An unprecedented unavailability list didn’t stop the Men from extending their Club Championship lead with a gutsy 5 wins from 5 on Day 2 against Parramatta on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Women had a mixed round of results but maintain their own Club Champs lead. Unfortunately, M1s bowed out of the limited overs competition with defeat to Northern Districts on Sunday.
M1s pulled off a miraculous comeback victory against a formidable Parramatta side, who resumed 2/30 on Day 2 in reply to the Tahs’ 199. A catch of the year contender from Brynn Mendel to dismiss the dangerous Bertus for Michael Counsell’s debut first grade wicket, but Parramatta were in complete control at 3/136. But the Tahs never back down, with spin twins Bertie Foreman and Joel Davies combining for an incredible 7/30 with help from some tremendous catching, Parramatta all out for 166 as Manly took first innings points. Matt Brewster and Ahillen Beadle navigated 11 overs to tea, Tahs 1/27 when the captains shook hands.
Roop Dhillon (66) and Ben Bryant (43) resumed for M2s with the Tahs 1/59 chasing 112 for first innings points, and both continued the momentum, building on their strong partnership and cutting the deficit down to just 14 when Ben was dismissed for a well made 43. Roop and Jacob O’Sullivan took the Tahs to first innings points before Roop was out for a match-winning 66. Handy contributions from Ryan Farrell (40*) and Lachlan Barnsley (36) pushing the Tahs to 6/214 when the declaration came. Two wickets to Jacob O’Sullivan not enough in the Tahs’ search for an outright win.
Another remarkable backs-to-the-wall victory was at Grahams, a highway greeting the Tahs as M3s looked to defend 188. The first session was a grind, wickets to Evan Dunnachie and Fraser Noack having the game in the balance at 2/54, before a phenomenal leg side stumping to Brodie McDowell off the bowling of Josh Coyte, and a wicket to Lachie Trewartha, gave the Tahs the ascendancy, 4/71. But Parramatta fought back and despite further wickets to Dunnachie and Will Skinner, the visitors were cruising at 6/162. Until it all turned, the Tahs taking 4/21 amongst two more to Trewartha, one to Ellis Raymond, and a last wicket run out between Dunnachie and Raymond, Tahs winning a thriller by 5 runs.
M4s resumed at Merrylands, 1/11 chasing 175. Nick Rigg (18) and night-watchman George Cumming (35) made a positive start to the morning before the former departed, leaving the latter to combine with veteran Matt Cranney (20) for a steadying 47 run partnership. Unfortunately, a middle-order collapse just before tea saw the Tahs fall from 2/75 to 7/94. But, as he has done on multiple occasions this season, skipper Adam Parkinson stepped up with a counter-attacking 45, combining with Kai Croft (19) for a 63 run stand to shift the momentum. A late wobble as both fell leaving the Tahs 9/163 still needing 12, but Ryan Bishop Perrett (15*) and Julian Osbourne navigated the pressure to see the Tahs home by one wicket.
Mike Pawley Oval hosted one of the more special victories on Saturday, M5s resuming 0/13 in pursuit of 203. Skipper Simon Waddington (25) and Jack Donnan (18) began positively with runs flowing, before the former was dismissed. This was the theme throughout most of the day on what was proving to be a spinning wicket, with numerous starts amongst Preston Lee (21), Reuben Kapoor (21), Lukas Overhoff (18), Ed Burgess (27) and Jordan Brewster (15), as middling partnerships meant the Tahs never fully took the ascendancy. At 9/175 with 28 to win, it was looking perilous, but M3s manager Noah Vumbaca (27*) came up clutch with a match-winning innings, with a little support from your author (5*), to secure a memorable win for the Tahs.
Sunday saw M1s host the limited overs semi-final against Northern Districts. Skipper Jay Lenton won the toss and elected to bat, three early wickets halting the Tahs’ progress despite 23 from Joel Foster. A 55 run partnership between Joel Davies (28) and Matt Brewster (30) steadied the ship, but when both fell in quick succession, it was Ned Hole (53) and Bertie Foreman (34) that stepped up with a crucial 78 run partnership. Last over hitting from Josh Seward (14*) pushing the Tahs to a competitive 9/228. Tom Kaye struck early in the defence to have hopes high, but unfortunately from there, ND’s built a series of substantial partnerships with excellent batting, and despite wickets to Foreman, Davies and Ryan Hadley, the Tahs went down by six wickets.
W3s winning run took a hit on Saturday with defeat to Gordon away. Skipper Sallie Molyneux won the toss and elected to bowl, two early breakthroughs to Sophia Chick justifying the decision. Gordon rebuilt but the Tahs’ bowlers were consistently economical, before Sophia Randall and Jasmin Wilson dismissed the two set batters. Late wickets to Randall and two to Mia Waddington restricting the home side to 7/97 from 40. The run chase began astutely with starts from the top three, Emily Hatfield (16), Nat Jonkers (10) and Waddington (25) having the Tahs in control at 1/53. Unfortunately, a disastrous middle order collapse ensued as pressure built on the new batters, the Tahs ultimately all out for 71.
W1s also suffered a slight setback on Sunday with defeat to ladder-leaders St George-Sutherland at Weldon Oval. Asked to bowl first, the Tahs fought hard after a strong start from the visitors, Hannah Moss with the opening breakthrough before a two-wicket spell to Kristie Crawford shifted the momentum completely. All bowlers continued the Tahs’ ascendancy with great partnership bowling, skipper Saskia Horley with 1/7 from 10 overs, supported by one wicket apiece to Ebony Hoskin, Eliza Henry and Shivani Mehta. St George-Sutherland restricted to 9/132. The Tahs batting innings was a case of what could’ve been, with 6 batters getting starts of 10-20, Lauren Kua top scoring with 25, but ultimately, it wasn’t quite enough, Tahs all out for 118.
Renee Hough’s W2’s side made the trip to Bankstown Oval, with the home side sending the Tahs into bat first. Elizabeth Cambridge (17) and Gabby Dunnage made a cautious start, but their dismissals led to a regular flow of wickets, Isabella Zovi (16) fighting hard to steady the ship. At 8/78, things were looking dicey, until an ultimately match-saving 41 run partnership from Annabel Hutt (20) and Mia Waddington (25) led the Tahs to a defendable 124. This was followed up by an excellent team bowling effort, economical spells from all bowlers putting the pressure right on Bankstown, wickets shared between Zovi, Cambridge, Molly Kidd, Erica Sharma, Lara Hughes (2/4 off 10), and Mia Nel, as Bankstown were bowled out for 114 in the 49th over, a 10 run victory for the Tahs.
Brewers booked a home semi final with a strong win over Sydney University at Mike Pawley Oval. Sent into bat first, it was Charlotte Croll that led the way for the Tahs with a match-winning 71 off 87 balls including 13 boundaries, holding the innings together as wickets fell at the other end. Support from Eve Burke (11) and Darcey Whiteley (21) helping continue the momentum, before a crucial 44 run 10th wicket partnership between Charlotte Allen (27) and Tait Camburn (14*) pushed the Tahs to 197. Lily Crabbe and Kaya Punter picked up the opening two wickets, before the visitors consolidated momentarily, before three wickets in quick succession between Punter and Croll had the Tahs in control. From there, wickets to Whiteley, Crabbe, Brooke Frew and Annabel Kyme meant the Tahs were always on top, Sydney University all out for 132.
Arguably the most important weekend of the season coming up as the Men look to further extend their Club Champs advantage in the penultimate round of the regular season, taking on Mosman in one-day fixtures for M2s-M5s, while M1s have a Saturday/Sunday fixture. Meanwhile, the Women have it all to play for in the final round of the regular season for W1s-W3s, the Tahs currently 59 points ahead in the Club Champs standings. Brewers begins their finals campaign with a home elimination final against Parramatta.
