Lower Grades show strength once again – Monday News RD8 vs Campbelltown

The final round before Christmas has seen the TravelSIM Manly Warringah Waratahs go away with 3 big wins in the 3 lower grades, an unfortunate loss in 2nd grade and a comprehensive loss in 1st grade. Our Brewer Shield girls also came up against a red hot Bankstown side and came away with a big loss.

With our Aus U19 players still away, 1st grade skipper Chris Green also away on BBL duties, and our 3 lower grade skippers either overseas or injured, it was a very different looking grades 1 to 5 on Saturday. Up against Campbelltown-Camden who have been big improvers this season, we were always expecting a tough encounter.

That proved to be the case in 1st grade with our batsmen again not quite firing once again despite a couple of starts. We got back into it with the ball but were not able to finish the Ghosts off, and they won comfortably.

2nd grade should have won with the opposition 9/115 chasing our 159, however got outdone by a 45 run last wicket partnership in what was a disappointing result.

However our lower grades all scored huge bonus point victories with big wins in 3s, 4s and 5s. Some good innings from many of our bats and great efforts with the ball made for a good day.

So the Tahs go into the Christmas break in 2nd place in the Club Champs, a good result but there is still a lot of improvement in us for the rest of the season.

 

Arshdeep Virdi has been in fantastic form with the bat over the last few weeks, and continued that form with a well made 75 in 3rd grade big win. Ash was formerly a fast bowler but his batting has come along in leaps and bounds over the last few years, and he is starting to show his real talent with the blade.

His 75 was the backbone of 3rd grades 9/245, combining with Jarrod Walter for a match winning partnership. Great to see him in such good form and slapping bowlers all around the park. We hope that Ash continues his great run with the bat post Christmas.

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he boys entered the glorious and iconic Raby Oval, blessed with the presence of 40+ degrees minimum.

With Cameron Merchant the appointed captain for Greeny, the boys were keen on a gritty win.

The Manly lads won the toss and got to work early with the stick. Unfortunately a poorly adjudged LBW to Lenton didn’t leave us in the right headspace early.

A gritty 40 from Adam Crosthwaite,  superbly supported by Adam’s shadow (James) the boys were looking in good stead. Unfortunately a string of outs including a run out to AB caused a lapse in run scoring and we found ourselves in strife.

All out for 178 the boys were excited with runs on the board.

Off to a great start the boys stuck to their plans and were heavily supported by the lads in the field.

Campbelltown at 1-60 we all still had the belief we could upset the home team. The bowlers all bowled out of their skin to bring the match down to the wire, Unfortunately Campbelltown got home and were too good. Disappointing loss for the lads with a lot of potential shown. Onto next week.

3 Points – Matt Alexander
2 Points – Jake Carden
1 Point – Cameron Merchant

Matt Alexander

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he Manly boys turned up to a beautiful Manly Oval to play Campbelltown Ghosts.

We had a good energetic warm up with a great game of touch unfortunately ruined by some poor refereeing by Will Harding.

It’s was a really good looking wicket so Jack won the toss and decided to have a bat.

We batted well at stages of our innings with standouts being Logan (63) and Tom Kaye (43). Unfortunately they were the only ones to put together a decent score which took us to 161.

We went out to bowl knowing we were defending a big score and needed wickets early. We bowled well at the start and they were batting well until Billy performed an awesome runout to get the first break through. The boys bowled well, lead by Tom Kaye ended up with a 4fa. Other than Tommy the wickets were shared.

It was the batting that let us down this week but it’s a great time for a break for the 2’s boys hopefully ready to bounce back for the season following Christmas.

Like usual a big thanks to Gordy for scoring and Steve Beatty for setting up for us before the day.

Up the Morty’s!!

3 Points – Tom Kaye
2 Points – Ryan Bishop-Perrett
1 Point – Logan Weston

Sam Gainsford

 

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he Main Grade arrived at Raby 2 looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat to Randy-Petes the previous week. Under clear skies and with some serious humidity to contend with, stand-in skipper Sam Hole called incorrectly and the Tahs were sent in to bat on a slightly moist Raby surface.

Hole (4) and Cohen (0) opened up and unfortunately fell early to leave the Waratahs precariously placed once again at 2/8. Enter Jarrod Walter (60) and Arshdeep VIrdi (75), who combined to put the Ghosts bowling attack to the sword with a fantastic counter-attacking partnership. The pair found the boundary with ease as they combined for 151 masterful runs to set the foundation for the Tahs competitive total of 9/245. Brewster (25), O’Sullivan (18), Graham (19) and White (10*) all played late cameo’s in the final 15 overs to push the side up to this impressive score.

With half the job done, and the side itching to minimise the time spent in the searing heat of the Raby sun, we went about our work in the field with extraordinary energy and determination. White (2/12 from 9) and Wilson (3/18 from 8) were outstanding with the new ball for us, and after Jacob ‘Yak’ Graham took a beautiful low catch at square leg for the 1^st wicket, the Tahs never looked in doubt. 5 early wickets between the opening pair effectively ended the contest with the score at 5/21 from 12 overs. Sam Alexander (3/24 from 10) came on and bowled with great control through the middle overs to further compound the Ghosts misery, with little meaningful resistance shown.

Some stubborn, if not aimless, lower order batting from the Ghosts dragged the contests out to the 41^st over, however after a Andrew Hicks run out and a Sam Hole left-arm top-spinning doosra leg-break LBW, Campbelltown were all out for 103. A fantastic all-round performance from the Main Grade, particularly after losing the toss and fighting back from the loss of a few early wickets.

A comprehensive win for Tahs means a massive 7 points, which ultimately keeps us in touch of the top 6 leading into the break and a genuine sniff of a finals place with some strong post-Christmas showings.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of the Waratahs Family!

3 Points – Arshdeep Virdi
2 Points – Jarrod Walter
1 Point – Brad Wilson

Sam Hole

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he mighty 4th grade team arrived at Grahams reserve looking to consolidate their position at the top of the ladder going into the Christmas break against the cellar dwellers Campbelltown.

After a very sweaty warm up, stand in skipper Trewartha won the toss & chose to have a bowl on what looked like a slightly green deck which should give our plethora of bowlers a bit of assistance. DMac & Archer started off well, hitting some good areas & inducing a number of plays and misses, picking up a wicket each with nicks behind the wicket.

Counsell (3/21) & Falconer (2/15) then picked up where they left off, bowling with great pace (Counsell) and accuracy (Falconer) to rip through the middle order to have them reeling at 7/60 odd. The tail tried to have a bit of a hack, but then Izzy & Bainy came on and cleaned them up for a paltry 97 runs. A very clinical display from all the bowlers backed up by some top notch fielding.

Wheeler & Mendel opened up our batting innings positively, looking to knock off the runs within 30 overs to claim the bonus point. After a flurry of early boundaries, the skipper brought himself on to bowl some coward darts & managed to bowl Brynn with one that kept low. Pickering then came to the crease & picked up a few boundaries to get the boys over the line in the 28th over, finishing 16* with Wheeler 53*

Another clinical display from the mighty 4th graders who head into 2018 at the top of the table looking to continue their winning ways right through to March.

3 Points – Michael Counsell
2 Points – Dom Wheeler
1 Point – Ben Falconer

Dom Wheeler

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n a very hot day at Raby number 3, the Tahs fielded a very young side to take on the Ghosts, including 3 debutants who were Ovenden, Jones and Seward.

We won the toss and decided to bowl first.

Opener Jack Hobson had an amazing start with 2 wickets in his first 3 overs. He combined with Ninness to have the Ghosts 5-11 early doors. Jack Brewster took a one handed screamer to assist in one of the wickets.

As the innings progressed the deck flattened out nicely and a couple of partnerships formed. Marshall and Davies bowled well to help keep the runs low during the middle overs. After 50 overs, Campbelltown reached 9-147.

As the day got hotter, we came out firing with the bat. A great opening partnership from Will Outred (45) and Oscar Lucius (49) of 83 runs put the Tahs in a perfect position to win the game, also to try and secure a bonus point.

We chased down the rest of the runs in the 29th over with Joel Davies finishing on 27 not out and a nice little cameo from Dylan Marshall.

Even though we had 3 debutants and some still new heads in the manly side, we got through the team song in style to cap a bonus point victory heading into the Christmas break.

3 points- Oscar Lucius
2 points- Jack Hobson
1 point- Jarrad Ninness

Jarrad Ninness

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hird home game in a row at Manly Oval, the U17 Brewers team were playing the very formidable Bankstown team, with a couple of girls coming back from first grade.  Manly won the toss and elected to field.

It was a hard day in the office for the girls.  Gemma and Amelia opened with some accurate, tight bowling.  The Bankstown batters took a couple of overs to settle in, but then started playing shots all round the park.   Sienna and Jasmin took over the bowling, but it was hard to restrain the Bankstown pair, who reached 0/43 after 10.   A couple of sharp chances were put down, one a very good caught and bowled effort that Sienna got her hand to but could not hang on to.  As the saying goes, catches win matches, and if the girls could hang on to the tight chances, this would make a big difference.   It was not until the 24th over, with Bankstown on 150, that the first wicket fell, Chloe getting a great caught and bowled off a slower ball.  Jasmine got the second wicket in the 37th over, with Mia taking the catch.  Bankstown would finish on 261 off 40, with their opener retiring on 100.

It was not Manly’s day with Nat (3), Robyn (5), Genevieve and Chloe all falling in the first 5 overs.  Hannah looked strong, but then hit one in the air to be caught for 5, Mia had some lusty hitting including a 4, before falling for 7, Sienna was timing the ball beautifully before falling for 13.  Kate got 4, Gemma not out 4, and Amelia broke her run of ducks to be out for 4 very gratefully taken runs.   The girls were all out for 51.

A resounding victory for Bankstown.  The Manly girls were disappointed, but were their usual enthusiastic and joyful selves after coming out of the dressing room and handing out their Kris Kringle’s.   While there is work to do, the coaches are confident that things are close to falling into place for the girls, and their hard work and effort is building a platform for the future.

Shane Guyot