SHCC Scoop - Finals around the Corner, Presentation Night May 1st

It’s been a slow start to cricket in 2026, with just 1 days play in January with matches cancelled due to heat or rain.  The good news is that we’ve had some cricket in February, and some intra club games on the long weekend too.

Div 1, Div 2, 4 and 7 have a single one day match to go before finals start, with Div 5 and 6 a 2 day match to complete, then a 1 dayer before Finals start, and our Div 4 Morning team complete a 1 day match this Saturday to finish their season.

Team placings going into the Final Round. Good luck to all teams in their last matches, and may you have plenty of cricket to play in March!

Div 1      5^th

Div 2      4^th

Div 4      1^st

Div 5      5^th

Div 6      3^rd

Div 7      4^th

AM 4^th   6^th

Presentation Night

Presentation Night is confirmed for Friday May 1^st Magpies Croydon Park from 6:30pm.  More details to come, but please reserve a spot in your Calendar. 

It’s always great to celebrate the season that has been, and acknowledge individual and team achievements during the season.

Div 5 with last years Presentation Night guest speaker, Claire Polosak

Winter Cricket

While our Summer season is coming to an end, Cricket doesn’t end with two Cricket options during the off season.

We usually field sides in the very popular SMCA Winter Competition – a 35 over 1 day match played every 2^nd weekend on either Saturday or Sunday. 

There are also two Last Man Stands (LMS) Competitions to be held every Sunday from at either Flockhart Park in Croydon Park, or Hammondville Oval in Moorebank. 

Email president@shcc.net.au if you are interested in either competition

Miss Celie's Player of the Week

Player of the Week sponsored by Miss Celie’s Jazz and Blues Bar in Ashfield.   If you haven't been, get there and check it out. Owned by a former SHCC Junior Parent, Paul Blasi.

31 January  Sultan Ahmed  Div 6 60 not out

7 February    Pat Hargreaves  Div 7  5/54

14 February   Wassi Hossain   Div 2   5/15

21 February   Peter Dawson   Div 4 60

Batting and Bowling Highlights

Batting:

82      Abdul Ahsan  2^nd Div

78*    Phil Tarbox        5^th Div

60*    Sultan Ahmed   6^th Div

60     Peter Dawson   4^th Div

52     Adil Khan            4^th AM

51      Luca Agius          5^th Div

51      Amanjot Gill       6^th Div

Bowling

5/15  Wassi Hossain       2^nd Div

5/54  Pat Hargreaves     7^th Div

4/39 Pat Hargreaves      7^th Div

3/18  Tom Dawson         4^th Div

3/19  Tejpartap Singh     6^th Div

3/23  Ali Hera                   4^th Div

3/25  Vikas Nassa            6^th Div

3/33 Amanjot Gill            6^th Div

3/28  Jim Bandas        7^th Div

3/47  Jim Bandas            7^th Div

3/48  David Isaacs           4^th AM

3/54  Pat Hargreaves  7^th Div

3/55 Jim Bandas             7^th Div  v

Club Milestones

Runs

3,000  Luca Agius Div 5

500  Abdul Ahsan   Div 2

500   Micah Edwards  Div 7

Wickets

50 Tom Dawson  Div 4

50 Neil Gordon  Div 7

Catches

50  Neil Gordon

Games 

150  Dan Jeffrey                 Div 4

150  Kaustav Gupta          Div 7

50  David Bailey-Mckay  Div 4 AM

50 Owen Gibson              Div 5

50 Craig Gibson               Div 5

50 Umer Altaf  Div 6

50 Sachin Pandey           Div 4 AM

First Game for Summer Hill

Robin Joshi Div 4 AM

Shafan Bhinder Div 4 AM

Training

Every Thursday from 5:30pm - stay a for a short time, or a long time

When:   Every Thursday afternoon / evening

Where:  Lees Park - Harmony St, Ashbury (Park in Crieff St and walk down the alley)

When:   From 5:00pm until dusk – and there may be a few there earlier too

Enjoy your Cricket!

Phil

Phil – President

e president@shcc.net.au

m 0417 234 761

Last Rounds Results and Reports

1^st Division

Round 14: FORFEIT

2^nd Division Match Report

Raf Bruzzese

Round 14: Summer Hill 188 def Summer Hill Seniors 123

Ewen Park played host to a battle of the Summer Hills, as 2nd grade took on Summer Hill Suns in a match that more or less shaped up as a finals eliminator.

We won the toss for the 9th straight game, electing to bat and almost immediately capitulating with the loss of 4 early wickets.  Enter Abdul Ahsan, the park cricket Cam Green, who along with Arup Saha, put on a mammoth 126 run stand for the 5th wicket, at a brisk pace too. Abdul notched a new top score of 82, before a lower order collapse saw us bundled out shortly after the massive partnership was broken.

With a session still to bowl, many in the team were still haunted by the memories of a 250 run opening stand summer hill seniors managed against us in the season prior. Quick wickets were integral in a defence of a potentially subpar target of 188. Thankfully, Wassi and Salman each managed a strike, clean bowling the two batsmen who had previously scored centuries against us.

There was still plenty of batting however, and the boys still a lot to do on day 2 to secure a win. Almost immediately, we were treated to one of the most spectacular bowling partnerships I’ve ever witnessed in park cricket, as Wassi utilised late in swing in tandem with Niloy’s leg spin at the other end, to bag 7 of the remaining 8 wickets in the first session of the 2nd day. Wassi collected a maiden 5 wicket haul with figures of 5/15 off 8 overs. 4 of the wickets clean bowled, whilst Niloys variations and accuracy proved too much for the Suns batting lineup. In the end 2nds wrapped up a comprehensive 62 run victory, ensuring their place in the finals

Best Batting

82 Abdul Ahsan

40 Arup Saha

Best Bowling

5/15  Wassi Hossain

3/50  Niloy Mahmood 

4th Division Match Report

Dan Jeffrey

Round 14: Summer Hill 8/226 def Ashfield CC 147

Fourth division's first game since November (!) didn't get off to the perfect start, with ACC winning the toss and opting to bat, leaving us a fielder short for half the day and, once the drizzle set in, a Red King that resembled a ball of soap more than a cricket ball. 

That was about where the bad news ended though, as a disciplined effort in the field restricted the second-placed ACC to a fairly modest total of 147, bowled out inside 53 overs. Tom and Hera did the bulk of the damage with three wickets apiece, while Matt (2-30), Andy (1-15) and Blake (1-33) also chipped in with important breakthroughs. 

That left us with three overs to face before stumps. Rather than shut up shop and blocking their way to the close of play, Pete and Amin took the opportunity to break the back of the chase, peeling off 30 quickfire runs before time was called. 

A couple of wickets early on day two gave Ashfield a bit of hope, but it was quickly snuffed out. Pete (60) and Dan put on a brisk half-century stand before they fell in consecutive balls, leaving it to Connor (37) and Kunal (28) to get us over the line, before giving the rest of the batting order some much-needed time in the middle before finals. 

A relatively comfortable win, and one that locked away the minor premiership with a round still to spare. 

Best Batting

60  Pete Dawson

37  Connor Bennett

28  Kunal Chape

27  Ali Hera

23  Dan Jeffrey

Best Bowling 

3/18    Tom Dawson

3/23    Ali Hera

2/30  Matthew Sellas

5^th Division Match Report

Phil Tarbox

Round 12: Summer Hill 125 def by St Christophers 7/217

After a scratchy win against Lakemba Stars the previous week, 5^th Div’s Finals chances were still alive.  Needing to win each remaining game to even be a chance made this match especially important. 

With regular keeper Simon Davies away for week 1, the intention was to bat.  We lost yet another toss, and were asked to bowl in hot and humid conditions.  Phil put on the keeping pads and gloves for the first time in a while and did an OK job, but no where near good enough for Simon to worry about losing his role in the team.

We have had many a battle against this St Christophers team over the years, which also feature a couple of past Summer Hill players.  The match was played in good spirts, and the day started well with Asher dismissing their dangerous opener, Ali Khan, with an absolute peach – you could not ask for a better ball.  Outswinger, starting on leg, and taking the top of off stump.  It was a great beginning.

Batting partnerships are the key to a big total, and we simply could not get a break through.  Our fielding had improved significantly from the week before – Rayhan taking a very sharp catch at first slip off Owen – but we just couldn’t take wickets in clumps.  Sid dismissed the dangerous Luke Stock’s for 60, but St Christophers batted through the day for 217.  We would have our work cut out the next week.

We did not start our battings inning well, losing 4 wickets quite quickly to be 4 for 11.  We had no answer for Qadeer Malik’s pace and swing, except for Luca Agius offering some top order resistance with a well made 51.  Our tail hung in there, with Summer Hill all out with 45 minutes left of the days play.  With little time in the day remaining, both Captains agreed to an early mark.  Thankfully our tail wagging saved us being sent in to bat again, and avoiding giving away bonus points, or an outright loss.

Our season hangs in the balance, with plenty needed to go right for us in the next 2 matches.  We’ve improved on last season, but it remains to be seen if we will make it into the top 4.

Best Batting

51  Luca Agius

Best Bowling

2/9  Sidhant Nidimoru

2/49  Owen Gibson

6th Division

Round 12: Summer Hill 125 & 8/55 win 1^st Innings vs Panania East Hills RSL 92 & 150

Best Batting – 1^st Innings

51  Amanjot Gill

Best Bowling – 1^st Innings

3/19 Tejpartap Singh

2/18 Amanjot Gill

2/26 Ratnajeet Singh

Best Bowling – 2nd Innings

3/33 Amanjot Gill

2/14 Jeet Solanki

2/39 Ratnajeet Singh

7th Division Match Report

Pat Cullen

Round 14: Summer Hill 8/145d def Earlwood CC 140 & 4/20

What's that? The mighty sevens go two wins from two and pick up another bonus point to catapult themselves into finals and win the 2-day minor premiership? Surely not?! Well, yes, folks, your favourite 7th grade side did exactly that with a brilliant win over the Emperors of Earlwood. A clinical display with the bat and the ball was somewhat stymied by a highly contentious end to proceedings in week two.

Rob won the toss and elected to field, an excellent choice, which was rewarded with two quick wickets. Pat Hargraves striking in his second over to remove Kotsiras (the leading run scorer in the comp) thanks to an incredible backwards roll of a catch to Jimmy at fine leg. Not to be out done, Jimmy then swiftly removed the other opener and the number three in quick succession with some beautiful bowling to scuttle their top order. At 3-46, we were up and about, things are looking good! But then the new batter, Paras, dropped the anchor, and while runs were hard to come by, the game drifted as the 7s searched for a wicket.

Eventually, a string of maidens and good pressure in the field led to a mixup between the batters (combined with a sharp bit of fielding from Jimmy and Micah) which created a ‘yes, no, sorry’ runout and Paras was back in the sheds. As the shadows grew long, the 7s put their foot down. Pat Hargraves bowled with sheer unadulterated heat, lots of sniffs and toe crushers, while Jimmy 'Brings' Bandas whiled away on a length from the other end. Pat getting four and Jimmy three as the final two wickets fell to the spin of Neil Gordon and Micah. Neil’s coming after tweaking his field and a catch going exactly where he planned it, which is always delicious. Earlwood were back in the sheds with only 140 on the board and the 7s were feeling confident.

Rob and Kaustav went to open the batting, but it turned out K couldn't bat due to not taking the field. A bit of a scramble sent Dave Ward out - and I only mention this to flag the start of Earlwood's poor behaviour in the field. A genuine mix-up here resulted in some pretty ridiculous and aggressive chat from their players which was a sign of how they were going approach the rest of the game. By the end of day one, we were feeling grateful for the professional umpire. Rob was out for 1 at the close of play, leaving Micah and Dave Ward to resume the following week.

In the heat of the following week, Micah and Wardy made hay while the sun shone. A 40-run 2nd wicket partnership setting up the game for the 7’s, Micah’s 32 looked like the difference maker, he absolutely smashed fours all around the ground and was batting with real power and decisiveness. However, he was struggling for partners at the other end: Wardy fell to a worldy of a catch, Jimmy was run out going for a tight second, David Ritchil took the long handle for a quick fire 29 before Micah himself was out caught and suddenly, we were 5-76. Just over half the runs to get with half the batters in the sheds - the mood was anxious, let me tell you. Enter Kaustav Gupta, on the return from injury K, finding himself unusually down the order at 7, saw us home aided by Neil Gordon and Nic Johnson (with a brief cameo from your author) after 51 overs we got the runs 8 down for 141.

As soon as they completed the final run, Rob called them in - one bonus point for us could be the difference between making finals and not! Things started with a bang (the openers were clearly not here for a long time) but they miscalculated trying to take down your humble writer. 2 wickets in two overs to Paddy Cullen, thanks to some sharp catching behind the wicket to Metry, meant the bonus point was near at hand. Jimmy Bandas grabbing the next two in close succession for a demolition job of 4-20 and bonus point secured!

Sadly, the game ended on a sour note as things got heated in the last over of the day. Dave Ritchil, bowled a short one and safe to say the batsman didn't appreciate it. Things devolved from there into a heated argument, which in the end led to the umpire calling time early. If you want the full story, grab one of the 7’s fellas at training, but safe to say it was an unfortunate end to a great two days of cricket.

In any case, the 7s win, pick up a bonus point and now only a severe mishap against the cellar-dwelling Seniors can halt our tilt at the finals!

Bunnings Best Batting:  Kaustav Gupta 28* for seeing us home in tricky circumstances

Nandos Classic Best Bowling: Jimmy ‘Brings’ Bandas: 3/28 off 16 and 2/6 off 4

BluTack Fielding Award: Michael Metry for his excellent keeping, particularly the second grab up to the stumps of PC.

Best Batting

32  Micah Edwards

29   David Ritchil

28* Kaustav Gupta

Best Bowling 1st Innings

4/39 Pat Hargreaves

3/28 Jim Bandas

Best Bowling 2nd Innings 

2/6  Jim Bandas

2/11  Pat Cullen

4^th Division AM

Round 9: Summer Hill 102 def by Kingsgrove’s Finest 6/353