Destiny

If ever there was a player destined to play A1 as a selected player it is Josh Banner (A2) – Josh is pictured with the 2010/11 A1 side and is front row and far right, kneeling.

So far this season Josh is the:

• Top run scorer in our Club with 542 runs @ 53.78
• A2 Competition’s top run scorer and is an amazing 99 runs ahead of his nearest rival
• Top run scorer in all Association Grades above C3.

Run scoring aside, Josh has been part of A1 since he was a youngster – since he was about 10 years of age.

Way back in 2010/11 Josh was always at A1 games initially supporting his Uncle, Michael ‘Volc’ Banner (A2) but then becoming part of the Team. He was also on the field celebrating with the players immediately after their famous come from behind win in the 2011/12 Grand Final win and has been at every A1 Grand Final since. When the time comes, probably next season to get his unique A1 number this will be a special moment that has been 9 years in the making.

But…first things first. There is an A2 Premiership to win this season.

A season to remember

Irrespective of what happens in the Finals this has been a season to remember. This season we have 6 Senior Teams guaranteed of a Semi Final , with 3 other Teams still right in the race:

• A1 – 3^rd or 4^th
• A2 – 1^st
• B1 Red – 1^st
• C2 Blue – 1^st
• C3 – 1^st
• D1 – 3^rd or 4^th

Likely but need to win

• B2 – 3^rd
• C2 Red – 4^th

Still in it

• C1 – 6^th

If any of the 3 Teams shown as being ‘Likely’ or ‘Still in it’ win this will be a new Club record for Teams making it to the Semi’s. The current record was in the 2012/13 Season when we had 6 Seniors Teams in the Semi Finals with all 6 winning the Minor Premiership. All 6 Teams made the Grand Final with three of these Teams Premiers and 3 Runners up.

Something to think about

A1 has exceeded all expectations this year with a young Team in a rebuilding stage. One of the characteristics of our top Graded sides (A1 to B Grades) of the past is that they all had a great focus on being part of one Club. One guess why our A1 side this season is now in the top 4. When their game was washed out on Saturday the boys came along as a Team to support our sides still playing – B2 (Les Shore), C1 (Campbell Park) and C2 Blue & C2 Red (Dural Park). I guess you don’t have to look too far to see what makes this team special.

Space Cadets

We have three candidates this game:

Zac Morris (B2 & U16 Blue)

Sorry Zac but you have been keeping a low profile for a while just scoring runs and lots of them. Anyway, it all happened at the Trivia Night when he managed to spill Ryan Loveridge’s beer not once but twice – unforgivable. His first effort was trying to shake Ryan’s hand. While this was bad enough there was some beer still left in the glass. It got worse when the B2 wicket keeper then tried a quick recovery and then knocked it over a 2^nd time and losing the lot – doesn’t get much worse than that Zac.

Stu Fiedler (C2 Blue)

Making his Captaincy debut in the absence of his legendary father (Andrew) Stu was handed the reins to run the Team. The day was a wet one – cold, windy and drizzling rain. Winning the toss and electing to bowl was probably a 50/50 call but later in the innings the ball was a piece of soap. Being a gentleman, Indranil (C2 Red Captain), the opposing Captain, offered Stu the chance to use a dry ball before a change was due to make it easier on his bowlers. Stu decided not to take up this offer and the Red’s capitalised from there. Let’s put it down to a learning experience.

Lachlan McBrien (A2)

This exchange on TeamApp was a good one:

Ross A score update request:

“How is it going”

Response from Lachly:

“Good thanks Ross, and you?”