Behind the scenes
We all look forward to Saturday, play our games and then do the many other things during the week that life presents to us. Spare a thought for our amazing volunteers who do all the same things with family and work commitments but also manage a large Cricket Club.
This weekend is good example what is involved behind the scenes.
In case anyone needed any reminding, Australia played India at the SCG on Saturday. In the words of James Makin, our Seniors Director:
“Holy smoke!
Just counted it up – we only had 141 of the 205 full-time players available.
So that’s 64 players out.
Despite 14-15 players in each squad, that translated to 19 holes needing to be filled in order to get 11 players on each park.
So it’s been a couple of weeks of hunting for fill-ins, calling on juniors, shuffling players between teams, doubling-up across Saturday and Sunday games, and negotiating with Oppositions to turn one-dayers into two-dayers.
This is why these Captains earn the big bucks :)”
So when you next see your Captain make sure you say a shout them a beer at the Club and as for James, nothing less than a keg!
Dodged a bullet
Wednesday was a shocker with high temperatures setting October records. How lucky are we that this didn’t happen on Saturday.
Just on this, it is worth going back in time to look at our worst hot-spell.
On Saturday 11th February 2017 the Association abandoned all play due to predicted heat – the first time in our Association history going back to 1921. Some facts:
- Sydney had a record breaking 3 successive days of high temperatures with Friday 45, 44 on Saturday and 45 degrees on Sunday. Sydney’s West also recorded its hottest-ever day, hitting 46.9 degrees at Penrith, while Richmond touched the 47-degree mark.
- In the Hornsby area temperatures peaked at 44.5 degrees on the Saturday.
- The Sydney Cricket Association, that administers the Grade Competition, abandoned all competition – the first time since being established in 1853.
Women & Girls
Between 22nd and 26th October, Cricket Australia and CNSW celebrated Women’s & Girls Week.
The Leadership role that our Club has played in Girls Cricket is significant. Just a few highlights worth calling out:
- Across all Divisions (Girls = 76 + Blast = 16 + Juniors Mixed = 6) we have 98 Girls registered. This is the highest number of Girls we have registered – beating the 85 registered in 1998/99
- Since 1996/97 we have registered 1,394 girls
- On current registrations, 12.8% of all Registrations are female – up from 11.3% last season and 9.8% in 2023/24
- The list of women / girls who have gone on to represent Australia is amazing – WPHC Australian Representatives
- Also worth remembering is that we won the CNSW & CA National Awards of Inclusion & Diversity Initiative of the Year (2022/23) &Women & Girls Initiative of the Year (2021/22)
- Finally, it was our Girls who let the coloured uniform changeover and the Indigenous design now adopted Club wide.
Go the Girls!
Records by Grade – wicket/keeping
So far, we have highlighted the record for each Grade in batting & bowling. This week we conclude our record holders for wicket-keeping.
| Grade | Highest wickets | Player | When | Current player nearest the record |
| A1 | 93 | Nick Bennett (81 catches; 12 stumpings) | 2008/09 to 2018/19 | Billy Gaunt 29 (23 catches; 6 stumpings |
| A2 | 60 | Nick Bennett (58 catches & 2 stumpings) | 2007/08 to 2018/19 | Brent Larkham 19 (19 catches) |
| B1 | 96 | Dale Armstrong (breakdown N/A) | 1991/92 to 1997/98 | No near competitor |
| B2 | 55 | Scott Allan (breakdown N/A)) | 1998/99 to 2001/02 | No near competitor |
| C1 | 21 | Aaron Carlini (20 catches & 1 stumping) | 2012/13 to 2015/16 | No near competitor |
| C2 | 34 | Indranil Mukherjee (26 catches & 8 stumpings) | 2017/18 to 2022/23 | Indranil Mukherjee – 34 (26 catches; 8 stumpings) |
| C3 | 37 | Indranil Mukherjee (23 catches & 9 stumpings) | 2016/17 to 2025/26 – 343 | No near competitor |
| C4 | 16 | Aden Hanich (15 catches & 1 stumping) | 2020/21 to 2023/24 | No near competitor |
| D1 | 29 | Pratah Sinnetamby (23 catches & 6 stumpings) | 2011/12 to 2021/22 | Ian Digby – 28 (22 catches & 6 stumpings) |
| D2 | 70 | Luke Christensen (56 catches & 14 stumpings) | 2007/08 to 2021/22 | No near competitor |
Our Top 5 wicket-keepers across all Grades are:
| Player | Dismissals | When | Grades |
| Dale Armstrong | 190 (break-up NA) | 1984/85 to 2001/02 | C2 to A2 |
| Nick Bennett | 183 165 catches; 18 stumpings | 2003/04 to 2018/19 | C3 to A1 |
| Julian Raffel | 115 (103 catches; 12 stumpings | 2009/10 to 2018/19 | D1 to A2 |
| Indranil Mukherjee | 104 (81 catches; 23 stumpings) | 2014/15 to current | D2 to C1 |
| Aaron Carlini | 93 (82 catches; 11 stumpings) | 2010/11 to current | C3 to A2 |
What would your Decision be?
Question 1
When delivering the ball, a spinner oversteps the popping crease; the umpire calls and signals No ball. Before the ball reaches the striker, a strong gust of wind removes a bail from the striker’s wicket. The ball is subsequently struck through the covers and all the way to the boundary. What action, if any, shall either umpire take?
Question 2
A bowler oversteps the popping crease when delivering the ball. The ball hits the striker’s pad, which is directly in line with the wicket, and then loops up in the air and contacts the striker’s glove holding the bat. The ball is taken on the full by a close in fielder who, seeing the striker out of her ground not attempting a run, throws the ball and breaks the wicket. There is an appeal. How shall the appeal be answered and by which umpire?
Question 3
The striker hits the ball to long-on, and the batters complete a run. As they start the second run, a fielder throws the ball. It is missed by the wicket-keeper and travels into the outfield, where the ball contacts a fielder’s hat, which had been wilfully discarded on the ground, just in front of the boundary rope. At the instant when the ball contacted the hat, the batters had completed 2 runs but had not crossed on a third. If the ball hadn’t hit the discarded hat, it would have gone to the boundary. What happens next? How many runs are scored and how are the runs recorded?
Question 4
A bowler delivers a ball that bounces twice before reaching the popping crease. What action should the umpire take? Is the ball a fair delivery?
Question 5
The striker hits the ball into the air. A fielder takes the ball cleanly, but before completing the catch, the fielder contacts the boundary rope with the ball in their hands. How is the appeal answered? What happens now?
What would your Decision be?
Answers
Question 1
Revoke the call of No ball and signal Dead ball Laws 20.4 and 21.12
Question 2
Striker’s end umpire to give the striker out Run Out Laws 21.18 and 38.1
Question 3
7 runs scored (5 Penalty runs and 2 completed runs). Ball not to count. Striker to face the next ball Umpires to inform everybody and report. Law 28.2
Question 4
Call and signal No ball Law 21.7
Question 5
Not out. Award the Boundary 6, which is credited to the striker. Laws 19.4.2, 19.5 and 33.3