The final round game of the season saw the Tahs tussle with the Hawkesbury Hawks. Only 2nd grade was guaranteed a finals spot, with 1st, 3rd and 4th grade all a mathematical chance if other results went their way. Unfortunately, 1s and 3s missed out but the story of the weekend was 4s sneaking into 6th place on the ladder due to a 0.03 superior quotient compared to Penrith. 1st grade finished 7 points out of the top 6 on 46 points coming in at 9th on the ladder after going down to the Hawkes but 100 runs, the highlights were Michael Visser snaring 3fa and Jay Lenton scoring 60. 2nd grade finished 5th after going down to Hawkesbury, we were set 229 for victory but could only manage 152, Andrew Jamieson the stand out with the ball taking 3/29 and Tom Kaye finishing on 52*.
3rd grade were in search of a bonus point to have a chance of playing finals cricket but could only manage the 6 points after the bonus point was halted by a middle order collapse around the 25th over. 3rd grade chased down 193 in the 42nd over, Ryan Bishop-Perrett the star snaring 5/20 off 7.2 overs, Will Wolter the top scorer with 56. 4th grade had a dominant performance which earned them a top 6 finish. They chased down Hawkesbury’s score of 126 with the loss of 3 wickets inside 27 overs, Ben Falconer and Isaiah Vumbaca both picked up 3 poles, Adam Gummer led the charge with the bat with 56*. 5th grade got done after posting 9/237 from their alotted overs, Hakwesbury passed them 9 down in the last over, Mickey Edwards top scored with 55 and Nick Cohen with the best figures of 4/24.
A disappointing round for the Tahs only managing to capture 2 out of 5 results, but it is great to have 2 teams playing finals cricket this weekend, and unfortunate that the other 3 teams were all less than 10 points out of playing finals. 2nd grade will be up against UNSW while 4th grade will play minor premiers Sydney, both games will be away fixtures.
4 Pines Players of the Week – Ryan Bishop-Perrett 5/20
RBP! What a player! He captured a terrific 5/20 from 7.2 overs as 3rd grade tried to sneak a bonus point to have a chance of playing finals cricket. He did everything he could to try allow 3rd grade that bonus point but unfortunately it wasn’t to be. After a few quiet weeks following the Christmas break, RBP has found a great run of form, having snared 10 wickets in the last 4 games.
He is a devastating bowler who bowls the house down every training session and deserves every success that comes his way. Well done mate! Terrific Effort!
1st Grade – Manly-Warringah 10/161 (Lenton 60) def by Hawkesbury 8/261 (Visser 3/56)
Abeautiful morning embarked upon the Manly boys out to breakfast and for Crossy to pay for it all we thought we were in for a remarkable day ahead. Knowing bowling first and having some clarity of results around the grounds at the interval would be beneficial for a potential finals surge, it is exactly what we need.
Viss and Tay started nicely before Joey Graham had Gauci stumped early on. A peach of a delivery from Jakey Carden had McKay out early and the Hawks 2 for not many. Unfortunately, without luck the batting of Clarke and Lowe steered the boys from Bensons Lane to 260. Viss and Tay collecting some late wickets.
Lenton and J Xwaite opened the batting knowing the potential of a bonus point was required. A steady start 0/60 before James fell. Unfortunately, the next 9 wickets fell for 100 runs all out 161. The day was somewhat summed up with Farrell getting out to their wickey to end the fixture.
Unfortunately, another year without finals cricket however a big congrats to all those that played 1’s this year. To still be in the hunt coming into the last round with the setbacks we have had this season was a phenomenal effort. A true credit to the depth of the club.
Jay Lenton
2nd Grade – Manly-Warringah 10/152 (Kaye 52*) def by Hawkesbury 10/228 (Jamieson 3/29)
The mighty 2s unfortunately had a disappointing loss on the weekend as we venture into finals time. Losing the toss and bowling first on an absolute belter, the Hawkesbury top order were able to score freely, hitting the gaps and finding the boundary regularly. Matty White (1/48) struck in the first over, but apart from that we weren’t able to get on a roll in taking wickets regularly and performing a good squeeze. Unfortunately, there were multiple dropped catches during the innings, ultimately being our worst fielding performance of the year, but the positive was that we were able to convert 4 run outs (1 Rawlings, 1 White (off his own bowling), 2 Marshall). Andrew Jamieson was definitely the pick of the bowlers, picking up a well deserved 3/29 off 8 overs.
The run chase started off positively, with the openers going at a close to run a ball 35. Rawlings departed first for 26 and then we immediately lost D’Arcy, 2/37. This then turned into 6/68 as the middle order succumbed to some tight bowling and excellent fielding. The next hour was dominated by Manly, with Ollie and Tom coming together and providing a counter attack, sharing in a run a ball 70 run stand. Ollie was the aggressor, smashing 44 of 30 balls until he was bowled by the leg spinner. The tail didn’t offer much resistance, with Tom ending up 52* and their off spinner claiming 4 wickets.
Ultimately a disappointing performance but we have earned our place in the finals against the 2nd place UNSW next week at David Phillips Oval. Lets train hard this week and show why we are genuine contenders for the 2nd grade title. Go Manly!
Dylan Marshall
3rd Grade – Manly-Warringah 8/193 (Wolter 56) def Hawkesbury 10/192 (Bishop-Perrett 5/20)
Needing a miracle to make the finals 3rds started the day with a nice breakfast up at the Butcher’s café and ventured down to Graham’s to find a fairly flat, somewhat lifeless pitch that wouldn’t have many tricks. After winning the toss yet again (12 from 15 for the year) we normally would have had a bat but thought, given our need for a bonus point, we’d have a crack at them.
Wigney (2/31 from 10), unlucky to be dropped, bowled with good pace and movement early, maybe a bit too much early movement as he strayed a bit, but was a handful. Bishop Perret (5/20 from 7) got the early one via a drive into the covers safely taken by Crombie. Wiggers then cleaned up the no. 3 to have them 2/25 after 8.
Enter Hawks no. 4. A few across the line hacks (2, 2, 6) in his first 3 balls suggested things might get interesting. He straightened up his hitting and took everyone down who had a crack, the change of pace with Alexander (0/55 from 10) not working, Evans (0/15 from 3) quietly left the building as well as did McKenna (0/33 from 6) . He was in for just 8 overs but managed a well hit 55 including six 6s. The drinks break brought an immediate reward with RBP having a go down wind having him caught in the covers, again by Crombie to make it 3/90 from 16.
RBP bowled a terrific spell getting two more snicks to have them in trouble at 5/92 but then the slow opener and the experienced no. 7 started to rebuild things before Crombie (2/23 from 6) had the opener well caught in the gully by McKenna. Jimmy then bowled out the no. 8 before another one sided partnership took the score to 8/173 when Wiggers bowled a fast final spell including one or two accurate bumpers, one of them collecting glove for Webber to take an excellent catch. The no. 7 was fortunately run out for a well crafted 53 and the tail scrapped a few to make it all out in the 45th for 192, RBP finishing with a well deserved 5/20. RBP was often too good at 3rd grade level and with some luck and better catching throughout the season he would have finished with a lot more than 18 wickets.
Hearing NDs scored an imposing 262 v Campbelltown we knew we needed more than a miracle to make it. We gave it a go though, hoping to chase down 192 in 30 overs. Webber (40) and Wolter (56) started carefully and then opened up nicely.
Webber looked much better than at any previous time during the season in 3rds hitting the ball beautifully with good footwork and a range of shots. They were tracking nicely at 0/51 from 11 until Webber was bowled to make it 1/69 in the 14th.
Mckenna (10) hit a cracking straight drive but then threw away his wicket in a poor attempt at a run. Wolter and Virdi (22) looked promising and at 2/126 after 21 we were thereabouts until Ash was stumped and shortly after Daly (7) didn’t commit to his cover drive on a slow deck and was caught. Wolter was really getting into his stride but then was bowled by the same leggie. He was really starting to find the middle of the bat with 3 towering sixes but has as often been the way with Will this season, once he started middling a few balls he would play a rash shot.
At 5/145 we were hoping Ned (1) could recover his form from early in the season but not to be and when Evans entered the arena we needed a silly 44 from 3. Jimmy (6) was stumped and that put pay to our bonus point ambitions. At 7/149 though we did not want to give up the 6 points. The bowling was unthreatening therefore Evans (10) and Alexander (17no) steadily went about things. Evans played a lazy cut shot to the lucky spinner (gifting him a 5 wicket haul) and inside edged onto the stumps.
With RBP coming in and 17 still required we were still confident of a win. Sam batted very well, keeping the ball along the ground and RBP went over the top to finish the game off with a well made 9no. Finishing a game (and a fair way back on quotients, therefore we need 7 more points) out of the 6 was disappointing but about right I think. We had our chances to win more games and slightly better sides, or at least more in form sides, would have done so – in fact we would have finished well up the ladder with 2 more wins. We were in strong positions in at least 4 games we ended up losing. Hope we remember this next year. Well done to 2nds and to hear 4s got in on the back of two other games going their way on the last ball was unbelievable news. Well done Max and 4th grade.
Warren Evans
4th Grade – Manly-Warringah 3/129 (Gummer 56*) def Hawkesbury 10/126 (Falconer 3/17, Vumbaca 3/28)
We arrived to a sunny Benson’s Lane knowing that we needed to win with a bonus point to have even the slightest chances of playing finals cricket. Maxy lost the toss again on a fast outfield with what seemed to be a road resembling the pitch and we were asked to field.
Falcs and Brad opened up the attack with the two left armers creating all sorts of trouble early by consistently bowling line and length with Falcs managing to sneak one through the openers defence and take out leg stump, top bowling from the number 11 batsmen. We built consistent pressure with excellent field placements by skipper Burgess as Bain managed to draw a false shot and get the second wicket. The pressure continued with Jacob and Isaiah coming into the attack which began Hawkesbury’s crumble. Isaiah bowled superbly with flight and control to snag 3/28 off his 10 overs. Brad managed to grab a LBW off a full toss on leg stump and Falcs cleaned through the remaining batsmen to finish with figures of 3/17 off 7.1 overs and set us a target of 127 for victory.
Knowing we had to chase down the runs in 30 overs or less to get the bonus point, the boys were pretty confident strolling out knowing a run rate of just above 4 an over would get the job done. Gumms and Brewster opened up with Brewster playing some attacking strokes early which got us off to the start we needed however soon fell. Sam Hole came in and with Gumms rotated the strike with singles to keep us on track. However, Sammy soon fell and Zach came and left before Isaiah came in and took off where Sam left off and continued to put the pressure back on the bowlers. Gumms got expansive and played straight down the ground and through the covers to bring up his 50 and finished on 56* with Isaiah on 24* who played maturely and confidently to get the boys home in the 27th over.
Results went our way with both Sydney and Randy Petes winning off the last ball of their games which allowed us to sneak into the top 6 on quotient. A big week next weekend for the boys where we can cause some serious chaos and get the 4th grade boys further into finals cricket.
Alex Bain
5th Grade – Manly-Warringah 9/237 (M Edwards 55) def by Hawkesbury 9/238 (Cohen 4/24)
Fifth grade made the hike out to Hawkesbury on Saturday, needing a bonus point victory and other results to go our way to qualify for finals. With the pitch looking flat and outfield looking fast, Waddo won the toss and chose to bat.
It wasn’t the start we were hoping for when Wilbur’s off pole was sent cartwheeling in the second over, seeing him back in the sheds for 5. Wheeler followed shortly after for 7, which saw Cohen and Edwards combine. The two batted through a good spell of bowling before Cohen (23) was dismissed LBW. The partnership to follow was what set up our innings. Akhurst and Edwards combined for a 103 partnership before we lost both in quick succession. Only O’Sullivan (46*) provided the real big hitting at the end, getting us to a very defendable total of 237.
The Hawkesbury chase got off to a fast start, losing only 2 wickets in the first 30 overs to be in the box seat at 2-195. The bowlers toiled hard without luck and our hope was quickly fading to finish the season with a victory. Enter part-timers Cohen and Outred. The two bowled together in one of the finest partnership bowling spells I’ve witnessed, turning the tables on Hawkesbury and putting them under some real pressure. They finished with 4-24 and 3-45 respectively. It came down to the final over with Hawkesbury needing 4 runs to win and us needing one wicket. Unfortunately for the boys their number 11 rode his luck and hacked one over the infield to bring up the win.
Hawkesbury celebrated hard, but little did they know Mosman had won with a bonus point and prevented them from making finals.
Glyn Archer
