How would you feel?

Imagine being 17 years old, working as an Intern in CNSW and sitting outside a meeting room named after you. Meet our CA Young Community Leader of the Year – Danielle Chivers.

Danielle Chivers, our Junior Blasters Director and a West Penno Girls graduate, recently had the rare distinction of having a meeting room named after her at the new $50m CNSW Cricket Central complex. Only a handful of NSW volunteers have meeting rooms named after them in this new purpose built state of the art building.

Danielle also won the prestigious Cricket Australia Award as Young Community Leader of the Year in 2021.

Add to this being the youngest Executive Committee member in our Club’s 92 year history Danielle has already achieved extraordinary things. Keep in mind that she is about to start her HSC – amazing.

Photo: Danielle outside the CNSW meeting room named in her honour – September 2022

Fathers & sons playing together

On Sunday 16 October 2022 (Round 3), this record has been 92 years in the making. In the C3 Blue Team, Ron (1982-1997/98) and Mat Marsden (1984/85 to 1998/99 plus a cameo return in 2014/15 & a season in 2016/17) played together.

Nothing unusual so far but also playing was Ron’s son Jack, and Mat’s son Bronson. What makes this a first is that both dads (Ron & Mat) played Juniors and then Seniors and now their sons, Bronson & Jack played – a 40 year connection when both fathers and now both sons played Juniors and also Seniors for us and in the same Team.

Photo: The Marsden’s: Bronson & Mat; Ron & Jack). C3 Blue Vs Castle Hill @ Caterson 4 – 16 October 2022

Space Cadet

First – our theme music: Rocket Man

Our first full completed Round (Round 3) and we get our first and well credentialed Space Cadet. After cracking this significant achievement last season, Connor (D1 Red) stepped up again to open the batting with this prestigious Award. Noticing that Connor was wearing a black armband to the game, one of our senior players asked, sensitively, if this was to represent the memory of a family member. But no – it was in memory of Warney.

Now to recap, Warnie’s tragic death was way back on 4 March 2022. Since then there has been 211 days (6 months & 27 days). Plus 2 games of cricket plus about 3 clothes washes and the black armband has survived. Asked if Warnie meant that much to Connor, the answer was more pragmatic. The Answer, “No – I just haven’t gotten around to removing it.”

The compromise

Ross Smith (D2 Captain) should get a role in the United Nations. Picture this – our D2 boys were playing Berowra (Round 4) at Northholm Grammar and enjoying the chance to actually get out and play. Then an entourage of Rugby players rocked up thinking they had a ground booking and demanded use of the ground – Ross Smith Vs the masses. The Opposition Captain stayed well clear of the ‘discussions’ and was happy to be briefed – sounds like a job interview for the next CEO of Optus – being invisible when WW3 is happening.

Anyway, after a Teacher confirmed the School got the booking wrong a Compromise was struck:

• At 3.00 pm the game was stopped for 25 minutes to allow a shortened game of football to proceed
• They then had a 15 minute half-time break and the boys continued their game
• Another break and the Rugby played their 2^nd half for 25 minutes before the game continued at 4.10 pm.

All up we lost over an hour’s play, got to see a game of Rugby and Ross Smith confirming his status as a master negotiator – 1 Vs 100 opposition.

Photo: Ross Smith (right) with Diggers – Dural Park 22 January 2022

How good is this one

Our Stage 3 Girls have taken up the cause on ‘Movember’ (Round 5) with a great initiative to support this wonderful cause. The following note from Kirsty Newbury (our Club Diversity & Inclusion Director) says it all:

“The Stage 3 girls celebrated a close win against Leichhardt today.

 Our Team this round are actively promoting Movember in support of all the amazing men who champion us and our game. At the game today we were raising money for this important cause.

 The Stage 3 girls wore moustaches for the game to raise awareness. We will also be asking the other Stage 1 and Stage 2 teams to join us in our fundraising efforts at training.”

We are going to have this on Facebook shortly so if you get a chance to support these fantastic Girls then give it a go.

Photo: Girls Stage 2 (Thomas) Team celebrating – 26 November 2022

Quote of the week

Where would we be without Ray Khamis (B1 Red) – either as a match winning player, for either our side or the Opposition, a record breaking batter (the most number of sixers in an over – 5) or providing a quote that comes from ‘anywhere’.

Well big Ray hit the jackpot again on the weekend when his B1 Red side had the pleasure of playing a Sunday game (Round 5). To quote the Match Report from his Captain (Birdcage):

“Big Ray ‘would rather be in Covid isolation than playing cricket today’ Khamis taking ‘the best catch I’ve seen in my 113 years watching club cricket’

Photo: Ray Khamis (right) with Adam van Saarloos (B1) , Bill Gaunt (A1) enjoying a beer at 6.00 am during the Football World Cup – 4th December 2022.

Third time lucky

Congratulations to Brahadesh ‘Ram’ Ramamurthy (D2) for his ton on the weekend (Round 5). This is Ram’s 1^st ton in over 20 years of Seniors cricket. The story behind this is fabulous. This was Ram’s 3^rd attempt at scoring his 1^st ton – the 2 previous times he was run out for 99! So when he was on 99 for the 3^rd time there were serious nerves but…he got there. We will load a Facebook video of the moment on Monday so stay tuned.

Photo: Ram’s 2^nd century – 100 not out Vs Kenthurst @ Kenthurst Oval. 10 December 2022

Youngest high achievers

This is a special photo of the 2 youngest players to score a double ton in our history. When Lachlan Edwards (C3) scored 209* on the weekend he became our youngest player to reach this milestone – 17 years, 9 months & 23 days. There to congratulate him was Brent Larkham the previous record holder at 17 years, 10 months & 16 days when playing B2 Grade back on 4^th November 2017.

Apart from being an important historical photo both Brent and Lachlan are class acts are worthy record holders until someone else comes along to break this new record.

Photo: Brent Larkham (200* (left) and Lachlan Edwards – WPH Sports Club – 26 November 2022.

Our future revealed

First up, our musical theme to open this story – The Mullet song

It was great to see the mighty B2’s back at the Club after their good win (Round 7). One of our long-termers commented that there was the future of our A Grade with so many young stars. When working out why the boys were dominating B2’s and what it will take to make the next level we found the secret – mullets and basically just ‘bad hair’. We didn’t include another emerging young star, Xander Vink because he looks normal. But for all those younger players aspiring to play the elite Grade, this is the secret – bad hair.

Photo – Connor Hindmarch. Dylan Bish & Sam Kirkgard proudly displaying their locks – 10 December 2022.

Space Cadet

First – our latest theme music: Space Oddity

Just to show the significance of the prestigious Space Cadet Award our last winner was back in Round 3. What better way to celebrate the half-way mark of the season than for our latest winner – Anubhav ‘Jerry’ Banerjee (C4).

Jerry was at Team training during the week and forgot to bring along his protector. Nothing was going to stop Jerry from having bat so he found a willing mate to lend him his jockstrap and protector and put it on the outside of his shorts. From what we are told the protector was extra-large and Jerry proudly displayed something that was not all it looked – so as to speak.

So a Space Cadet award to Jerry for obvious reasons and to the C4 Team for actually having a communal jock strap and worst still – admitting it!

A word of experience

The A2 boys were playing at the Glade on the weekend (Round 10) and to quote our Skipper (Campbell):

“There are conflict-zones in war-torn Syria that would be less of a minefield than this pitch. The sideways, up-and-down movement in it could account for nearly all our wickets.”

One of our best bats (Soham) was particularly unlucky. To quote Campbell again:

“The bowler delivered a bouncer which promptly rolled along the ground striking him on the foot, directly in front.”

As Soham walked back to the sheds the word of an experienced campaigner – Steve Rochow:

“Gotta get forward to those mate”

Photo: Steve batting and showing how to get on the front foot – 12 December 2020

Cricket is a hard game

Back in Round 7, Ryan ‘Birdcage’ Loveridge was on a roll. The B1 Red Skipper was scoring big runs, taking wickets and a couple of weeks later the big fella scored his first ton. This prompted Birdcage to comment that “Cricket is such an easy game” – a comment that earned the following musical recognition – It’s hard to be humble

Fast forward to Round 11 and cricket does what it always does and reminds everyone that it maybe isn’t as easy as it sometimes looks. After a couple of losses, a few dropped catches and a run-scoring blip the game returned to normal. To quote Birdcage after the latest Round; “…cricket is a hard game”.

Photo: Ryan (centre) with Michael Richards (A1) & Billy Gaunt (A1) – 27th November 2021.

Back in your box

Last weekend (Round 14), Sean Clarence (A1) scored 100* in what was described by the A1 boys as a Masterclass against the 2^nd best attack in the Comp – ours is the best. As context, to quote the Match report from last week:

“99 not out, 9 down. Sav tips one to mid-off and takes off for a suicidal single. A clean pick up and he’s out – fortunately that was not the case. Sav bringing up our second ton of the year and the Clubs 637^th overall. It was accompanied with one of the mutest celebrations – a half bat raise to the crowd and a small shrug of the shoulders. I’ve celebrated singles in a more enthusiastic way before.”

Sean (aka Sav – short for Saviour), one of the most modest players in our Club, was asked about his low-key celebration and what was his best-ever ton. When pushed, he confirmed that it was a Premier 1^st Grade ton against St George where the bowling attack included Trent Copeland, Josh Hazelwood and Moises Henriques.

The response was a classic:

“Must have been small boundaries” (Tom Hando)

“Have you played there, at Hurstville Oval!?” (Sav)

“No Sav, our Mecca is our home ground – Berowra Oval.” (Tom)

Photo: Sean batting in the A1 Semi Final at Parklands Oval – 4^th March 2023

Family Affair

Going into the Grand Finals this weekend, our Minor Premier B2 side has an amazing bowling attack – led by the Hutchinson family. Todd leads the bowling aggregate with 36 wickets (average of 9.8), Craig (dad) sits 2^nd in the Leader Board has 22 wickets @ 10.8 & Jack is in 3^rd place with 17 wickets @ 12.3.

Add to this, Craig took match figures of 10/51 (6/7 & 4/44) and Todd a best return of 6/29.

With Chris Williamson (12 wickets @ 15.8) unless something extraordinary happens in the GF this means that for the first we will have a family takeout the top 3 bowling spots in a Team.

Post script (23 March 2023) – after the Grand Final the season end wicket count is: Todd 40 wickets, Craig Hutchinson 23 & Jack 18 wickets

Photo: Craig, Todd & Jack Hutchinson after the B2 Grand Final – Greenway Park – 19 March 2023.

The Barnacle

Last week we did a story on Chris Williamson (B2) who batted for 90 overs for an important 50 runs in the Semi Final.

On to the GF and Chris backed this up with another 50 in another batting effort that passed 90 overs with wickets falling around him. To quote his skipper, Todd:

“…..he batted for yet another 90 flippin’ overs and brought up back to back 50s. A knock of pure class, grit and determination. 180 overs of batting accross this finals campaign… more overs than I’ve faced in my whole seniors career.”

Time will now tell if this is another season defining innings.

Photo: Chris Williamson (right) with Jack Hutchinson & Lachlan Edwards – Greenway Park – 4 March 2023