TravelSIM Waratahs go down to Bankstown in 1 day final

Unfortunately our first grade side has gone down to Bankstown on Sunday in the final of the limited over competition.

The match was played at Glen McGrath Oval, home of Sutherland, after Bankstown Oval was unavailable due to hosting the Sheffield Shield match. The outfield was immaculate, the pitch flat but true, so it was set-up for a great tussle between the top 2 teams in the competition.

Bankstown won the toss and batted. The Waratahs started well early with a wicket in the first over to James Munting, trapping run machine Daniel Solway LBW for a duck. Phil Wells then came to the crease. An early snick through a vacant 2nd slip was about the only blemish in a fantastic batting display from Wells as he went on to post a match winning hundred. No other batsmen got more than 35.

Our bowling and fielding were not quite up to scratch. We bowled 25 wides and 31 sundries in total, which really isn’t good enough in a final. We just weren’t quite sharp enough in the field either.

Taylor Beatty was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 42 off his 10 overs.

Bankstown reached 7 for 263 at the end of their 50 overs. It was about par score considering the wicket and the outfield, but still probably 20 runs more than they should have got.

We started positively with the bat until Justin Cox was unluckily given out caught behind for 12 with the score on 18. This brought Adam Crosthwaite to join Cameron Merchant at the crease.

Together they built a formidable partnership. Combining some string drives through the leg side with deft touches behind the wicket, the 2 showed how to bat in a final, putting on a fantastic 129 run partnership.

We were 1 for 147 after 30 overs, needing 117 off 120 balls with 9 wickets in the shed. You would back us from there most days of the week, but this was a final and anything can happen in finals cricket…. and it did.

Crossy was given out LBW sweeping to Bankstown skipper Jarrod Burke on the last ball of the 31st over, and then Nappa edged one behind the very first ball of the next over to see us lose 2 wicets in 2 balls and bring 2 new batsmen to the crease. Unfortunately Beadle and Lenton went for 0 and 1, and the game had changed in 10 minutes. We lost 4 for 1 in 6 overs and were all of a sudden 5 for 148 in the 36th over.

Beatty and Cruickshank battled hard but when Beatty was bowled going to a big one, and Cruickshank was run out, only a miracle was going to save us. But there were no miracles on this day.

We were bowled out for 187. Bankstown bowled and fielded very well, and thoroughly deserved their victory. Their 12 extras was a stark contrast to our 35, and one of their batsmen was able to go on to get a hundred. Ultimately we were outplayed on the day.

So our attention turns to the 2 day competition. With all teams guaranteed positions in the finals with 1 round remaining, there is still plenty of silverware to be won.

Go Manly!