Welcome to another edition of the Weekend Wrap, proudly brought to you by our friends at New Balance | Belgravia Apparel. Visit them at www.belgraviaapparel.com for all your community club and business apparel needs.
Some standout individual performances to go with some frustrating defeats on another mixed weekend for the Tahs that was riddled by player unavailability and plenty of new look teams.
Men’s 1st Grade:
At the picturesque Coogee Oval, Tahs skipper Foster won the toss & elected to bowl. But Randwick made an exceptional start to their innings with a couple of big partnerships to start, separated only by a brilliant direct hit run out from the skipper. Randwick 1/172 after lunch and well on top, before the skipper again took matters into his own hands with a superb spell to pick up three quick wickets and have the game back on an even keel at 4/183. But again the home side responded with aplomb a mammoth partnership built, an injury to one of our frontline quicks not helping the cause. A 167 run stand finally broken by the skipper once more, before Evans picked up two wickets late as Randwick went to stumps 7/353.
Day 2 saw Randwick declare overnight as the Tahs made a hot start to the run chase with Brewster (32) & skipper Foster (51) took the attack straight back to the home side in a 72 run opening stand, the latter with some particularly dismissive hitting on his way to a half century. Hole (63) & Boulton (58) combined well for a 95 run 3rd wicket partnership as both crafted patient half centuries, setting a good platform for the Tahs to lift the tempo after tea looking for victory. Unfortunately a steady flow of wickets after tea halted the charge & meant the Tahs sought a draw, as Kapoor (23), Dhillon (24no) & Evans did well to withstand a spirited new ball spell, the Tahs 8/303 when the match ended in a draw.
Men’s 2nd Grade:
Finally on a new wicket at Manly Oval, Tahs skipper Daly won the toss & elected to bat first. An early wicket momentarily recovered as Melchiore (25) & Croft (19) made steady starts to their innings on a wicket that was proving to be very two-paced. The Tahs however struggled to really gain early ascendancy, until Kaye (33) & Daly (36) built a 60 run partnership that gave the Tahs a little platform to try to launch in the last 10 overs. A crucial innings from Cooper (35no) & a few boundaries from Pryke (15) late to propel the Tahs to a below par but defendable score of 9/200 from 50. Randwick began relatively well in reply before Lawson struck twice in reasonably quick succession. The Tahs then really tightening the screws as a superb 10 over spell from Seward who took 2fa, while Pryke struck too, and Lawson twice more to have the Tahs in control, Randwick 7/109. Kershler then chimed in to make it 8/132 as the Tahs looked in sight of victory, but what followed was just remarkable. A simply unbelievable innings from Randwick’s #8 who launched 10 sixes on his way to an unbeaten 103 from 65 balls. A couple of close chances just missed as Randwick ran away 2 wicket winners in the 44th over.
Men’s 3rd Grade:
A trip out to the beautiful Petersham Oval saw the Tahs sent into bat first, as a wicket first ball of the game was a far from ideal start. But the in form pair of Cumming (72) & Gatehouse (29) consolidated well in a 63 run stand. The momentum continued as Hutchings (26) began positively, while Cumming brought up an exceptional half century to form the backbone of the innings. Several contributions through the middle order, as Herd (19), skipper Dinan (37), Dunlop (24) all helped keep the scoreboard ticking along nicely, however, a steady flow of wickets late meant the Tahs were prevented slightly from turning it into a 300+ total. All out for 269 in the 48th over. In reply, Randwick came out swinging & rode their luck early to be 49 without loss, before the returning Walker broke through. But another strong partnership built as Randwick’s top order put in the hard yards to be in a decent position to launch at 1/149. That’s where the Tahs really turned the game as a few tight overs through the middle swung the momentum. Cumming with the much needed breakthrough, before it was again Walker who ran rampant in a superb spell with the game in the balance. Four wickets in quick succession to finish with 5fa in a match winning spell. Cumming & Skinner closing out the innings as the Tahs recorded a hard fought 36 run win.
Men’s 4th Grade:
M4s were back at Grahams as Randwick won the toss & elected to bat first, making a strong start to their innings to be 55 without loss. But a quick flurry of wickets courtesy of a fast spell of bowling from Counsell saw him pick up three in quick succession, before Nasser broke through too. Randwick fought back with a solid 5th wicket partnership that was broken at 110 by young Matheson. Before another decent couple of partnerships were again halted as Counsell picked up his 4th & 5th. Randwick however continued to chip away towards a strong total, but the Tahs closed out well as Buchanan & Graham took the final wickets, Randwick all out 234. The chase began positively as Coyte (16) & Matheson (41) batted with terrific intent early to get the Tahs off to a strong start with a 43 run stand. A couple of quick wickets however meant a partnership was required, as stand in skipper Nasser (54) stepped up with a counter attacking half century at better than a run a ball. A steady flow of wickets through the middle had the game constantly ebbing & flowing, as B.Moran (20) chipped in, before Rulli (43) really dragged the game back in the Tahs favour with an exceptional contribution under pressure. A late wobble but Graham (28no) calmly finished the job for a tense one wicket Tahs win in the 47th over.
Men’s 5th Grade:
A week riddled by unavailability saw a makeshift 5th Grade side take on Randwick at Kensington Oval with four Tahs debutants from our junior reps pathway. Skipper White winning the toss & electing to bat, as McCombe (21) & the skipper himself (26) were forced to steady the ship after a wicket in the first over. The Tahs however struggled to gain much momentum on a big ground against some tight bowling, but it was 14 year old debutant Hansen (39) who showed real potential with a solid knock that was the mainstay of the Tahs innings. Regular wickets however halting any momentum, before a couple of handy late contributions from Jenkins (20) & Cruickshank (17no) saw the Tahs post 163 when the final wicket fell. Needing to bowl well, the Tahs were luckless early as Randwick began steadily in reply, Cruickshank breaking through to give the Tahs a bit of hope at 1/41. But Randwick took control of the chase with a couple of big partnerships, separated only by wickets to debutants Rosenkowitz & Hansen, as the home side were victorious by 7 wickets inside 37 overs.
Women’s 3rd Grade:
Tunks Park saw W3s take on North Sydney, as Tahs skipper S.James won the toss & elected to bowl first. The home side off to a very strong start with a 55 run opening stand to have the Tahs under some pressure, before McNeil broke through at an important time. Another strong partnership however made the Tahs work again for another breakthrough, which was finally taken at 108 by the skipper herself. A steady flow of wickets from there on, as Waddington struck twice in quick succession to give the Tahs some momentum, before the skipper again struck twice more. Two wickets too to Sharma & a couple of run outs helping restrict North Sydney to all out 173. With the bat, the Tahs began positively in reply as James (19) & Dunnage (19) looked to score early with a flurry of boundaries. However, momentum was halted as the Tahs lost a few regular wickets to be 5/88 and in need of a partnership. That’s where Beukers (42) again stepped up with what proved to be a match winning contribution to take the score to 5/132 with the Tahs looking in control. But another wobble late saw the Tahs all of a sudden 9 down still needing 28 to win. However, calm under pressure were Champion (17no) & McNeil (7no) who saw the Tahs to a tense one wicket win with an excellent last wicket partnership.
Women’s 1st Grade (Sunday Game 1):
Merrylands Oval hosted the first of a W1s Sunday double header, as the Tahs were asked to field first after losing the toss. But the emerging talent of Brown & the experience of skipper McLerie shone through early as both struck once each in the powerplay to have Parramatta 2/21. The home side however fought back strongly with a considerable partnership worth 64, that was again broken by the skipper for her 2nd wicket. Economical spells from Brown, McLerie & Mehta, but Parramatta gained some momentum with a late surge to post 3/149 from 20. But when you’ve got the class of Hunter (69 off 36) at the top of the order for the Tahs, nothing’s out of reach. Our Irish international blasting an incredible half century in rapid time with some brutal hitting, as she & Mehta (33) combined for a superb 97 run opening stand to immediately break the back of the run chase. Both fell soon after one another, but their fireworks had set the platform for a brilliant Tahs win, as Kua (28) & Horsfall (16no) saw the Tahs home by 7 wickets with 4 overs to spare.
Women’s 1st Grade (Sunday Game 2):
Across the Parramatta River for the afternoon game as the Tahs took on Campbelltown at Old Kings. Skipper McLerie winning the toss & electing to bat as the ridiculous skill of Hunter (58 off 44) again shone through with another display of dismissive hitting at the top of the order. But on a slightly two paced wicket, it proved tough for the Tahs middle order to continue the momentum, an important innings from Handley (16) the only other real contribution as the Tahs posted 8/119 from 20. But after a steady start from Campbelltown’s openers, the Tahs total proved to be more than enough. Spinners Mehta & Hughes breaking through in quick succession, before Handley kicked off what was the start of a terrific afternoon. Two wickets in three balls, followed shortly after by Crawford who struck twice herself. But it was Handley’s afternoon, another three wickets in four balls to finish with ridiculous figures of 5/7 from 4 overs in a superb match winning spell of fast bowling at the stumps. A run out ending Campbelltown’s resistance, all out for 78 as the Tahs were victorious by 41 runs.
Women’s 2nd Grade:
Back home at Manly Oval, Tahs skipper E.James won the toss & elected to bowl, as Jayakody made a great start with a breakthrough in her first over. But Sydney responded capitalising on a slightly errant start from the Tahs, before Thornton dragged things back momentarily with the 2nd wicket. The visitors again responding well with the biggest partnership of the morning worth 63, as some missed chances in the field hurt the Tahs, until a late fightback of sorts with wickets to Patten-Hall, Frew & Kyme in the latter overs. Sydney posted a formidable 5/143. The Tahs took advantage of some errant bowling early on in the chase to be 27 without loss after 2 overs & then later 1/58 after Guyot (13) & Hughes (19) built a decent platform. But that’s where the momentum shifted as Sydney turned up the pressure with tight bowling. A positive start from Jayakody (14) the only other slight resistance as wickets tumbled steadily through the middle overs. The Tahs all out for 118 in reply.
Brewer Shield:
Over the hill at Grahams saw Brewers bowling first after losing the toss, as skipper T.Ford struck in the opening over, followed a few overs later by a run out to have the Tahs on top with Sydney 2/19. But the visitors counter attacked with aplomb to steadily rebuild their innings before launching late, capitalising on some poor fielding from the Tahs in a massive 102 run partnership. Pallister & Ford ending with 2 wickets each as Sydney posted a large total of 5/151 from 20. It was a big ask, but the Tahs wouldn’t back down without a fight, as Simpson-Lee (30) continued her good form with another positive start around a run a ball. Ultimately however, the Tahs struggled to get ahead of the increasing required rate, but the skipper (30no) compiled an excellent innings late in good partnerships with Reardon & Gillett. The Tahs ultimately falling well short but a gallant effort with the bat, finishing 5/100 in reply.
Upcoming fixtures:
It’s an important weekend coming up as both the Men & Women look to find some winning momentum across all grades. Two day cricket for the Men as the Tahs take on Fairfield-Liverpool on Day 1, with M1s, M3s & M5s at home as some important inclusions return. PGs are back in action on Sunday in a must-win one dayer against North Sydney at home.
Meanwhile, the W1s, W2s & Brewers continue with more T20 cricket, against St George-Sutherland, Penrith & North Sydney respectively, the latter at home. While W3s will take on St George-Sutherland in a one dayer at Griffith Park at Long Reef.
Until then, up the Tahs!
