20.9.23
There were some big wins, and close calls in the weekend of matches just gone – with 5 wins out of the 5 completed matches – and our 6th Division side in a very strong position after day 1 of their 2 day match – if you call 6/321 a strong position! Go well Tushar and Div 6, in what will be a much cooler day to be in the field.
We’ve seen some great batting to start the season, with Luca Agius with back to back 50’s. No Bowling 5 for’s yet though? Who’ll be first this season?
Umpire Training – 25th October
SHCC are running a Community Umpire Training course, with current International and BBL/WBBL Umpire, Claire Polosak. She ran a wonderful course for us last year and is back again.
Most of our matches are self umpired – and this course will help us to do an easier and better job of this – and help us with decision making – especially those much misunderstood LBW appeals!
If you ever umpire during a match, or would like to, please make every effort to get there. I guarantee you will learn something about our great game.
When: Wednesday 25th October
Time: 6pm, for a 6:30pm start. Concluding by 9pm
Where: Pratten Park Bowling Club. 42 Arthur St, Ashfield
Cost: Free - $40 exam cost refunded for all SHCC players
Register online here: https://events.humanitix.com/shcc-community-cricket-umpiring-workshop
Junior “Come and Try” day
Our Club is running a “Come and Try” day for kids ages 6 to 11 during the School Holidays. It’s just $20 for the day (They may actually only be charged $5 – long story!)
If you have kids aged between 6 and 11, or know any, please pass on the invitation.
When: Thursday, September 28th
Time: 9:00am to 3pm
Where: Lees Park, Ashbury
Bring: Lunch, snacks, water bottle, Sunscreen
More information at: https://www.summerhillcricketclub.org.au/
Batting and Bowling highlights
Batting
97 Phil Tarbox Div 8 Blue
92* Pulok Rema Div 8 Gold
88 Luca Agius Div 8 Blue
57* Savio Gracias Flor Div 2
Milestones:
Games
50 Jay Karim Div 3
100 Samarth Shrivastava Div 6
Runs
1,000 Ben Rawat Div 7
Training
Thursday evening Training will start at Lees Park in October, once Daylight Savings starts
Enjoy your Cricket!
Phil
Phil – President
m 0417 234 761
2nd Division
Match Report : Kerry Packer
Round 2: Summer Hill 4/158 def Marrickville CC 7/156
G'day, cricket aficionados! We've got a rip-roaring match to dissect from the sun-soaked grounds of Ewen Park. The weather was hotter than a sausage sizzle on a summer's day, and the pitch was drier than the Aussie outback. But that didn't stop our 2nd Div team from delivering a scintillating encounter. Let's dive straight into the action!
The visiting team, Marrickville, took their turn with the willow first. They mustered a respectable 156 runs off 29 overs. It was a gritty effort, but in the game of cricket, nothing's safe until the last ball is bowled.
Now, onto the heroics of our bowlers! A. Tzoumas led the charge, taking 3 wickets for just 25 runs off his 6 overs. He was as accurate as a GPS guiding you to the nearest beach. M. Selwood and J. Cohen provided the crucial support, each chipping in with a wicket apiece for 15 runs off 6 and 3 overs, respectively. Bowling like that, they could make even the best batsmen break a sweat!
But it was our turn to shine with the bat. L. O'Dea was off like a Bull in a china shop, pumping 29* in 4 overs including a six that almost cleared the hill at square, before retiring to catch his party boat - rumours are he is still on that buck. Gracias-Flor played a mesmerizing innings, remaining unbeaten on 57 runs. It was a knock as elegant as a swan gliding across a serene pond. M. Selwood, not to be outdone, contributed a fine 36* to the tally, while . A batting display that was as graceful as a ballet performance.
Now, it's time to hand out the accolades:
1. Bowler of the Match brought to Nando's Extra Hot Piri Piri Chicken : The crown goes to Constable A. Tzoumas, who bowled with precision and flair, bagging those crucial wickets when the team needed them the most. Simply magnificent!
2. Best Batsman brought to you by Hard Yakka Work Wear: S. Gracias-Flor, step forward, mate! Your innings was a textbook example of how to build an innings under pressure. A true maestro at work!
3. Donkey of the Week brought to you by the home of Camel Burgers, Greenacre’s very own, Grill Masterz (back by popular demand) - well, well, cricket fans, it's time for a little twist in our match report. You see, sometimes even the best of us have a day that's, well, a bit less than stellar. And today, our 'Team Donkey' award, usually reserved for the opposition, has a new recipient - S. Gracias-Flor. Now, before you start raising your eyebrows, let me explain.
Gracias-Flor, who had dazzled us with the bat earlier, found himself in a bit of a pickle in the field. He put down a few catches, as slippery as an eel in a bucket of oil. And if that wasn't enough, he copped a thunderous blow to his middle stump, if you catch my drift.
Now, before you go sharpening your pitchforks, let's remember, even the greatest cricketers have their off days. So, let's not be too harsh on our 'Donkey of the Week.' It's all part of the glorious, unpredictable tapestry of this beautiful game we call cricket.
But fear not, Gracias-Flor will bounce back stronger, I have no doubt about that. As for our next adventure to Waterworth, well, it's a chance for redemption, a fresh start. So, stay tuned, folks, because in cricket, just like life, you never quite know what's around the corner. Cheers to the ups and downs of this incredible journey!
Best Batting
57* Savio Gracias Flor
36 Mitchell Selwood
29 Lucas O’Dea
Best Bowling
3/25 Alex Tzoumas
3rd Division
Match Report : Raf Bruzzese
Round 2: Summer Hill 9/97 def Marrickville CC 96
No one with a grain of cricket experience would have hypothesised as we arrived on Saturday afternoon, that neither team would come to pass 100 runs. There was that ominous sweltering haze, not a cloud in the sky and Waterworth looked as trim and carpet-like as ever with the mercury touching 34 degrees. The conditions reminded us of those who murmur that cricket was truly ‘a batsmans game’, and as Summer Hill lost the toss and took to the field against a young Marrickville team, there was a sense of needing to brace ourselves what could be a gruelling reminder of the fact that cricket was not always a fun way to spend your precious summer weekends.
Rafael Bruzzese opened up with the new ball sharing it with last week’s double centurion and all round machine Dean Cassar, forming arguably the quickest opening bowling pair in any park cricket circuit and immediately (and perhaps surprisingly) it was the Marrickville batsman feeling the heat, as Raf somehow managing to find plentiful movement that would make James Anderson blush, especially since it was 34 degrees with not a cloud in the sky. Dean Cassar, nursing a neck injury, was equally formidable at the other end as each bowler picked up 2 wickets. The air almost seemed to cool as the boys eyed a complete domination, galvanised and unrelenting in the field. Adding to the pre match concern for Summer Hill, was the absence of 3 experienced wicket keepers, but Dilir Ali who in his first ever game with the gloves, slid perfectly into the role, taking a couple of tidy catches and keeping up the chat throughout the innings.
4 down for nothing, things didn’t really improve for Marrickville as the change bowlers stepped in, despite the ostensibly helpful conditions, with Madushan Bandara picking up one of the most insane catches I’ve seen in my 17 years playing cricket, taking flight and gifting the tidy Umer Ajjaz the first of his two wickets, leaving Marrickville at 6/50 odd at the break. Some resistance from the lower order carried the batting side to 96 before they were blasted out by the returning Raf who finished with figures of 4/19 off 5. Also of note was Arup Saha's superb catch at slip, plucking it from behind him as it flew off the edge. A catch that would have stood out on any other day, but it was almost routine compared with the unbelievable grab from the airborne Madushan earlier in the innings.
Dean Cassar opened the innings up, with the opposition murmuring about his double century the week before, partnered with the chess grandmaster turned dynamic opening batsman Tarek Rahman, whose recent investment in coaching sessions seemed to be paying dividends with newfound aggression and positivity…
Yet again the game would unfold contrary to the apparent circumstances and expectations as we lost 3 top order wickets for nothing, including the notoriously in-form Dean. With runs hard to come by, Arup and his skipper Jay seemed to be reclaiming some kind of a grip on the situation, before another cluster of wickets left summer hill on the back foot in a chase of what ought to have been quite routine. Arup’s gritty knock (37) seemed to pay off when he managed to find a handful of boundaries along with some helpful partners in the lower order, namely Dilir (12). However, as Arup and Dilir fell, it was the number 10, Shute and 11, Sakib, who would have to find a way to manage the final 15 runs on their own.
They wouldn’t merely ‘manage’ it. Stunning both us and the Marrickville team, Shute fired his second ball away to the boundary with an imperious slog sweep. The blow was so significant, both practically and psychologically, that Marrickville would seem to completely capitulate, the bowler spraying several extras, including a double bounce no-ball that Sakib pulled away to the boundary. Disbelief for both sides, despair for Marrickville and delight for Summer Hill, as we managed a victory which at one point seemed inevitable, and at another, rather unlikely. What a game.
Best Batting
36 Arup Saha
Best Bowling
4/19 Raf Bruzzese
2/10 Dean Cassar
2/20 Umer Aijaz
6th Division – Day 1 of 2 day match complete
Round 2: Summer Hill 6/321 vs Panania East Hills RSL yet to bat
7th Division
Match Report: Dharmin Thakkar
Round 2: Summer Hill 7/147 def Revesby Workers Club White 8/99
In a thrilling encounter under clear skies with a gentle breeze, SHCC of the 7th division emerged victorious, defeating RWCC White by a margin of 48 runs.
Match Summary:
Winning the toss and capitalizing on their batting depth, we elected to bat first. However, our start was far from ideal, losing three quick wickets with the score under 20 runs. Nevertheless, Dharmin and Hamza displayed remarkable resilience, forging a crucial 46-run partnership that took us to a score of 73 runs by drinks.
The second half of our innings saw another flurry of wickets, but Ben and Shaik's determined batting added valuable runs to their total, ultimately setting a competitive target of 147 runs for RWCC White.
In the bowling department, Muniraj, SHCC's champion bowler, struck early and took three key wickets. Umer, our the leading wicket-taker, ensured SHCC's victory by taking crucial wickets towards the end of RWCC White's innings.
Highlights of the match included Gourav's exceptional fielding with two incredible catches, Shaik's quickfire 38 runs, and the mature performance by debutant Hamza, who contributed 31 runs to the team's total.
Best Batting
38 Shaik Abdullah
33 Dharmin Thakkar
31 Hamza Malik
24 Ben Rawat
Best Bowling
4/10 Muhammad Umer Altaf
3/13 Muniraj Mahajan
8th Division Gold
Match Report : Pat Cullen
Round 2: Summer Hill Gold 4/183 def Summer Hill Seniors 6/178
It was a particularly inauspicious start for the Goldies with only 6 players on site for the start of play at Beaman 4. Another 4 arrived soon after but it meant the Seniors side got off to a flyer. Their captain and opening batter Josh taking a particular liking to both Bandas and DBM early, combined with steaming hot conditions and a lot of leg side deliveries, Seniors were looking good at the break. After drinks though things tightened up, Cullen got Josh out plum in front and followed up with a slow ball to dismiss Mansini in the same over. Bailey-Mckay also got two with a great spell, while Bandas and PJ also picked up wickets.
It was far from a great display in the field from the Goldies though. Some average fielding and occasionally poor bowling from the whole attack meant some overs got fully punished, some brutal late hitting from the Seniors lower order particularly getting them to a sizeable 178.
The Goldies' batting started about as badly as it is possible to start. Ken Campbell out for a golden duck, first ball of the innings! His blushes saved by the fact Kustav also got a golden two overs later! Fortunately, new man Saikat looked solid with a 25 following a good winter season, Jitentra too looked good before being caught and bowled. At 3-9 though, things looked exceptionally dire. Rema, typically, had other ideas. Taking full advantage of the short boundaries and quick outfield, his trademark hitting against a mediocre attack went absolutely gangbusters. His 92* featured 9 fours and 5 sixes of utter destruction, flat, one bounce on-drives, colossal pull shots, carved cuts through point, it was sensational to watch.
At the other end Michael Metry proved an excellent foil, getting Rema on strike and hitting some boundaries of his own for a personal best 33* to guide the Goldies home with 7 overs to spare. Seniors dropped them both multiple times and boy did the guys make them pay for it! A sensational innings from Rema and two wins on the bounce for the Goldies!
Best Batting
92* Pulok Rema
33* Michael Metry
Best Bowling
2/26 Pat Cullen
2/29 David Bailey-Mckay
Best Fielding
Michael Metry with a sharp catch behind the stumps
8th Division Blue
Match Report : Mark Gibson
Round 1: Summer Hill Blue 7/232 def St Christophers Gold 8/141
After a big first up win, the boys were ready to see if our new found form would translate against a team that has previously had our measure - confidence was high. For once Captain Tarbox won a toss - and in the new normal of >30 degree mid-September heat, chose to bat. In our first game against St Christophers Gold last year, their opening bowlers had us reeling at 4 down for 3 after 5 - so key to building a big score would be getting safely through the first overs (and hoping the heat would get the better of them). This was largely achieved - only losing 1 wicket in the opening spell, despite a slow start at 1/14 after 5.
Well - what happened after the fall of the first wicket was absolute carnage. Our opponents had clearly settled on a strategy of feeding Captain Tarbox with his favourite shot, the pull, and giving Luca freedom to belt the ball to all parts. A second wicket partnership of 182 runs off 19 overs only coming to an end when they finally pitched one up on the stumps to an exhausted el Capitan, bowling him for a rapid-fire 97 (17 fours, 1 six). Luca slayed away for 88 (11 fours, 3 sixes), with a handy cameo from Leo of 15 - and not much from any of the rest of us. An impressive total of 7/232 off our 30.
Despite a bright start from the St Christophers Gold opening batsmen (first wicket falling for 46 in the 8th over), they were never in the hunt. Even with some loose fielding, the odd dropped catch (hey it is 8th Div) and a top score from the ever reliable S. Undries of 37 (how narrow is that Lees park pitch?) - St Christophers finished on 8/141. Great spells from Asher Tarbox of 4/10 – who’s first 2 balls delivered 2 wickets, including their Captain from a vicious short ball edged to Luca behind the stumps, the speedy James Davies with 2/16, and an economical showing from new recruit Liam Hester 0/6 (showing his older teammates the value of hitting the pitch). A big 91 run victory, to follow our 120 run win in round 1.
Best Batting
97 Phil Tarbox
88 Luca Agius
Best Bowling
4/10 Asher Tarbox
2/16 James Davies
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