Pink Service Award

In the News we gave an update on the big acknowledgement we got from the McGrath Foundation with the prestigious ‘Pink Service Award’ – one of only 7 Clubs Australia wide!

Think for a moment how special this is.

A media release being issued this week by the McGrath Foundation says, in part:

“West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Cricket Club has been recognised by the McGrath Foundation as one of just 7 Clubs nation-wide awarded with a Pink Service Award for their ongoing support and dedication to fundraising…It’s incredible that Club’s like West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Cricket Club turnout each year to show their support and raise funds for McGrath Breast Care Nurses”

Our contribution over the 9 years we have been running Pink Stumps day initiatives has been $42,500.

One of the highlights was in 2016/17 when our Pink Stumps Team raised $6,000 and then our U15 Armidale Team (pictured) initiated and then ran a Pink Stumps Day at the Armidale Country Carnival (January 2017) for the first time in their long history of play.

Some names of the people who drove this are still doing great things through either their involvement and / or their children’s: Wendy Paton (front right seated), Ray Silins (front left seated), Jane Bish far right (standing) and Andrew Morris (3^rd left, standing) – to name just a few of these great people.

This is something everyone in our Club should feel pretty special about.

Just pause for a moment

We have been a successful Club on the field for many years and there are reasons for this – it doesn’t just happen. What can get lost in all of our focus on the week to week competition is what is happening off the field by our many volunteers, over a long time.

How about this for a list of recent achievements:

• SportsNSW Community Club of the Year 2017 & 2018 (Runner up)
• CNSW Club of the Year – (2018/19 & 2019/20) – winner
• ‘A Sport for All’ – Australian Club of the Year (2018/19) – Runner-up
• SportsNSW Distinguished Long Service recognition (2017)– Barry McDonald
• Cricket Australia ‘A Sport for All’ – ‘Young Community Leader’ NSW nominee and Australian winner 2020 (Danielle Chivers)
• Good Sports Award – NSW Club Champion & Australian runner-up 2021 (Maddie Jones)
• Pink Service Award – McGrath Foundation recognition of one of only 7 Clubs, nation-wide for ongoing support and fund-raising (2021)

This doesn’t include the major individual Awards at global and Australian level for our players including the ICC Hall of Fame (Lisa Sthalekar), MCC Life Membership (Denise Annetts).

So when you take the field it is a nice feeling to know that the Club you are playing for is up there with the best – rated against all Community sporting Clubs Australia wide!

What a year – and more to come

Throw in a pandemic, a disrupted and delayed start to the season and what a season we have had! This has been our most successful season in our 90 year history.

In 2016/17 we set a then record with 8 of our 10 Senior Teams making the Semi’s. We finished with 4 Grand Finalists and 2 Premiers. In 2012/13 we had 6 Teams in the Semi’s – all Minor Premiers!

Roll-on 2020/21 and we have a new Club & Association record. Congratulations to our 9 Semi Finalists out of 13 Teams and of the 4 that missed out every Team was just 1 win over the season out of the Top 4! Final standings are:

• A1 (Wurthy) – 3^rd
• A2 (Gunny) – 5^th
• B1:
  • Blue (Napper) – 3^rd
  • Red (Rick) – 5^th
• B2 (Phil) – Minor Premiers
• C1 (Joseph) – 5^th
• C2:
  • Blue (Buzz) – Minor Premiers
  • Red (Stu) – 4^th
• C3 (Indranil) – 6^th
• C4 (Rob) – Minor Premiers
• D1:
  • Blue (Ross S) – Minor Premiers
  • Red (Diggers) – 3^rd
• D2 (Nirav) – Minor Premiers

Add to this in the Juniors we had:

• 10 Juniors in the Semis
• 4  Minor Premiers
• 2 Grades (U17s & U12s) with 3 of the 4 Semi-finalists
• 1 Girl’s team in the Semis.

So all up – 20 x Semi Finalists, 9 x Minor Premier and all this in a Club that has a “Participation Over Results’ policy in Junior Cricket!

What a year, and more the come!

One tough player

Fortunately we have few injuries over the years but when we do they are ‘good’ ones. Cameron Croucher (C3 last season) with a busted collarbone comes to mind. This time it is Jake Smith (D1 Blue) who is one tough player. After a fielding mis-hap, Jake managed to get a compound break to his hand (pictured).

Jake Smith (D1 Blue and pictured) is one tough player. The first we heard about the injury was a comment on TeamApp with a score update “Dad and I are still waiting in the urgent care unit at Westmead”. Here was Jake sending updates with one hand and in great pain – commitment.

Something about this side – they just keep winning when the odds are against them. Add to Jake’s injury the D1 Red boys keep dropping like flys. This week Anik fractured his ankle mid game. The boys go into the Semi next week with only 9 fit players. The last few weeks have seen them lose 5 players including a dislocated and broken shoulder, broken Ankle and broken hand. Not ideal, but if anything they just get tougher to beat.

3 and counting

Since returning to the cricket in 2012/13 after a stint away from the game there was a time when Buzz Burrows C2 (Blue) Skipper played each season and didn’t expect to make the Semi’s, let alone win the Comp. How times change.

Buzz has now won his 3^rd successive Minor Premierships with the mighty C2 Blues having come up from C3 after dominating that Comp. Every year has the familiar ring to it – the Team wins, they go up a Grade and Buzz gets resigned to it being a struggle. Every year has the same outcome – a Minor Premiership and a chance at the Big Dance. So we go into the Semi’s with Buzz aiming for a 3xPeat and who is game enough to bet against them – except ofcourse our Red side under Stu Fiedler who play them in the elimination next week – probably their toughest game to come. The top 2 side slugging it out with the winner taking all.