Monday News – Rd 10 v Western Suburbs – One Dayer

Manly were up against the lowly Wests and we were looking to make some progress up the grades but with just 2 wins we didn’t get too far, holding 13th spot on the CC table. 1st grade had a convincing win, 2nds were outplayed, 3rds got up, 4ths again not quite good enough and 5ths being as enigmatic as ever losing. 

4 Pines Brewery Player of the Week –    Nick McLachlan

Nick is the player of the week for his outstanding 6/48 off 24 overs. He bowled with pace, swing and control to rattle Wests top order and knock over 6 of the top 8 batsman. LBWs, caught behinds and catches in the slips were the main modes of dismissal which is a sure sign of great bowling. It doesn’t feel that long ago Nick was running around in 3rds. His great training ethic, body awareness (for all to enjoy) and ability means he will cement his spot in 1sts and like those quicks before him ( Birdy, Cleary, Munting, Boss et al) he will soon get into the frame for higher honours. 

 

1st Grade – Manly 197 (T Cruickshank 58, A Beadle 54, C Merchant 31) & 5/152 (ABeadle 64, A Crosthwaite 48) beat Wests 110 ( N McLachlan 6/48, B Martin 3/51) & 1/67

First grade kept their title hopes alive with a solid win against the last placed Western Suburbs outfit over the weekend. After winning the toss and batting, we made it to lunch only 1 down with Crossy and Shank (54) laying a solid platform. With more contributions coming from Merchant (31)and Beadle (58) in the middle order, we ended with 197. On a large field with a slow outfield this total actually was far more competitive than it seems.

We started well with the ball taking a few early wickets, and at the end of day 1 we had the Magpies 4-40. Our opening bowlers Martin and McLachlan continued their great work on Sunday morning, as Wests were rolled for 110. Nicko’s was the star taking 6-48 in a superb spell of controlled swing bowling. Marto provided great support taking 3-51 whilst consistently threatening the batsmen. AB chimed in with 1 wicket to finish things off.

It was then our turn to bat again, with the goal being to post around 150 in 30 overs then have a late crack at Wests. At 3-20 we were looking a little shaky, however excellent innings from Crossy (48) and AB (64) again ensured we reached out goal and set Wests 240 off around 35 overs.

Unfortunately things didn’t go exactly to plan with Wests getting away to a bit of a flyer. Things became more difficult as the drizzle set in, and in the 9^th over play was abandoned as the bowlers consistently lost their footing at the crease.

This was a good solid win for the Manly boys, thoroughly outplaying Wests. We will have to improve however in the weeks ahead if we are to match it with the higher ranked teams.

Jack

2nd Grade – Manly 146 ( L Weston 36, G Marks 34, T Kaye 27) lost to Wests 3/147 

Another Gorgeous day at Manly saw the Tahs elect to bat on what turned out to offer some splendid seam action for the quicks. Having lost our in form weapon Mitchell ‘smelly’ Pugh in a controversial runout we were looking nervous. This was soon followed by the dismissal of the two Manly legends, Beaver and skipper Flat who both fell to beautiful jagging rocks. With 3/16 Manly were looking out of sorts and the situation did not get any better with the valiant efforts of BADyari facing out 44 balls for a well made duck hahah! Fortunately young gun Tommy Kaye guided the Manly ship from the deep hole we were headed scoring a well earnt 30 comprised of some frothworthy drives to all sectors of the ground. From this platform a much needed 60 run partnership from the talented Logan Weston and the diseasedGregory Marks was established with each batsman contributing 30odd to amass a very defendable total of 146.

(* Logan crashing one thru the covers)

In the field some good batting from the Magpies saw an early shift in the momentum against us which unfortunately carried throughout the innings. Eventually we were passed 4 down after 30 overs despite some hard fought efforts from our bowlers. Special mention must go to our upcoming superstar Sammy G who bowled out of his skin on debut snaring a vital wicket and proving to all just what he is capable of. Exciting times await . Also props to Logs who has been in terrific form with the bat and is settled back in the Manly home he belongs. Also a mention to Marksy who was incredibly ill for a great batting effort and for the many squats behind the stumps.

To be honest the loss was very uncharacteristic of the 2nds team as we have shown to be a formidable force. Cricket is a strange game….

Go Manly yew

Javed Badyari


3rd Grade – Manly 6/159 (C Little 60no, J Daly 35) beat Wests 158 (A Virdi 3/29, S Alexander 2/12, B Wilson 2/23, C Little 2/39)

The Main Grade rocked up to the Blick Oval after a loss before Christmas and looked to change things around after a good break. Winning the toss on a green top and decided to bowl.

We knew there was going to be something in the pitch for the bowlers if we bowled with consistency and stayed patient, so we did. With Davis and Virdi starting us off to a good start picking up a couple of crucial wickets. Davis (0-25 off 10overs) was unlucky picking a wicket when a couple of chances went down but because of his consistency and couple of maidens Virdi (3-29 off 9overs) picked up 2 wickets in his first spell. Then Little and Wilson came in to the attack hitting their lines and both showed hitting a line consistently brings wickets both picked up 2 wickets each, with Little (2-38 off 10overs) and Wilson (2-23 off 10overs). Little again showing us the standards of the fielding with catching a ripper full stretched one handed dive to the left of first slip. One of the best catches ever witnessed. Graham (1-27 off 8overs) came late in the attack and bowled his changeups and picked up a wicket. Then Alexander bowled his quick 2 over spell and picked up 2-14 until his bowling was disturbed by his previous back or as he calls it “My Spine” injuries. Western Suburbs all out for 158 off 48.4overs.

Knowing there was always going to be something in the pitch for the bowlers, their opening bowler started his spell and the match with a couple of Steve Harmison wides and bowling a Jaffer first delivery to Rawlings getting his glove on the way through. Webber (4), Burgess (11) and Stewart (10) got a start but got tempted by the bowlers and played silly shots. Little Joins in Daly on 4-50 and faces a Jaffer first ball. That’s all I’m going to say. With both putting a crucial partnership of 68 runs. Daly (35) played a wrong line on a full length delivery. Graham (2) departing few overs later. Virdi joins in with Little needing 28runs and 3 wickets in hand got us all the way to the end with Little (60) and Virdi (10).

A great Performance by the team and start to the season after the Christmas break.

Go Manly

Virdi

4th Grade – Manly 8/192 ( L Tully44, T Sky 39, S Hole 25) lost to Wests 6/193 L Grant 3/38, B Falconer 2/43) 

Graham’s was as well grassed as I have ever seen it. Hard and flat but with a heap of green stuff. Wests sent us in and we got off to a solid start with Sky and Farrel. Ryan was not in complete control of his innings but he battled hard before losing his off bail for 16. Hole joined Sky and then went about their work very nicely before Sky (39) was dismissed and the in form Tully comes out. The boys battled hard for their runs, not always dismissing the bad ball but also not getting out and giving us some wickets in hand for later. Hole batted well for a quart. Skipper Grant deservedly promotes himself to 5 and he also bats well in his usual busy style getting 20 odd before going the tonk. Tully is again dismissed in the 40s, this time to a great catch. There was probably 5-7 overs left at this stage and I reckon this saved Wests 20 odd runs. Our lower order of Boyer, Evans, Jonkers & Falconer all had a dip in the last few overs but not too much to write about. Matt Cole (17no) played well in the last few overs and assured us a competitive total.

Grant got us off to a good start with a tickle to 1st slip. A bit of pressure was let off with some short & wide balls to their #3 who enjoyed crashing them for four and get his confidence up. Falconer came on 1st change and worked hard into the fresh breeze and got the #3 to make it 2/60odd. The other opener enjoyed a straight forward droppsy and went on to hold their innings together with a well made 60odd before Grant got him. In the same over he also got rid of their #4 who batted well for 40 odd. By this stage the game was gone though. Evans chipped in with a late wicket and Falconer got another one but it wasn’t enough to make it interesting with Wests grinding out the win with 12 balls to go.

 This game was definitely lost in the field. So, so many balls that good fieldsmen would stop were missed. Harbour bridges, fumbles, not attacking when in the ring with the batsman clearly looking for quick singles etc were ever present and quite contagious. You can’t expect to stop them all but we must stop a few at least and show more energy in the ring. The result went as expected when looking at table positions, but once again, like the St George game, we lost to a team who were not clearly better than us at bowling or batting. Just our sloppy efforts in the field was the difference. 

Wazza

5th Grade – Manly 181 (Jo Grahan 44, B Wickham 43) lost to Wests 4/182 (Z Trewartha 2/35)

With temparatures expected to soar into the thousands, 5th grade loaded up the ice-cream truck and headed to Punchbowl Oval.
 
Greeted by a hard well grassed surface, and fast outfield, we won the toss and batted.

Openers Benny Wickham (43) and Jo Graham (44) tore into the Wests bowlers with sheer delight, racking up a run a ball opening stand of 85.

After a brief flurry from Trickey, and with the temperature not reaching the expected heights, we should have built on this a bit better. Dollars began headbutting the grandstand in frustration as wickets tumbled, eventually seeing us all out for 182…50 runs short. 

Zach Trewartha nicked off the opener again, and with Sac Glassock bowling a fiery spell, we had some opportunities. However Wests reached 1-100, before Andy “The Big” Mahn took a screamer at cover of James “Jimmy Mac” McClintock, and then took a wicket next over to give us a sniff. Zach took another wicket with his leggies, well stumped by Benny, but it was not to be, West passing us 5 down.

At least it wasn’t a thousand degrees.

Ross