Manly won the top three grades on the weekend against Gordon, while fourth grade picked up 4 points in winning the first innings of their match. Unfortunately on Sunday 1^st grade went down in their T20 quarter final against a well drilled Parramatta side. After 10 rounds we are coming 5^th in the Club Championship and all grades are in the hunt to play finals cricket.

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Player of the Week – Matt Mee

Matt continued his great form in 2^nd grade on the weekend, taking 5 wickets and seeing the boys home in a close clash against a strong Gordon team containing a number of players with 1^st grade experience. This was an important win for the 2’s, as it keeps them in touch with the top 6 with five fixtures remaining. It is also great to see Matty stepping up and becoming the dominant bowler all in the club knows he can be. Keep it up mate!

First Grade Report VS Gordon – Jack Ritchie

Manly 101 & 225 (Ritchie 89, King 71) Def Gordon 140 (Bird 5-42,  S Cleary 3-44) & 70 (Bird 4-20)

Manly started the day 60 ahead, so the goal was obviously to get 150-200 ahead and send Gordon back in. King started very aggressively, being particularly harsh on anything wide, and soon brought up his 50. Wickets fell regularly upon his dismissal, however that first hour of play had set the innings up well and we ended up with a lead of 186.

After a few overs Gordon were 3-3 with Birdy doing the damage. All the bowlers did their job and Gordon were eventually bowled out for 70.

This outright win was crucial for 1^st grade having lost on first innings, and it is important we carry this momentum into our clash with Sydeny this week who are placed above us on the ladder.

Second Grade Report VS Gordon

Manly 226(M Cleary 44) Def Gordon 214 (Mee 5-33, Poskitt 3-50)

Third Grade Report VS Gordon – Javed Badyari

Manly 9 (dec) 228 (Prowse 84) Def Gordon 172 (Visser 3-38)

Day 1

3^rd Grade began the New Year in great style with a fantastic victory against Gordon at their home ground  at Killara. Day 1 began with Genie winning the toss and electing to bat on what turned out to be a relatively difficult wicket to bat on. Manly opened up with Flat and Loose and they looked quite firm until loose gave up running half way down the wicket knowing he was about to be run-out. In came genie, who looked in great touch but was dismissed by an absolute jaffer of a ball, which took out his leg stump cutting from the off-side. In came the prowler, who might I add has been in tremendous form this season; he and flat (the roommates) managed to get through the tough period with the swinging ball, and were able to put on a very large partnership, which was crucial in allowing the lower and middle order to push on. Flat looked absolutely solid, and never did he look like he was going to get out – but eventually, having played some splendid strokes, was dismissed for a well-made 48. Prowsie, however, kept his nerve and remained at the crease, steering the ship for the Manly boys. Prowsie’s innings unfortunately came to an end late in the day, which consisted of some first-class strokes, showing great maturity and discipline. Prowse got out for 83, but on any other ground, he would have scored a ton! Infact I would go as far in saying that his innings would have amassed 150 at Grahams! The outfield was the slowest we had ever encountered. With a firm platform set, the manly boys were able to score swiftly towards the end, which included some impressive innings from the Dooch man and Mezza, who along with many others, were able to get Manly to 230.

Day 2

The following week, we arrived feeling quietly confident, but we knew that we had to do the job and work hard for it. Our innings couldn’t have got off to a better start, with Nick M crashing one through the gate of Gordon’s opening batsman. We bowled exceptionally well early on and maintained this discipline and aggression throughout the day, which ultimately saw yet another victory for Manly. The wickets were shared among the bowlers with Micky V picking up 3, showing great discipline and patience; mezza, genie and doochie also chipping in with valuable wickets! In the end, manly, along with some great (and humorous) fielding, were able to restrict the ‘stags’ to 180.

This game was also very special to our young-gun Ryan “stiltsy” Farrell who debuted in this game for third grade; although he did not pick up any wickets or score many runs; I’m sure all the guys agree that he looks very promising for the future.

Sitting well for the finals.....

Fourth Grade Report VS Gordon - Rowley Alexander

Manly 102 & 9 (dec) 165 (Rehaan 42) def by Gordon 92 (Cosentino 3-15) and 7-178 (M Burgess 4-33)

After an exhilarating finish to the first days scurrying activities, the players were greeted with a humid ‘sticky’ afternoon in the quest for the possibility of an outright win for either side.  11 runs the difference in a first innings win for the home side. An outright result was the objective of the day to ensure the Manly 4^th grade side remained heavily entrenched in the top 6 at this stage of the competition. The wicket didn’t offer as much sideways movement this week however with the humid conditions there was certainly enough to assist the bowlers who could consistently attack the stumps.

Once again however the Manly boys succumbed to playing expansive shots away from the stumps and were struggling to extend on the fortunes of the previous week being 4/50. This is a tale that has been the sides achilles heel all season. For the second time in the match, Readett and Cosentino were asked to repair the damage contrived at the top of the order.  Readett has looked more assured this season and has added a rare skill in the lower grades of patience to his game.

This is a quality regarded highly as players pose questions for promotion. With patience comes a greater awareness of the state of the game, a players own strengths and weaknesses and with it, better shot selection.  Both he and Cosentino built a partnership that regained some momentum from the visitors. Readett contributing a solid 36 following his top score in the first innings, Cosentino added a bright and brisk 20.

A steady flow of wickets brought the effervescent Vinnie Reehan to the crease. The local Mombay Master played some expansive drives and lofted shots in amongst playing steady cricket to ensure the Manly side ticked over the score board. The Club’s resident ‘chauffer’ made a significant contribution building a target towards the 180 mark for the visitors to run down. As it was, Vinnie finished with a fine 41 not out when the skipper set a target of 177 from 26 overs for the visitors to obtain victory.

An outright result was definitely on the minds of both sides and the target set ensured an exciting finish was always going to be imminent. The Gordon side attacked Manly’s bowling from the outset in the chase for honors. A brisk opening partnership set the tone, 50 runs coming off the first 7 overs. Patience again was the key with the ball as well as support from the gatherers; this was going to be a match won with few errors encountered from either side in the scramble for outright points.  With the opening partnership broken, Hodge – new to the side this season and learning his craft - and Reehan went about gaining back some ascendancy. The visitors losing 3 quick wickets to stem the flow of boundaries and the scoreboard rush. Another bright partnership however in the middle overs brought the visitors run rate to an achievable target with wickets in hand.

An authoritive stance was needed for the home side to be a chance at victory.

The final target was looming ever close and tricks were running thin. Max Burgess entered the fray with his side needing a winner. A quick wicket in his first over stopped a Gordon slugger in his tracks. Another in the next and then a third and all of sudden the game was back in the balance. A 4^th for Burgess, a magnificent caught and bowled low to his non-preferred hand, and the excitement was growing for both sides. Burgess’s contribution in the first innings with the bat – a last wicket partnership of 17 with the very exciting and already assured wicky James ‘Jiminy Cricket’ Boyer – went along way to ensuring first innings victory for his team. He also contributes immeasurably in the field with his high energy, alertness and constant chatter and banter square of the wicket.

These types of players ask others to come along with their ferret like activities, running here and there supporting the flingers. He finished the days play with 4/33 and in the end, was the main reason for the home side staying in the match. However, the Gordon side batted well throughout their chase, getting home with 4 balls to spare from their allotment with 3 wickets in hand.

An exciting finish, an outright result, and points for both teams. The hunt is still on for the Manly’s 4ths to be part of finals contention.

Rowley

Fifth Grade Report VS Gordon – Simon Lyon

Manly 193 (Poole 45) Def by Gordon 221 (Butcher 3-64)

Standing in for the flu stricken Dave Farrell was a pleasure and to play alongside some of the up an coming youngsters that we have been bringing along this year.

“We” called correctly for the first time for 14 matches and chose to bowl on  wicket that looked green and was squidgy at the southern end; the outfield was also quite wet in places and adding in the humid conditions, it seemed like one of those days when you consider abutting but stick the oppo in.

Things looked good as Ashdeep Virdi (1-44 off 15) swung the ball prodigiously and 2^nd ball their opener was gone to a lifter outside off stump; we thought that this was going to be the start of a fierce examination of the Gordon batsmen, however it was not to be as we bowled lines that rarely troubled their top order and when we did we dropped 7 catches. One of the home side, Elton the keeper, amassed 70 (being dropped 6 times (twice caught and bowled, twice at mid off, once at mid on and once behind the wicket) and to be honest it was his wicket and the runs he made that probably cost us the game ultimately.

Matt Butcher bowled valiantly all day, when asked, and completed 19 gruelling overs in the humidity and took 3-64. Tom Kaye bowled well despite finding the heat sapping and took 2-21 off 11 overs, but probably struggled after too much cricket (NZ & Green Shield). Cameron Ashe at times seemed disappointed with his bowling but finished up positively with 2-62 off 16 overs, including the prized wicket of former Manly 1^st Grade leg spinner, Matt Todd, who made his intentions quite clear from ball one. The stand in skipper (1-15) only managed 9 overs but snared the Gordon number 4. A comment about our stand in keeper, Steff James who did a brilliant job all day long; he hadn’t kept for ages and was good all day to some wayward deliveries. Thanks Steff. Gordon all out 222 off 70.4 overs

So we had 7 overs to survive the new ball attack of Nirth & Stilbeck and Rawlings and James Ritchie marched out. Unfortunately James was caught behind for 2 and Mitch Pugh as the Number three had a few overs to deal with. Sadly he was caught behind off Skilbeck first ball and Toby Poole carefully ensured that no further lapse occurred till the close. 2-12 off 7 overs.

Jarrod and Toby did a great job for the first hour as planned on  much greener surface than the previous week, which seemed to concern our lads, but I felt was going to be to our advantage since it was quite hard underneath. These two took our score to 43 for the 3^rd wicket when a terrible mishap occurred; Jarrod realised that the call for a single wasn’t on and he tried to turn back in vain. Runout number 1. Steff James was victim number two to the same mode of dismissal, when he was left stranded half down the wicket having hit a strong drive through midwicket and then Tom Kaye called Toby through for a sharp single to the leg side and found himself almost shaking hands, to be our 3^rd victim of a runout. Poor Toby of course felt dreadful.

The tragedy was that these 3 dismissals really looked like the only way our guys were going to get out to the Gordon attack at that stage and we gifted them our wickets. Matt Butcher then joined Toby and they took the score from 5-52 to after tea when Butch decided that the ground wasn’t really big enough for him and the off spinner and he lost his middle stump for 36 when the score was 110. Jordan Meredith obviously felt Matt’s approach was correct and proceeded to smash the same bowler to all parts and despite being dropped twice finally played on for 28 and we were still some way off the target with 7 down for 145. Virdi succumbed LBW to Toddy (his first wicket of the day) and who was by now bowling with his Gordon cap on, sweating and swearing profusely and then Toby finally tried one cut too many off a Toddy wrong un and was bowled for a fine 45 over a mammoth 4 hour stint at the crease.

But Toby had done the job he was asked to do and we had found out (albeit late in the day) that he was seriously under weather with the flu (perhaps the same virus that had struck down the absentee skipper, who had actually been spotted lying prone under an acacia tree the previous week, with a half filled flagon!); Anyway Toby very well done; this was probably your best innings for Manly so build on that and the confidence it will bring you. It was a gusty effort and one that deserved a win.

So with the score on 9-153 in comes Cameron Ashe. No sign of nerves and with a cheeky grin visible under his strange black helmet, he proceeded to treat all the bowlers to his own classy style of batting. To hear the silence that was coming from the Gordon slip cordon and even Elton, the Gordon keeper, suggesting that we may had reversed the batting order, could only encourage Cash’s determination. As the runs kept on coming, the Gordon Captain Tim Packman, was beginning to fear that the unlikely could happen. Ringing the bowling changes he brought back opener Skilbeck who finally got one through Cameron’s guard and it was all over for us, with 15 overs to spare, all out for 193. With our last wicket partnership being 40 runs, it was a strong reminder that sensible batting, even by tailenders can win games (as was suggested by Dave Farrell in the dressing rooms before play started)

For me the takeaway was this; too many younger players do NOT value their wicket high enough. It is for the opposition to GET you out, not for you to throw it away.

One final thing; some of us stayed back (even Dollars!), on both days, to sample the hospitality of the Gordon Club, hosted so well by Tim Packman. To have the odd beer with the opposition after a hard fought match is a kind of respect that has sadly disappeared from the game. Well done Gordon for being so welcoming.

After Day 2 event the umpires joined us for a beer led by the amusing Ian MacIntosh.

Whatever the outcome, and I hate losing more than most, I had a ball, so thanks for letting me have a game Dave! You can take control back now and win the next one though!

Cliffy

First Grade T20 Report VS Parramatta – “ The Observer "

Manly7-143 (Davis 57, Cruickshank 41) Def by Parramatta 162 (Hill 3-31)

Manly’s attempt to defend  their T/20 Premiership ended on Sunday following a 19 run loss to Parramatta.

In sultry conditions Parramatta got away to a flying start scoring 70 runs from their first 7 overs and after 10 overs were 4/92.  Steady bowling thereafter restrained their blistering attack and they were eventually dismissed for 162 after 20 overs.

Most successful bowlers were Nat Hill with 3/31 (4 overs) Steven O’Keefe 1/17 (4 overs) and Jack Ritchie 2/32 (4 overs).

From a cautious start Manly gradually increased their tempo thanks to valuable contributions from Ben Davis who scored 57 runs (68m 47b/f 4/6 2/4) and Tim Cruickshank 41 runs (34m 29 b/f 1/6 4/4 ).

However following their dismissals the required runs for victory were not scored.

The Observer