MASSIVE Congratulations to our 2nd Division side, through to the Grand Final after an amazing match on the weekend. Read on to find out why finishing first proved to be very beneficial.
3rd, 7th and 8th Blue all had losses in their Qualifying Finals, and move to a Preliminary Final this weekend. And well done to 8th Gold who won their Elimination Final, and take on 8th Blue for a chance to play in the Grand Final. Good luck too all teams this weekend.
Over the weekend a few players have put up their hand for the “Player of the Finals” trophy. Read on to hear about some terrific performances, and see if you can pick the winner, to be announced at our Seniors Awards Night – make sure you are there! Details below.
Winter Cricket
If this Summers Season hasn’t been enough for you, the good news is Winter Cricket is not far away. Played every 2nd weekend, on a mix of Saturday’s and Sunday’s, the season starts on April 20/21, with teams to be submitted by March 27th. Send me an email if you are interested in playing this Winter.
April 12th – Seniors Awards Night
Be sure to reserve your place for our end of season Awards Night. Link below.
Pratten Park Bowling Club have a new Colombian Chef, and Paella is on the menu – Yum!
When: Friday, April 12th
Time: from 6pm, for a 7pm start
Where: Pratten Park Bowling Club (PPBC) – 42 Arthur St, Ashfield
Cost: Free for all 23/24 Full Time, Part Time and Casual Players. Guests $30 each – payable on the night.
Included: Pre-dinner nibbles and Dinner. Cash Bar available on the night
RSVP: Reserve your place online here:
Please let me know if you would like to be involved in any way - we are always looking for ways to improve. Please give me a call, or send me an email if you would like to be involved, or have any ideas.
This Rounds Batting and Bowling Highlights
Batting
71 Zeeshan Zeeshan 8th Gold
51 Pulok Rema 8th Gold
Bowling
8/57 Jim Bandas 8th Gold
7/21 David Greenhalgh Div 2
Club Milestones
Matches
50 Tanzim Alam Div 3
Training
When: Every Thursday
Where: Lees Park - Harmony St, Ashbury (Park in Crieff St & walk down the alley)
When: From 5:30pm until dusk – and there may be a few there earlier too
This weekends matches
All matches start at 1:30pm on Saturday and Sunday
3rd Div vs Sydney Chargers
Steel Park, Marrickville.
7th Div vs Redfern All Blacks
Croydon Park 2, Croydon Park
8th Div Blue vs 8th Div Gold
Gough Whitlam Reserve, Earlwood
Enjoy your Cricket!
Phil
Phil – President
m 0417 234 761
2nd Division Match Report: Bill Lawry
Qualifying Final: Summer Hill 120 TIED with Kingsgrove CC 120
Well, folks, what an absolute thriller witnessed at Ewen Park between Summer Hill Cricket Club and Kingsgrove Cricket Club in this Second Grade Preliminary Final last weekend! This match had everything you could ask for: rain delays, a skiddy pitch, overcast conditions, 30+ Degree heat, controversial umpiring and a dramatic finish that saw Summer Hill scrape into the Grand Final by the skin of their teeth!
After winning the toss, Kingsgrove elected to bowl first, no doubt hoping to take advantage of the tricky conditions. However, Summer Hill Cricket Club was poised at a promising 3-103, with Lucas O'Dea leading the charge with a gritty 36 supported by patient knocks from M Selwood (25) and R Nawaz (20). However, what followed was a disastrous collapse from the middle order, reminiscent of a house of cards tumbling down in a stiff breeze. One by one, the wickets fell, with Kingsgrove's bowlers tightening their grip on the game. It was a collapse of epic proportions, leaving Summer Hill reeling as they were eventually rolled for a modest total of 120 runs.
Returning on Day 2, the sun was shining brightly, and Summer Hill knew they had a big task ahead of them to restrict Kingsgrove to less than 120 runs. And boy, did they deliver! Kingsgrove looked in control, steadily building their innings with a composed opening partnership. They seemed to have the game in the bag until a breakthrough from A. Nawaz sparked the resistance from Summer Hill. Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted, and the mighty banter from Summer Hill along with plenty of dot balls from the bowling unit and an incredible fielding display, causing all sorts of mishits and players losing their cool in the big game.
Just like Summer Hill, Kingsgrove experienced their own middle-order collapse, as wickets tumbled in quick succession, thanks to some inspired bowling from Summer Hill's D. Greenhalgh. With the lower order putting up a valiant fight, Kingsgrove found themselves needing just 6 runs to win, with Summer Hill needing 2 wickets and 7 overs remaining. In a dramatic twist, Summer Hill's saviour, D. Greenhalgh, returned to the attack and took the prize wicket of Kingsgrove's young gun who had brought them within 2 runs of victory. A moment reminiscent of N. Lyon's famous run-out miss in the Ashes, Summer Hill missed a crucial opportunity to seal the win, allowing Kingsgrove to draw level on 120 runs at the 53rd over.
With tension at its peak and the game hanging in the balance, T. Corben, who had already bowled 19 overs in the 30 degree heat, was faced with the daunting task of taking one final wicket without conceding a single run. As the tension reached fever pitch, on the fifth ball of the over, Kingsgrove's number 11 found himself trapped in front, and Summer Hill erupted in a chorus of pleas for the umpire's finger to go up. And go up it did! The finger of the umpire rose, signalling the end of a gripping contest with Kingsgrove all out for 120 runs, sending Summer Hill into raptures as they secured their spot in the Grand Final by the narrowest of margins thanks to finishing minor premiers. What a match, what a finish! Cricket at its absolute best, ladies and gentlemen!
That's cricket for you - unpredictable, thrilling, and full of twists and turns until the very end!
Best Batting
36 Lucas O’Dea
25 Mitchell Selwood
20 Rehaan Nawaz
Best Bowling
7/21 David Greenhalgh
2/36 Tom Corben
Picture - David Greenhalgh celebrates his 7 wickets!
3rd Division Match Report : Arup Saha
Qualifying Final: Summer Hill 129 lost to DLSK 7/133
Thorpe vs van den Hoogenband. Ali vs Frazier. Warne vs Muralidaran. Echoing three of the greatest rivalries, minor premiers SHCC took on second place DLSK in what would be 2024's most highly sought after park cricket match to date in the first round of the CWSCA Finals.
With this Seasons match ups tied at 1 all, careful consideration was placed well before the opening toss with captain Jay declaring a well thought out strategy on how to best bitter rivals DLSK on the eve of the clash.
On the hallowed grounds of Beaman Park, Day 1 looked ominous with overcast conditions, ankle high grass, an unwavering drizzle and a run-up straight from the Kokoda Trail. With self proclaimed toss magnate Raf ("20 correct calls in a row and counting") unsurprisingly missing, Jay found himself on the wrong side of the toss and was asked to signal a forward defensive palm to the dugout.
Despite the subdued state of affairs, SHCC were quietly confident of posting a competitive total with the form of freelancer Tanzim Alam and arguably the most improved batsmen of the year Tarek Rahman opening the batting.
Unwavering in their line and length, the DLSK openers kept the top order in check - Tanzim falling for 7 in the 8th over before the imperious Madushan Bandara came to the crease. Mads and Tarek would fend out a further 12 overs making the most of the rare lose ball on a wet outfield. Recent investments in coaching clearly paid dividends as Tarek played the conditions perfectly with an array of stroke-making, none more impressive than the uppercut, even the great Sachin would be proud of. With the score at 67 in came DLSK's trump card Hamza Burhan fresh off 3-29 in the previous week's encounter. Finding assistance from the pitch, Hamza found the top edge of Tarek's eventually falling for an impressive 47 after forming a match-defining 48 run partnership with Mads.
In came swashbuckling left hander Arup Saha looking to capitalise on the good start made by the top order. Hamza Burhan would continue executing a clinical performance, challenging the footwork of the left hander, trapping him twice before taking out off stump all in the space of 5 deliveries.
The Italian stallion Rafael Bruzzese would find himself in next, joining Mads at an important juncture for SHCC with the team at 3-74. But with experience comes temperament and the two provided a stable platform shunting balls to all corners of the inner circle for the next 14 overs until a Daniel Nader half tracker found itself knocking over Raf's middle stump. A largely untested middle order found themselves against the DLSK lynchpins losing 5-11 in 5 overs; surprising to all after Mads' declaration of seeing the team only at the end of the day.
Reeling at 8-112, opener turned tailender Wassi Hossain and Umer Aijaz would receive dividends for their aggression. Having seen his average rise from 0 to 1, Wassi would find himself back in the sheds playing on from a Hamza Burhan special becoming his 4th victim of the day. Umer would soon follow resurrecting the innings with a late 16. Joining Umer for the last wicket was cult hero Fahim Mazumder who found himself off the reserve list and into the playing XI capitalising on his 10 ball stay with a straight drive that had the umpire fearing for his life.
Having placed a respectable 129 on the board, SHCC found themselves on the pitch for four overs to close off the day. If it wasn't for his season high of 4 runs, it was captain Jay's passionate pep talk that had Wassi breathing down the neck of the DLSK's top order finding movement reminiscent of Simon Jones. In this second Wassi not only found the edge of DLSK's opener but followed it up with a searing bouncer that had first drop Daniel Nader wishing to have never come out. The day ended with DLSK 1-9 after 4 setting up what would be a difficult chase the following day.
Sydney sunshine and a blissful 26 degree day followed on Day 2. Undeterred, Summer Hill faired their chances given the bowling line up they had. Raf opened the bowling with Wassi both bowling superbly following on from the day before - a masterclass in swing bowling that had beaten both batsmens' edge. Relentless in their pursuit, DLSK batters stuck to their preconceived gameplan and only looked to score from low risk shots.
Captain Jay "Hamza" Karim brought himself on and immediately looked threatening with each delivery pairing up nicely with Umer. With immense pressure created, Umer produced an absolute in-swinging beauty to trap the DLSK No.3 on the eve of lunch. Akin to a collapse, DLSK found themselves 2-48 needing 82 off 42 overs with SHCC having their tails up heading into the break.
Niloy Mahmood found his bearings alongside Mads, and Fahim leaving the fielders gushing with his threatening line restricting the opposition to 90 after 39 overs. Captain Jay carried on, dismissing the dangerous Kaifi with a ripsnorter and DLSK's very own sweepologist in consecutive overs. The game in balance, DLSK needing 32 off 18 overs, SHCC were left with needing 6 wickets to win. With hopes of going viral, DLSK's No.6 and wish version of "The Wall" came together to see the game through. Wassi however had other ideas fighting through the pain in his back to dismiss the 154 ball mainstay. Quick hands from young keeper Brady Smith had DLSK 6 wickets down bringing in DLSK's usual opener to the crease with 16 runs needed to win.
It was never going to be difficult, but SHCC were looking good and kept to their game plan making the target feel larger than what it was. With runs hard to come by, talisman Wassi found a hint of reverse to trap DLSK's No.8 in front but it was too little too late with scores tied. 36 conseuctive dot balls would give SHCC a birth in the finals. Optimism shone through when 36 became 27 but it would be DLSK's captain that would hit the winning runs in the 56th over.
A valiant effort from the boys in blue. Summer Hill will look forward to bouncing back against the Sydney Chargers in the Preliminary Final this weekend at Steel Park for a place in the Grand Final.
Best Batting
47 Tarek Rahman
23 Madushan Bandara
Best Bowling
2/18 Tarek Rahman
2/18 Wassi Hossain
2/34 Jay Karim
7th Division Match Report: Dharmin Thakkar
Qualifying Final: Summer Hill 97 def by Belmore Rovers 6/101
Following an exhilarating season filled with outstanding performances, the anticipation was high as we approached the toss for the First Semi-Final amidst gloomy weather conditions. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on our side as we lost the crucial toss and were sent to bat first. Adding to the delay, the onset of rain caused a 90-minute interruption.
The match began on a sombre note as we lost Shaik, our dependable batsman who had been consistently delivering back-to-back 50s, on the very first ball. This setback was indeed a blow, yet Chetan and Dharmin exhibited commendable determination, pushing the scoreboard to 22 before Dharmin's departure marked yet another loss for our side.
Despite flashes of resilience, the nerves of the semi-final seemed to haunt us as wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. Amidst the chaos, Chetan's gritty innings, culminating in a valuable 30 runs, stood out as the highest individual score.
Our batting effort fell short, and we managed to post a modest total of 97 runs. With such a low score to defend, the onus was on our bowlers to step up and create opportunities on Day 2.
Our bowlers began the defence admirably, with Prabhu striking early to dismiss one of their in-form opening batsmen in the very first over, injecting a dose of positivity into the team. However, our opponents managed to build partnerships, threatening our chances of a comeback.
In a bid to turn the tide, Dharmin and Shaik introduced spin bowling into the equation, hoping for a change in fortunes. Their combined effort over 15 overs yielded four crucial wickets, offering a glimmer of hope. Despite their valiant attempt, we fell short of saving the game as the Belmore team managed to chase down the target.
Best Batting
30 Chetan Kondur
Best Bowling
3/12 Dharmin Thakkar
8th Division Gold Match Report : Pat Cullen
Elimination Final: Summer Hill Gold 209 def St Christophers Gold 123
In my 7 years playing with this fantastic team I am thrilled to report that the mighty 8th gold side are finally into the semi finals thanks to a thumping win over St Christopher’s! But it was far from a one sided contest to say the least.
Rob won the toss and elected to bat in the light drizzle of Beaman 4. Saikat on return from a broken finger two games ago was still taping up as we needed to head out so Jimmy Bandas went in as opener along side Michael Lee. And it’s pretty safe to say it wasn’t an ideal start, the Goldies reduced to 4-22 after 12 overs.
To add insult to injury the St Christopher’s openers were bowling off two steps, Jimmys LBW decision was so poor the opposition burst into laughter, Mike Lee, Kustav, Saikat and Bandas were all back in the sheds far earlier than we’d like and the Goldie’s were in absolute Barney Rubble - big trouble in little Beaman stuff. Staring down the barrel of another semis defeat.
But just like the riders of Rohan, at the fall of the fourth wicket, look to the east and you’ll see Zeeshan Khan striding to the crease. Zeeshan turned the game on its head with a swashbuckling 71 accompanied beautifully by Dave Wards classy 38. Their hundred run stand was so good even the weather was brightened up by the stroke play.
Zeeshan swept, cut and pulled the Goldies to 157 when he was finally dismissed to Stocks. With the bowlers tiring, the skies clear and the ball soapier than the bloody Dove factory, Pulok Rema strode to the crease ready to resume his interstellar space program launching right off the middle of his bat. A signature 50, full of 4s and truly massive 6s ably supported by Sarfaraz followed, getting the Goldies up to the imposing score of 209.
On Sunday, the sun came out, and Jimmy ‘Brings’ Bandas decided to add to the two bulging disks in his spine by lifting the Goldie’s right on his back! For a change, I’m going to lead with the cold hard facts. Jimmy is 61 years old, he really does have two bulging disks, a buggered shoulder and a bung knee.
He bowled 22 consecutive overs, 4 maidens, 8/64. Jimmy bowled and bowled and bowled. Hammering away on off stump, moving it off the deck and through the air to bowl, snick off and lbw St Christopher’s out of the game. He even took a low, tough hard hit return catch to dismiss their best batter!
Picture - Jim Bandas, takes a rest after 8 wickets
It was classic, squeezing, miserly cricket from the Goldies who fielded well and kept their concentration across a long hot day out there in the field. Paddy Cullen and Zeeshan picking up the other two wickets to wrap up the St Christopher’s innings 86 runs short of the total.
It’s a huge win for the Goldies and sets up an all Summer Hill pre-lim final against the Blues! With Luca Agius back to bowling and a full strength batting lineup it’s certain to be a tight game.
All we can say for sure is that there will be a Summer Hill team in the grand final and this somewhat biased reporter is backing the Goldies!!!
Best Batting
71 Zeeshan Zeeshan
51 Pulok Rema
38 Dave Ward
Best Bowling
8/57 Jim Bandas
Picture - Gold through to the Preliminary Final
8th Division Blue Match Report: Phil Tarbox
Qualifying Final: Summer Hill Blue 108 def by Panania East Hills RSL 4/157
After we’d beaten a full strength ladder leading Panania just 2 weeks ago, 8th Blue ventured down the M5 to take on Panania in a Qualifying Final, knowing that our best cricket would give us a place in the Grand Final.
Rain greeted us, and after a bit over an hour of persistent mizzle, as Jim Maxwell calls it, both teams decided to abandon the days play and come back on Sunday for a 1 day match.
We won the toss and sent them in. We didn’t take early wickets, but they didn’t get early runs either. Jasper Cohen struck twice just before drinks – 2/47 was a good result after 17 overs. After the short break, our miserly bowling continued with Rayhan and Owen restricting the scoring – but no wickets. 2 dropped catches were the only chances we missed all day – 1 a sitter, the other a challenging skyed ball – but chances we would have taken during the regular season. Finals do funny things to you.
With wickets in hand Panania went on the attack, taking 75 runs from the last 10 overs. 158 was a big score to chase down. Doable, but big.
Our chase didn’t go as planned, and we didn’t see a few shrewd tactics coming. Mike Davies provided some excitement with some big hitting with 16, including a glorious straight drive 6, and a pull for 4 which got to the boundary in a flash. Luca Agius provided some resistance in the middle with a hard fought 19, but it was opener Jud Agius who led the scoring with a gritty 22, including some dashing running between wickets. Asher Tarbox played a lone hand at the end with 11, but ultimately Summer Hill were all out for 108.
The benefit of finishing in the top 2 for the season is a double chance. This weekend we get another chance to make the Grand Final – bring it on!
Best Batting
22 Jud Agius
Best Bowling
2/14 Jasper Cohen
2/38 Luca Agius