We won 3 out of 5 grades on the weekend, with fifth grade winning outright. With 3 rounds remaining we are still placed 3rd in the club champs and have 3 teams in the top 6, with 1sts being placed 5th, 3rds being placed 2nd and 5ths being placed 1st.
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Outstanding Performances
Adam Crosthwaite 58 (1sts)
Tim Cruickshank 52 (1sts)
James Munting 4-27 (1sts)
Shane Cleary 3-70 (1sts)
Mitch Cleary 53 (2nds)
Dylan Marshall 5-90 (2nds)
Matt Alexander 3-46 (2nds)
Craig Little 5-34 (3rds)
Rowley Alexander 120* (4ths)
Joel Mason 65 (4ths)
James Ritchie 62 (5ths)
Arshdeep Virdi 4-11 + 6-20 (5ths)
Player of the Week – Arshdeep Virdi
Arshdeep lead 5th grade to their second consecutive outright victory on the weekend. Bowling his hooping inswingers, Arshdeep took hauls of 4-11 and 6-20 to finish with the incredible match figures of 10-31. This was an outstanding performance and has propelled 5ths to the top of the ladder. Well done mate!
First Grade Report VS Hawkesbury
Manly 7-279 dec (Crosthwaite 58, Cruickshank 52, King 42, Edgell 38*, Hill 33) Defeated Hawkesbury 180 (Munting 4-27, S Cleary 3-70, Bird 2-38)
Second Grade Report VS Hawesbury
Manly 186 (M Cleary 53, Weston 26) Defeated by Hawkesbury 9-370 (Marshall 5-90, M Alexander 3-46)
Third Grade Report
Manly 138 (Parkinson 33) Defeated by Hawkesbury 213 (Little 5-34)
Fourth Grade Report – Joel Mason
Manly 3-248 (R Alexander 120*, Mason 65, Mee 27*, Pugh 25) Defeated Hawkesbury 186.
After a disappointing loss the week before to competition leaders Sydney, we were looking to come out with a bang on the weekend to put our Semi Final quest back on track. The team had changed quite a bit from the week before, but our new members were young, full of beans and willing to work in the field.
As per all games across Sydney, Grahams was hot as hell, and to make matters worse the outfield was quick, sandy and brown.... so naturally batting was on the agenda. The pitch looked a little green, but as with most Grahams decks was always going to end up playing slow and low. So when Captain extrordinaire Mason lost the toss, fruit and beer bottles were tossed at him by unimpressed team mates. Despite this, with 2 spinners in the side, an accurate pair of opening bowlers, and an energetic and skillful fielding side, we were confident of strangling Hawkesbury and winning the important moments.
Luke and Vinnie both took an early wicket each before a dangerous 3rd wicket stand started. Enter Maxwell “Bang Bang” Burgess. He proceeded to bowl a great spell of left arm orthodox bowling, keeping it tight and taking 4 Hawkesbury wickets. The opposition lost consistent wickets through the middle of the innings, with Bang Bang well supported by Stiltsy taking 2 wickets with his leggies, and Vinnie taking 3 for the innings, including a caught and bowled between his calf and his hammy. Despite a last wicket stand of 40 odd, we bowled Hawkesbury out for 183, a great effort considering the track was flat and the outfield lightning fast. Great fielding from all, especially new comers Tom Kaye and Louise Anderson who both saved countless runs.
With 17 overs left in the day, we went out the bat and got off to the worst possible start, with opener Bang Bang gone 3rd ball (need to play at those one’s hitting middle stump Maxy...). However, captain Mason and the evergreen Rowley Alexander batted the day out in a fair amount of comfort to leave us 1/46 at stumps.
Day 2 was the Rowley Alexander show. Combining with Maso, the 2 put on 80 in the first 13 overs of the day, with balls flying to the boundary left, right and centre. Mason raced to 65 before clipping one to square leg, but Pughy came to the crease and continued the attack, slamming 25 high quality runs before falling to some good bowling from their leg spinner. However, “Sausage” Rowls continued to plunder the attack, combining lofts over the bowlers head with beautiful clips off his pads and elegant square cuts. It was a batting masterclass, and the boys learnt alot just from watching him bat.
We passed the opposition 3 down, and went on to be 3/250 at tea, with rain washing out the afternoons play. The best part of the afternoon was Rowley, no spring chicken at 46, and having been in the middle all 2 days bar 3 balls, trying to get out after his hundred to give the others a bat, trying to hit the ball straight to the fielders. Unfortunately for “Sausage” they either went over their heads for 6 or in-between them to the boundary. Rowley was 122no and Mat Mee 27no at the close of play.
Finally our batting is coming good, and we are looking forward to Bankstown next week.
Fifth Grade Report – Dave Farrell
Manly 9-184 dec (Ritchie 62, Bruce 32, Rawlings 26) & 3-14 Defeated Hawkesbury 96 (Virdi 4-11, Farrell 2-23, Edwards 2-27) & 99 (Virdi 6-20, Edwards 2-22) Outright.
Manly 5’s took the long trek out to Richmond on the weekend with 4 players on debut (Alexander, Bruce, Fraser & Edwards). After 2 energy sapping days we travelled back to God’s Country with 10 points and a second outright win in as many games.
Losing the toss, Ash Verdi (4/11 off 13) and Stretch Edwards (2/27) did the damage, supported by Farrell (2/23), Meredith (1/13) & Ritchie (1/4). Hawkesbury rolled for 96 off just 37 overs meant we could get out of the heat and watch our bats knock up a big score.
Overnight we had managed just 65, losing 4 wickets. Not ideal, but we were still in the best position. Thickshakes was our best on day 1 with a patient 26.
We secured a first innings the next day without too much fuss, with James Ritchie scoring a well made 62. Spending time in the middle, Jim started to time the ball beautifully, for his best dig of the season. He was well supported by Cody Bruce, who made 32 on debut and shared in a 70 run partnership with Jim.
The Tah’s declared at 9/184, giving us a lead of 87 and 48 overs to bowl them out, after an early tea. A couple of early wickets and partnerships from the Hawks were blown away when the Southerly struck. Unable to bowl the quicks into the wind Therman Alexander & Jordy Meredith bowled good spells into the gale, with Jordy grabbing a wicket. Not much was happening as Hawkesbury edged closer to out total. Then the wind dropped a little, Edwards & Verdi came back on and the game changed dramatically. Wickets began to fall and we had a sniff. Ash has been putting in the hard yards all year and he was rewarded on Sunday with bowling figures to match. 10.4 overs, 6/40, in a superb exhibition of fast medium swing bowling. Great reward for effort and the ability to improve. Stretch Edwards at times was just too good. Searing leg cutters were being missed by a foot. Another 2 wickets to match his first innings made for an eye catching debut. A big future is assured if he puts in the required work. Hawkesbury did pass our total, bowled out for 99, leaving us 12 runs to get in 4 overs for maximum points.
We lost 3 wickets chasing 12 runs, but were never going to be denied, Toby Poole keeping his nerve to hit the winning runs with 3 balls to spare. 10 points for 5th Grade and more club points to aid in the Club Championship race. 2 full days of cricket, extreme weather, dodgy umpiring from 1 end, all made for a memorable weekend. Many thanks to Dollars and Megan Rawlings for scoring and Butch “Wrighty” Boyer for his sensational work on the boundary with drinks.
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