Anecdotes – 24th September
Hot start to the Seniors Competition
Saturday 23 September was Day 1 of the Seniors competition. It was also one of the hottest September days on record. Inland Sydney suburbs, Richmond’s 36.9 degrees marked the hottest September day since 1980, while Penrith broke records of least 20 years with 37.3 degrees. Out our way, the mercury topped 35 at most of our grounds. Week 1 of the Comp – fun times to come.
“Captain, My Captain”
Simon Smyth A2 Captain (right with Daniel Fiedler). Snumpty is our inspirational Captain who bleeds red, white and blue but when it comes to tossing a coin is pretty much hopeless – in fact Snumpty isn’t quiet that good. That’s why now he goes out to toss the coin in his Naval Captain hat and jacket – Dural Park,23 September 2017.
The Sledge
We have 2 Teams in A2 Grade that is a first for the Association. Our 2 Captains, Simon Smyth and Rick Turner (pictured left with Phil Wurth) have already fired a shot across the bow before their 1st game which just happens to be against each other.
To quote Rick in an email exchange with the Seniors Executive: “As we all know, Snumpty (Simon) is a Club Life Member, Club legend, brilliant Captain and supreme athlete in a broken down body”.
Unfortunately, in keeping with A2 tradition, Rick has earned the first fine of the season for praising a rival skipper.
Like father, like son
The Morris boys (Andrew and Zac) had a day to remember – Andrew is pictured here at Holland Rd helping the Opposition to look for a ball that he hit for 6 in a game last season. In the morning Zac, who plays in the U16 Blues scored his first ton – 100 retired, beating his previous best of 83 in the U15s. Not to be outdone, his dad, Andrew was playing for the B2 Reds and scored 101. So a father and son ton on the same day is very rare and one for the records. While our records on this type of achievement are not available, long term memory sees it as being a first. Anyway, it will now be recorded as the first known combined ton – great stuff boys.
One to watch-out for
Our A2 boys are 1/53 chasing 104 to get first innings points. Maybe this match, maybe next but the boys are just 120 runs away from our A2 sides clocking up 80,000 Team runs since we started in the HKCA (as it was then) way back in 1946. At none for 1/53 the boys, should they have wickets in hand are now just 67 runs short of this amazing milestone.
The challenge the boys will have is to balance off the chance of batting on and getting the record or retiring to the Sports Club once they get 1st innings points to watch the Grand Final. The odds – $1.01 to head to the Club.
What a week
This was the week from hell. Overall, we had 60 players unavailable due to the Flu, attendance at a Community Cultural Festival and also School holidays. Add to this our Seniors Director, Steve Quanborough has been on his deathbed with the Flu and has somehow managed to get all 11 Teams on the field. So if some Teams didn’t have a full 11 players, something rare for our Club that prides itself on having full Teams – this is why.
Well done and a huge thank you to Steve and our Captains to get games underway.
An unwanted record
This season we have 3 Teams in A1 / A2 Grades – 1 Team in A1 and 2 in A2 Grade. This is the first time in the Association history that a Club has achieved this outcome. To further entrench the record – we have 6 Teams in the top 4 Grades with 2 Teams also in B2 Grade.
Why is the record unwanted? It isn’t healthy for our Club who can’t move players between Teams in the same Grade or for the Association to have a concentration of Teams in the top Grades at the expense of other Clubs who should be pushing for A1 status. That said, congratulations to our players to be in this position that reflects our playing strength.