Welcome to another edition of Tah Talk with Joel Foster. This week we look at the start of our Junior Reps season, changes to the W1s competition format, and the return of the Manly Talent Night.
A big thank you to Scott MacNeill and the team at Gibson MacNeill Lawyers for their new partnership with this season. If you have any legal needs big or small, visit them at www.gibsonmacneill.com.au
Mini stars, mega dreams
This weekend is the beginning of the boys Junior Reps season. It’s always a momentous occasion and one the boys have been building up to for several months now.
Our U/12 Div1 Cawsey Shield take on Fairfield while Div2 Foster Shield take on Hornsby. U/13 Div1 and Div2 take on Fairfield and Bankstown respectively, while U14 Div 1 Moore Shield take on St George.
Our U15 Weblin Shield side also meet St George, while the new U/17 Watson Shield competition sees us take on Parramatta.
We are fielding teams in all 14 Metro Youth Championships this season, with the U11s now also falling under this banner. The rest of these sides, including our u13 and u15 girls’ teams, must wait a little longer for their seasons to commence.
It’s an exciting time in local junior cricket. The Junior reps are the cornerstone of our pathway system and have been for many years. Their success has been amazing over the last decade and is a key driver to the success of both ourselves and Warringah Cricket Club.
To see ex-representative players such as Tom Walker, Bill Martin and Darcey Horstead excel so far this season is proof of this.
The season was launched last week at Harbord Diggers, attended by Chelsea McLerie, Sienna James and Joel Davies and it was a great event, welcoming 57 new caps.
The theme for the launch and for the season is fun, expression and freedom, which is exactly what we are trying to build in our 1st Grade side.
Best of luck to all players this weekend, and go Manly.
Double the format, double the fun
With our Women also starting this weekend, it’s interesting to note a large change in the structure of the W1s competition.
There will now be 2 distinct competitions. The T20 competition will run until early November and includes Finals series at this time.
They will then switch modes and play One-day cricket for the rest of the season, again with their own separate final series.
The results of the T20 competition will not contribute to the Limited Overs competition at all, unlike in previous seasons.
There are a couple of seasons for the change. Firstly, feedback came through that it was tough to switch between T20 and One-Day mode.
It also allows the T20 Grand Final to have a reserve day, which was not available last season.
This specifically impacted on us last year after rain interrupted our Grand Final against Campbelltown.
Tah-lent night expects unexpected
This coming Saturday night provides us with the return of the Manly Talent Night at the exotic Room at the Top at Manly Oval.
Performances will include the Lewis Evans Body percussion and the Toby Seward ventriloquism.
The Josh Cooper stand-up comedy, Myles Kapoor and Roop Dhillon freestyle rap, and of course the Ned Hole celebrity impressions, are also not to be-missed items.
Our Men’s Club Captains Jacob O’Sulliovan and Ollie Melville are men that drive these events. They do an outstanding job.
Our Men are as connected as ever because of the work these two do.
I’m looking forward to some perfectly timed heckles on Saturday night.
