Welcome to another edition of the Weekend Wrap, proudly brought to you by our friends at New Balance | Belgravia Apparel. Visit them at www.belgraviaapparel.com for all your community club and business apparel needs.
It was a clean sweep for the Women this weekend with some great team performances, while the Men commenced two-day fixtures against Randwick with mixed results. But let’s start with the magnificent 4 / 4 wins for the Women.
Women’s 3rd Grade:
Out west at Belmore Park, Tahs skipper S.James won the toss & elected to bowl, as the Tahs made a strong start restricting Parramatta’s scoring & creating regular opportunities. An early breakthrough courtesy of a run out, followed shortly after by wickets to Searles & Molyneux. Parramatta consolidated with a slow patient partnership, but the Tahs always maintained the ascendancy with disciplined bowling. Another two run outs to Hatfield, & two wickets apiece to Searles & Wright helping the Tahs keep Parramatta to 8/112 from 40. James (16) & Hatfield (20) made a steady start to the run chase batting with good intent, however, a few quick wickets halted momentum. That’s where the match-winning innings from Hough (50no) began, patiently building an important partnership with Beukers, before continuing on to bring up her second fifty in as many weeks. It went down to the wire, but Hough saw the Tahs to victory in the penultimate over by three wickets.
Women’s 1st Grade:
Looking to bounce back, W1s were at Drummoyne, as Tahs skipper McLerie won the toss & chose to bowl. The skipper herself making the perfect start with a couple of early breakthroughs on the back of a superb economical opening spell. Fellow opener L.Hughes with a wicket shortly after to have Sydney 3/9, before the home side fought back with a decent partnership, but the Tahs didn’t let up. K.Punter broke through to dismiss the dangerous opposition skipper, before taking the next two wickets in an excellent 10 over spell that yielded 3/13. Spin continuing to wreak havoc as Kua picked up two wickets herself, Sydney restricted to a measly 8/120 off 50. After an early wicket in the chase, Horsfall (23) & Kua (37) steadied the ship to have the Tahs in control at 1/49, before a middle order wobble had the game back on an even keel. Punter (19) with an important contribution, before the calmness of skipper McLerie (19no) shone through alongside Handley for a 5 wicket Tahs win in the 47th over.
Women’s 2nd Grade:
Back home at Manly Oval for the first of three home games to finish the season, the Tahs were sent into bat first on a low, slow Manly Oval wicket. A wicket in the first over not the ideal start, but Kyme (39) & S.Hughes (26) patiently rebuilt the innings to give the Tahs the momentum in a 63 run stand. Kyme in particular playing the anchor role, before a hefty middle order collapse saw Sydney seize control. A crucial late contribution from Allen (20no) giving the Tahs something to bowl at with 134 on the board. With the ball, a run out to S.Ford early on was a great start, followed by a breakthrough to Allen not too much later. Important wickets too to Thornton & Pallister in economical spells as the Tahs put up a strong fight, but Sydney looked in control at 4/86 & later 5/108. But a never-say-die attitude prevailed, wickets to Searles, Ford, & two more to Allen, including the set batter, having Sydney 8/119. Sydney crept closer, but the Tahs executed with discipline under pressure, Allen with her 4th wicket, before a run out to Thornton sealed a memorable 5 run victory for the Tahs.
Brewer Shield:
After a couple of frustrating weeks, Brewers were eager to bounce back to form, back at home at Grahams. Asked to bowl first after losing the toss, the Tahs were superb early on with the new ball, as Crabbe broke through with the opening two wickets, before a fast, accurate spell from Brown picked up another two in quick succession. Campbelltown steadied momentarily, but the Tahs’ bowling group remained consistent & disciplined, as S.Punter came into the attack with immediate effect taking two wickets of her own. The onslaught continued with regular breakthroughs, Terrey & Bland with a wicket each, before T.Ford closed out the innings strongly with the final two wickets to see Campbelltown bowled out for 67. With a double bonus point in sight, the batting talent of Pearson (24no) & Terrey (29) shone through in a 51 run opening stand inside 7 overs, before Pearson & Davies saw the Tahs across the line, winning by 9 wickets in just the 9th over for a double bonus point win.
Men’s 1st Grade:
Tahs skipper Foster won the toss on an overcast morning at Manly Oval & elected to bowl, justifying his decision almost immediately with a jaffer to dismiss Randwick’s opener in the first over. A momentary fight back was then halted by big wickets each to Boulton & Lawson, before Dhillon settled in to continue his great form. Picking up the next three wickets in another outstanding spell. Evans & M.Kapoor chimed in with breakthroughs, the latter his first in 1st Grade to have Randwick 8/, before Randwick’s tail wagged considerably to frustrate the Tahs. A 9th wicket partnership worth 100+ making the Tahs toil, until Boulton finally broke through with the final two wickets, Randwick all out 299. With 8 overs remaining, the Tahs top order stumbled late in the day to be 4/41 at stumps, leaving work to be done next week.
Men’s 2nd Grade:
At the picturesque Coogee Oval, Tahs skipper Trewartha won the toss & elected to bat. The skipper (31) making a positive start himself in mini partnerships with Croft & Daly, both of which were broken just as they looked set. That was the catalyst for a big middle order wobble despite a counter-attacking start from Vumbaca, the Tahs in a spot of peril at 8/. But that’s where the entertainment began. First from Dunnachie (78no) who once again proved his all-round talent with some controlled aggression to move the scoreboard along, before Kerr (50) joined the party with some fantastic batting of his own. The two combining for a phenomenal 100 run stand that completely flipped the game on its head as both cruised to superb half centuries. The Tahs eventually all out for 236. Plenty of time remaining in the day, Osbourne struck early before Randwick consolidated with a decent partnership. But when the skipper broke through, the floodgates opened, wickets to Kerr & Vumbaca, but it was Osbourne that led the way with 4fa in an elite spell to have Randwick 7/95 at stumps.
Men’s 3rd Grade:
On a Grahams wicket with plenty of grass, the Tahs won the toss courtesy of skipper Wigney, electing to bowl. It wasn’t long before Walker continued his superb form with another two early breakthroughs, followed not too kong after by two more to the skipper to make it 4/27 Randwick momentarily fought back with a couple of mini partnerships, but important breakthroughs to Skinner & then again Walker had the visitors 6/91. Wickets either side of lunch to 3s debutant Seward, and then Walker for his 4th had Randwick 8/117, before a resolute 9th wicket partnership halted the Tahs. Seward finally breaking through to take the final two wickets & restrict the visitors to all out 187. Karlsson-Lacy & Melchiore then did an excellent job to navigate the remaining 13 overs at a tricky time, the Tahs 0/17 in reply at close of play.
Men’s 4th Grade:
Fielding first after losing the toss at Petersham Oval, the Tahs were on the back foot early as one of Randwick’s openers came flying out of the gates with an aggressive start. However, when Sunshine broke through & then Bishop-Perrett dismissed the set opener, the momentum had shifted quickly. Randwick looked to be steadying at 2/77, but Sunshine struck again before Overhoff chipped in with the first of two run outs. From there, it was a clinical performance from the bowling group, Bishop-Perrett taking the next three after lunch to finish with 4fa, while the returning Pryke built pressure & picked up two wickets himself. Another Overhoff run out seeing Randwick all out for 116. Unfortunately, the batting late in the day went far from plan as the top order collapsed under disciplined pressure & in tricky conditions. Pryke & Kershler not out at 7/61 with work to be done next week.
Men’s 5th Grade:
The Tahs were sent into bat first at Mike Pawley Oval, and under serious pressure early at 4/25 as Randwick’s attack made early inroads in favourable bowling conditions. However, H.Matheson (80) was holding steady with a gutsy innings amidst the chaos at the other end. A momentary rebuild alongside J.Brewster (20), before a terrific 84 run stand with Kelley (33) shifted the momentum significantly to have the game in the balance at 5/151. Unfortunately, another rapid collapse again swung the momentum back against the Tahs, including the dismissal of Matheson after a superb 164 ball knock on a tough day for batters. A late cameo from Jenkins (20) pushing the Tahs to 186 when the final wicket fell. Randwick’s openers batted strongly to end the day 0/36 in reply, but the Tahs still well & truly in the game with runs on the board.
Upcoming fixtures:
The fight for finals continues to heat up this weekend as the Men continue their two-day fixtures against Randwick with games in the balance. Meanwhile, W1s & W3s take on Sydney Uni & St George-Sutherland respectively, both away, while W2s & Brewers are up against Bankstown, the former hosting & the latter away.
Until then, up the Tahs!
