it difficult for the batsmen to get under it. We ended up falling 7 runs short but it was a great effort to get that close. Unfortunately the loss ensures our T20 campaign is over. We did well to make the quarter finals, however at the end of the day chasing our 3rd total of over 175 proved too difficult.
