4’s had contributions throughout to make 249 with Javed Badyari and Joe Graham both making half-centuries. A sneaky late wicket made it Manly’s day with a big effort required next week out at Bensons Lane. Finally 5’s were knocked over for 141 with Joe Wood making a crucial 62, however in reply the Tahs have Hawkesbury 7/101 to leave the game in the balance leading into next week. Lets hope this strong start leads to points across the grades for the TravelSim Waratahs. Go Manly!
4 Pines P
layer of the Week – Mitch Pugh
layer of the Week – Mitch PughWith centuries to Crosthwaite and O’Keefe it was going to be tough for somebody outside of first grade to win this weeks 4 Pines Player of the Week, however Mitch Pugh stepped up in 2’s to make a majestic 122 and sneak the prize this week!
‘Pughy’ has bounced back to form in the best way possible by leading his side to a big total out at Bensons Lane. A classy stroke player, Mitch has continued to go from strength-to-strength over the last couple of seasons and after this display a call up to the top grade must be looming near. Well Done Pughy and well deserved!
“Pughy celebrating his brilliant century”
1st Grade – Manly 6/364 (A. Crosthwaite 125, S. O’Keefe 105*, A. Beadle 67) vs Hawkesbury
It’s late at night at the Steyne in Manly on day 1 of round 6 and this incredible Manly team are celebrating like its 1996.. In fact that’s because it is the amazing Manly team of around that era celebrating a reunion get together of the incredible likes of Brian Clemow, Dicky Fry, Forrester Lay, Pete Jacka, Andrew Kemmis, Fitzy.. Greats of the club that not only were fantastic players but wonderful human beings that helped shape the incredible culture of the club to what is is today and it was amazing to see the next generation youngsters of Hamish and Will, Mickey Edwards and AB to mix it with them, hear some old war stories and just in general have some laughs and celebrate a great day by the club all over and a real good one with the current first grade team playing Hawkesbury at Manly Oval.
Rewind 14 hours and our fearless leader in Timmy wins the toss on a dry but flat Treasure Chest wicket and elects to get on the front foot and have bat.
With the elegance and quality that Nic Bills showed last week in opening the batting, he was ready to get amongst it and reluctant to take the pads off once Shank had let the team know we were batting, but gracefully handed the role back to Cox and Merchant who got off to a reasonable start of 20 before Coxy and Merchant fell in consecutive balls to leave first grade at 2/20 on what seems to be a pitch that was a fraction slow.
Enter the class of Adam “Iv got brand new kookaburra gear just delivered” Crosthwaite and Ahilien “pretty tough to stop me” Beadle who showed nothing but determination, class, patience and an allround master class to every grade cricketer from 1st grade to 5th on how to bat when things aren’t the easiest, boundaries don’t regularly flow and the opposition is full of life to continue to attack and bowl well to take wickets.. This is where Manly and the character of these 2 first class players come to the party and change the perception that any Manly batting order can take the gas.. Not anymore I’m here to tell you!
Crossy blocked the absolute sponge out of the ball all day and AB continues his rich run of form but both were so clear within their plans that anything that came into their zones, magnificent stroke play was evident once more on a scorching summers day at Manly to take our side to 160 before AB departed for a well made 67.
That’s when the Hawks thought it was a job well done and their hard work for the day had been finished as a number 11 batsman walked to the crease at number 5.. Unfortunately it happen to be a Test number 11 in the name of Stevey O’Keefe who instead of receiving a guard of honour for becoming the Hawks first ever junior to play test cricket dished up bouncers after bouncers for his efforts.
Crossy down the other end still with so much class and discipline helped SOK through and continued to flourish as time went on with an array of magic sweeps of the spinners, signature drives down the ground off the quicks and classic pull shots to bring up his second hundred of the season and head around the top of the competitions leading run scoring board to help get a serious days total on the board. Crossy was dismissed for a terrific 125
Evidently still a job to do and this made our man SOKKY boy stand up and dig in to what was seen as a magnificent hundred for the day, his second for the club and first in a few years but the timing couldn’t have been any better for himself and the club to play the quicks off his nose and smother the turning spin and hit down the ground to bring up his 100 off 132 deliveries in the last over of the day and take Manly 1st grade to finish the day at 6/364 leaving the bowlers of Nickos and Micky to a nice tan and Billsy looking to sunscreen his feet to indulge in a nice glow for the week in the sandals.
Well done boys, amazing to watch as the efforts and work put in to compete the day will definitely not go underestimated. Half the job done and look forward to competing the other half next week as we look to take 10 wickets and secure 6 points to keep the manly roll on continuing!
Kind regards
Nappa
“Another Crosthwaite Century”
“SOK also amongst the runs”
2nd Grade – Manly 8/328 (M. Pugh 122, J. Walter 79, M. Visser 43*) vs Hawkesbury
2’s paid a visit to sunny Hawkesbury looking to get our season going. Rowan won the toss on a good cricket wicket and we were batting. The new opening partnership of Rowan (13) and Jarrod Rawlings (8) started well, putting on 21 before the skipper was caught behind. Shortly after, his opening partner followed him after being run out. 2-25. Ryan and Walts then came together to steady the ship and avoided losing a clump of wickets. Both boys grinded away while hitting the poor balls for four. Unfortunately, Faz (13) inside edged one onto his stumps as he was starting to get set and we were 3-49. We’d been in this situation a couple of times throughout the year however when Mitch joined Walts at the crease you could tell we weren’t going to make the same mistake.
For the next session and a bit, both of the boys played stunning innings and dominated the Hawkesbury bowlers. Pughy (122) and Jarrod (80) were near unstoppable and picked their ball for the entirety of the partnership. It was a great display and showed a renewed aggression that had been missing the last couple of weeks. The pair put on 147 before Walter was dismissed for a well made 80 but the damage had been done and our innings had been set up.
After losing his parter in crime, nothing could stop Mitch. While we lost a few wickets around him, he kept his composure and went on to made a classy and very well deserved hundred. Congrats Pughy… It was a super knock. It was then left to Viss to put the finishing touches on what was a great day for the Manly boys. Mickey absolutely moosed them adding 43* at almost a run a ball. He found great support in Dizzy (10*) and together they lifted our total to 8-328. The highlight of Viss’ innings was a clean bomb straight down the ground.
While the job is only half done, it was a great effort. Hats off the Pughy as well as Walts for standing up and putting us in a great position.
Go Manly
LG
3rd Grade – Manly 2/49 vs Hawkesbury 221 (S. Alexander 4/49, R. Davis 3/32, T. Kaye 2/30)
Tom Kaye (2/32 from 13) bowled with great control and nip off the wicket and good shape to get two wickets care of snicks and edges. He also had all bats in trouble and was bowled for an over too long as he got taken for 13 from his last over to somewhat spoil his figures. An excellent spell from this net bowler who is obviously keen to get more involved in the games. Spells like this and the great partnership he built with Sam will see more overs.
At tea we were back in it at 6/150, however good batting saw them progress towards 200 before Ron was brought back on and he went about his business very nicely bowling the two blokes out who looked threatening and also picking up a leading edge. To round a great comeback out Sam then had the last wicket well caught by Matt Cole at long on to make it all out for 221.
Cole (9) looked set but a mishit to cover saw him off and Gumms (15) also looking good but was given out caught behind despite missing it. Hole and Daly saw out the day looking comfortable and at 2/48 the game is there to be won.
Warren Evans
4th Grade – Manly 249 (J. Badyari 52, J. Graham 52, Z. Trewartha 44, R. Bishop-Perrett 31) vs Hawkesbury 1/3
Another glorious summer’s day out in the crisp, effervescent Benson’s lane. The boys were looking to continue the unbeaten start to the year. Opening the day with a light stroll and tranquil game of touch, the boys quickly took charge with a sharp, energetic display of a team with an unprecedented level of belief and hunger to win. Complemented by an unbeatable captain of the coin toss, Josh elected to have a bat. On a deck covered with grass, reminiscent of previous weeks, as some cracks just outside off for the right handers and inconsistent bounce meant a tough first session was ahead.
Billy D’arcy and Eddie Burgess opened up and negotiated the new ball without much trouble and with Billy’s booming cover drive, we started coasting. But just when we thought the deck had flattened out, several cracks began to appear and with a right arm, in-swinging bowler, Billy got arguably the ball of the season as it jagged back off a length and remaining low taking his middle stump and breathing some life into an otherwise lifeless Hawkesbury outfit. Joe Graham took Billy’s place and began aggressive, but with the ball still doing a bit, Eddie got a similar ball the D’arcy, nipping back off a length and cleaning up the stumps.
Joe and Javed Badyari took to the crease and put on a master-class of clever stroke play, aggression and power to steady the innings. Both reaching their half centuries, they looked set to make big scores. But with an eager Javed looking to steal a single, he was sent back and couldn’t quite make the ground required to save his innings and was run out for 52. Special mention to Javed, a clear standout in the club, for demonstrating to the developing talent in the club how to conduct yourself both on and off the pitch.
With the middle order having a semi-breakdown, the lower order again stepped up with some clean hitting from Zack Trewartha, clearing the rope with ease and showing his class. Supported well by Ryan Bishop-Perrett, who showed a willingness to do what was necessary to give us a challenging total.
Finishing the day with 4 overs to bowl, Josh Wigney was unlucky not to have a wicket as he bowled well and constantly questioned the batsman’s technique and with one ball left in the day, Zack wrapped one of the openers in front and was sent packing. Leaving the Manly boys 9 wickets to get next week to keep the momentum building in the lead up to Christmas.
Ed Burgess
5th Grade – Manly 141 (J. Wood 62) vs Hawkesbury 7/106 (B. Kittlety 4/47, W. Denny 2/22)
Waddo won the toss and elected to bat. The boys didn’t get off to a great start losing early wickets and being 4 down for not many. Up steps Joel Wood (60 odd) and Jack Pickering who brought us back to a more respectable total with the tail unfortunately not wagging as much as we’d have liked.
Ending up just above 140 well below par, the boys had just over 30 overs left in the day to do as much damage as possible. We got off to a bit of a shaky start with Hawkesbury going along nicely until we finally got a break through Will snicking off one of the openers.
Wickets started to fall regularly after that and some unlucky chances going down the boys have Hawkesbury at 7-102 at close of play.
BK
Second Grade turned up to Waverley ready to take on Easts. After losing the toss, we were in the field and looking for early wickets among other things (Nick was searching for a park, while Dyl Marshall was on the look out for an RTA to renew his car rego). Mickey Visser (1-30) and Nick (2-32) opened up and set the trend for the day. Both of the boys built pressure and bowled consistent maidens. Before their first spells were done, each had a much deserved wicket. 2-40. The skipper then turned to Luke (2-36) and Pughy (1-15) who continued the good work. LG picked up the third wicket before Dylan (2-45) came on and bowled a terrific spell which saw him claim 2 crucial wickets. We had Easts up against the ropes at 5/75. Faz (1-26) and Gainsy (0-3) also bowled extremely well on either side of the tea break.
It didn’t seem to matter who was bowling, the pressure was always on. East battled all day and never really managed to get their run rate over 1.5. I think the stat that sums up the day best is that we managed to bowl 32 maidens in the innings! A phenomenal effort on a flat deck. Although the 9th wicket managed to add just over 50 and put us slightly under pressure, it was all Manly on day 1. Easts 9/194 before an early declaration. Hats off to the bowling group for bouncing back after a disappointing game last week.
Jarrod and Gums then managed to survive a tough 9 over period without being troubled. The good guys are 0-10 and on the hunt for 6 points.
