Teams eye out finals spots in a mixed weekend – Weekend Wrap 25/26 January 2020

With the finals soon upon us, wins were needed to secure a finals spot. There were 6 teams playing across the weekend, with only one women’s team playing, and we ended up with 3 wins and 3 losses. 1’s had a tough game that ended in a disappointing result with luck not on our side. 2’s lost by 6 wickets to a strong Western Suburbs side and were missing some key partnerships. 3’s and 4’s both had great wins with Josh Wigney and Ned Hole doing the job for 3’s and a share of good performances in 3’s. Our young 5’s team didn’t have the performances with bat or ball needed for a victory. The under 15 girls have started their season strong. They are currently 2 from 2, getting brilliantly led by Mia Nel, who ended up 41* off 21 balls and was back up by an all round bowling performance. Wins are getting more crucial as finals as getting closer and some big performances are needed in the coming weeks. 

Go Manly!

This weeks 4 Pines Player of the week is Josh Wigney. Josh bowled a fantastic spell of 4/54 off 10 overs to lead 3s to an important victory. The win has positioned 3s in 2nd position. Josh had a game changing spell and his pace and bounce was no match for the Western Suburbs batters. He also notched up his 150 club wickets during this game, a great achievement for Josh. Keep up the great bowling in the back end of the season!

A tough toss to lose on what would prove to be one of the best batting wickets seen at manly oval (at least for one team). 

Western suburbs lost a wicket early to Edwards, but the fun was short lived as the next batter and his partner piled on a 240 run partnership for the next wicket. Two more wickets were taken in the day, taking West’s to 4/397. 

West’s declared overnight, making it our turn to bat on the wicket that was so eager to produce runs. It was not to be. West’s opening bowler took 7-44, including a hat trick, and we were bowled out for 134. The only resistance provided by Logan with 52. 

West’s set us back in and it was more of the same. The opening bowler took 3 more, giving him ten for the match, and we shook hands not long after tea on 5-133, with Merchant on 39 and Gainsford on 33. 

A very disappointing performance by us. On to next round. 

3 – Logan 

2 – Mickey

1 – Jack 

Fielding – viss

Mickey 

1. Wrong turns and right calls

It is actually a miracle we all made it to the ground on Saturday. The bickering was strong in the sheds before the warm up with navigators and drivers shifting blame across the board. Regardless, we warmed up, Will beat us in throwing and Jamo won a toss. 2/11. Not bad!

2. Elliot Herd and the willow wonder

We batted and our innings did not start how we intended with a wicket 2nd ball. Herdy powered on and was striking ball well. Drinks brought about his downfall holing out on the cow corner boundary. There are whispers that Elliot wasn’t happy with how his bat was pinging in the warm up and he commandeered fellow top 6 batsman Griffin Lea’s favorite stick. Rare but it paid dividends for a period. The rest of our innings did not make for good viewing with poor shots being the flavour of the day. Jake Carden showed some late resistance. Other than that it was a meagre effort with the stick to be reduced to 159.

3. Bowling balls

Lunch transpired with decent chicken burgers all round. We then grabbed the leather and took to the field. A couple of early ones had the tahs sniffing. Unfortunately two experienced Wests batters put together an 80 run stand showing control and measure which is what our batting has lacked in recent times. Then out of nowhere BAM. Their 150 game first grader tries a scoop shot off Elliot Herd and gets bowled over his shoulder! Let the record show Elliot bowled very well. 3 for 100, game still on. The bowlers toiled, all were economical. Unfortunately, as it always goes in these losses, we dropped a few late chances which might have changed the game. Alas we were outclassed by a more experience batting unit. Hopefully some lessons learnt. Wests 4/160

4. Silly suit

El Herd has featured strongly throughout this report. His antics throughout the day also earnt him the weeks silly suit. Not great for his morale particularly as he kissed his Australia Day goodbye with backing up on the Sunday for 1s. Fun day all round but a dangerous loss for our season.

3 – Beatty

2 – Herd

1 – Lea

Fielding – Virdi

Taylor Patrick

Unbeaten for nearly 2 and a half years at Fortress Grahams. The lads strolled in with a bundle of confidence and eager to see who would take the dub in another intense game of touch. Once again, the White-collars were no match for the Blue-collars. We do not like to point fingers at this great club, however Nick McLaughlin is the weak link.

As predicted we lost the toss and were bowling first on a Grahams Highway.

Both Wigney and Seward bowled good lengths to start with but were unaware of the cowboy they were in fact playing against. This great man hit 32 off 12 balls and then departed to a Nick McLaughlin laugh. The 2 opening bowlers getting valuable early wickets and after 6 overs the score was 3-50. Weird.

Bain and Counsell continued and bowled quality lengths on a flat wicket. Bain especially not giving the batsmen anything to hit, not even in his first over! Nick McLaughlin did his usual thing, cowardly bowling that tends to get dot ball. He also bowled the tough overs at their no.8 and no.9.

Wigney finished the innings off as the pick of the bowlers claiming 4 wickets in total.

Set 161 to win Ned and Zach went out with confidence. They put on nearly 60 for the first wicket before Zach departed for a well-made 22. Tom Kaye came in and was looking as pretty as ever. 3 glorious cover drives to start his innings. Having been 1-100 most teams would put the foot on the throat and end the game quick. Not 3^rd grade. Tom was caught for 23, 2 balls later Ned was LBW for an important 51, and next ball Sam Whole bowled. 4-100. However, Nick McLaughlin and Joel steadied the ship and got us home. Joel finishing with a classy 41* and Nick with a dashing 17*.

Another important win for 3s as they place themselves in 2^nd spot. Great momentum leading into the last few rounds!

Chicken Shack – Ned Hole. Not Josh Wigney.

3 Josh Wigney

2 Ned Hole

1 Bain

Fielding Point – Josh Wigney

Ned Hole

The Mighty 4th Grade turned Up to Blick Oval on Saturday looking to build on the momentum Created After the Christmas Break. Although not a ball was bowled last week a good run chase 2 rounds ago was enough to firm Some belief in our batting lineup. 

An Uncut outfield, Slow deck and what felt like 100% Humidity Goes hand in hand for one of the all time great days of cricket. Gumms Lost the toss and they elected to bat. Not a bad toss to loose considering neither team were sure as too how the wicket was going to play. 

Jack Hobson started proceedings with perfection sending the stumps cartwheeling in the first over. Jack and Lachie Kerr Found there was abit in the deck but that didn’t stop the west’s opener from going Pongo for a quick fire 50 before Jakey Osborne got him with one that clipped the off bail. 

At 2-72 after 13 Over the Game was back in the balance. Superb bowling from Prowsey with his ever faithful Seamers and Lachie Trewartha from the other end Tied west’s right up and in doing so created chances. One being a ripping catch from Gummer behind the stumps off LT. Score 5-89. Aidan Snagged a wicket bowling Gas but couldn’t manage to find the edge with almost half his spell beating the bat. 

Billy Lindsay entered the attack at the 30 over mark and bagged his first wicket for the Club in 8 years. He should of had 3 as West’s moved to 7-133 but a few Dropped chances off his bowling and a Late floury from one tail end batsmen saw west’s Scrape to 191 off 46 overs. Credit to Hobbo and LT both Bagging 3 Rest of the Wickets shared. 

191 to Win on a slow outfield Seemed only just under Par. Gumms message was to take it deep and go 3’s to start off then lift. Slothy and Jake Osborne got us off to a near perfect start with Nick falling just short of drinks. 1-45 led to 3-100 Jake Osborne showing his class with a patient yet blistering Knock of 57. Alec duly put the foot down and belted his was to 38. The lads combined for 5 massive Sixes. With 60 to win Billy, Charlsey , Kerr and Gumms all chipped in to get the boys over the line in the 47th . A great team effort and a much needed win for the lads to try and cement a spot in the top 6.

3- Jake Osborne

2- Jack Hobson

1- Lachie Trewartha

Fielding point- Gummer

Lachie Kerr

The boys arrived early for the game to be the best prepared for the game against Wests. A strong warm up was followed by a toss in which the Wests captain walked out with a blazer on. The Wests captain won the toss and was so puzzled by the pitch that he asked Rochford what he would like to do. Manly were sent into bat with debutant Hayden and Johno opening. An early breakthrough had Manly 1-0 after three balls. Hayden looked strong until a terrible mix up ended his first innings in grade. Oscar failed to get bat on a full and straight delivery and fell for 19. Jack Melchiore used a more attacking approach but fell for a well made 42 after hitting a very nippy bowler over square leg for 6. Rochford was his usual self with a quickfire 20. But the middle and lower order crumbled to have us 9-143. Toby Laughton and Andrew Boulton only 14 and 13 put on a show. Rochford told the boys and runs from here was a bonus and it sure helped. Andrew hitting 36* and Toby 13* to get Manly to a competitive 9-196 off our 50 overs.

The Boys came out after the break optimistic that it was our game to win or lose. The run rate was slow and after 12 overs we had restricted them to 0-22. However, the elusive wicket didn’t come till a mix up in the 1-34 after 16 overs. A more aggressive batsman came in at three and immediately upped the tempo. The boys started to lose control of the game as boundaries flowed and chances were dropped. Ollie Melville picked up the second wicket with the score on 89 after 25 overs. The rain proved to be a turning point in the game as the ball turned into a “bar of soap” and many extras and wild deliveries followed. To show the extent of the momentum changing Manly conceded 2-144 between overs 12 and 35. A late fight back with a couple of wickets couldn’t change the end result but the boys fought hard make the last 30 runs hard to get.

3- Andrew Boulton

2- Jack Melchiore

1- Toby Laughton

Ky Broome

It was a humid but clear Australia Day at Grahams Reserve.  Manly won the toss and chose to bowl after inspecting the pitch and seeing the wet outfield.

Gordon were sent in and their openers managed to put on 81 runs.  Casper’s then retired on 30 runs off 38 balls, creating an opening for Manly.  Mia Nel (1/9) bowled at medium pace at the bowler’s toes and claimed the first wicket as the batter nicked off and was caught by Stephanie Hughes behind the stumps – Gordon now 1-81. 

Next wicket was taken with a great run out by Jazzy James and Sophia Chick who dismissed Gordon’s second opener.  Gordon’s second wicket fell in the 16th over – now 2-81.

Eliza Henry (2/13) got the ball to the pads twice with the umpire raising his finger in the air for LBW’s on both occasions and Gordon were now 4-113.

Another Gordon batter retired on 33 runs.  Then Lauren Muriti (2/20)  came in to bowl and in her second over clean bowled the batter hitting the middle stump.  Another wicket gone! 5-143. Another fantastic ball by Lauren had the batter clipping it to square leg enabling Eliza Henry to get her hands under the ball and take a brilliant catch.  Gordon are now 6-145.

To everyone’s surprise and out of the blue, a streaker wearing only an Australian Flag round his neck appeared running across the field to the keepers end, attempting a run out with an egg (he missed) and then dashed off again with many of the Dads chasing him away.  Unfortunately for the streaker he dropped his wallet……  Distraction over, it was time to refocus on the game at hand.

Maya Nicey (1-14) in the last over of the innings took a wicket with a great bowl.  Gordon finished on a solid 7 for 166 off their 35 overs.

Special mentions to Steph Hughes who bowled 2 overs 0-4, Jazzy James 3 overs 0-8,  Emily Horstead 2 overs 0-7 and Annabel Fegan 3 overs 0-8.

Manly were set 167 for a win, and bonus points after that.

Openers Maya Nicey and Ashleigh Karcher made a good partnership of 39 runs getting Manly off to a great start.  When Ashleigh fell on 19 Mia Nel kept the momentum of the innings moving and retired on 32 runs off only 18 balls faced.

Caitlin du Preez had a good knock of 20, but when Caitlin fell and Eliza followed 4 runs later for a well-made 23 we lost some momentum. Another wicket followed having Manly at 7 for 155 and still 12 runs from the win.  Emily with support from firstly Sophia and then Annabel got us past the Gordon total and beyond. 

With two overs remaining Mia came back in to join Emily.  The girls pushed hard for each run and extended our total to 40 beyond Gordon (9 for 207), securing 0.4 extra points.  Emily Horstead finished on 30 not out from 33 balls and Mia with an outstanding 41 not out from 24 balls. 

Two wins from two games – a great start to the competition has the Manly U15’s on top of the table.

Note the 321 is not continuing for U15s.

Mia Nel