Welcome back to the first Tah Talk with Jay Lenton for 2025. This edition Jay gives an insight into the heavy involvement of Manly boys in the BBL, the successful return of Gabby Dunnage, and where the Men stand as they begin after the new year break!
Thanks again to Underground Cricket for partnering with this article each and every week. Great to have Damon, Jason and the team on-board. For all your cricket equipment needs visit them at www.undergroundcricket.com
CRICKET’S ALIVE AND WELL
So Test cricket’s dying, is it?
You could have fooled me after what we’ve witnessed over the past few weeks.
The Border-Gavaskar series was up there with the best cricket we’ve ever seen on these shores, with record crowds and television audiences hanging on every ball.
You couldn’t take your eye off the action for a minute.
Everywhere you went, people wanted to talk cricket.
Cricket – if ever there was any doubt – is Australia’s true national sport and Pat Cummins’ team has given us all a tremendous lift and a great sense of pride.
And I think that’s created a real buzz through all forms and levels of the game.
The Manly boys returned to training this week after the Christmas-New Year break and there was a noticeable spring in everyone’s step off the back of the Test series.
I’m part of a big contingent of current and former Manly players – along with back-up staff – involved in the Big Bash League and the excitement and the interest in the game right around Australia is palpable.
On the playing front, we’ve got Jack Edwards, Jackson Bird and Joel Davies at the Sixers while Ollie Davies and Ryan Hadley are in the green of Sydney Thunder.
Off the field, I’m part of the Sixers coaching staff and Manly first grade manager David “Loz” Gardiner looks after the change rooms on game day at the SCG.
Former Manly all-rounder and coach Shawn Bradstreet is an assistant coach at Thunder and the best photographer in the business – Ian Bird – takes snaps for both teams.
As I write this, the BBL is at a very interesting stage of the season.
The two Sydney teams and the Hurricanes are fighting it out at the top of the table.
What odds a Sixers v Thunder BBL final on January 27?
I know one thing: half of Manly will be there to watch it if it comes off.
WELCOME BACK GABBY
Gabby Dunnage spent seven years away from the game before the cricket bug began to bite late last season.
She joined Manly after four rounds last season and instantly fell back in love with the game.
Gabby really missed being around a competitive team environment and we loved having her around.
Asked to take control of our young second grade side this season, the English-born top order bat has led from the front.
The girls have won eight from eleven to sit second on the table at the halfway point of the season and will give the premiership a genuine shake.
As mentioned, this is a young side with an average age of just 18.
But they have talent by the bucket load.
Three players are currently representing NSW at the National Championships – Arabella Handley, Kayan Punter and Annabelle Croll – and others having played more than three seasons of grade cricket despite their tender years.
After an inconsistent start to the season, it’s all starting to come together for this Manly side, winning 8 in a row.
“Our bowling was inconsistent and we were struggling to building partnerships whilst batting,” Gabby told Tah Talk.
“I think the biggest lesson we took as a team from those first games was the need to be resilient, even when things were tough in the field we need to keep stepping up and keep trying.”
Gabby credits coaches Mechelle Hare and Bill McLerie for nurturing the players and helping turn things around and can’t wait to get back into things after the festive season break.
The skipper is confident her team can go all the way and bring home a premiership before she heads back to the Caribbean (nice work if you can get it!) in the off-season.
From what I’ve seen and heard, a title is certainly not out of reach for this talented team of cricketers.
BACK TO BUSINESS
As mentioned above, our men’s teams return to business on Saturday after a couple of weeks off.
And it will be a case of needing to hit the ground running as we look to lock in finals places.
We are second in fifths, fourth in fours, third in thirds, second in seconds and 15th in first grade.
The second half of the season will feature just five rounds but they are all two-day fixtures.
That format suits us down to the ground
Our women’s teams resume the following weekend.
Let’s rip in, Tahs!
