Round 2 (1-Dayer) – 1 October 2022
Points table (as at Round 2)
A Grade Red (Cam) – =4th (6 points)
A Grade Blue (Campbell) – =4th (6 points)
B1 Red (Birdcage) – =1st (6 points)
B1 Blue (Shomik) – = 1st (6 points)
B2 (Todd) – =1st (9 points)
C1 Blue (Kapil) – =1st (9 points)
C2 Red (Indranil) – =2nd (6 points)
C2 Blue (Rob) – = 2nd (6 points)
C3 Red (Cameron) – = 2nd (6 points)
C3 Blue (Tarun) – = 2nd (6 points)
C4 (Hiresh) – = 2nd (4 points)
D1 Red (Diggers) – =4th (6 points)
D1 Blue (Arun) – = 1st (9 points)
D2 (Ross S) – = 2nd (6 points)
T20 Grand Finals – coming up
Games are scheduled for Sunday 16th & 30th October 2022. Details are:
T20 Finals
1st Grade (Sunday 16th October)
WPHC Vs Berowra @ Greenway Park – 2.00 pm
4th Grade (Sunday 30th October)
WPHC Blue (Rob) Vs Kissing Point @ Les Shore #1 – 2.00 pm
Match Reports
A1 Grade
WPHC Red (Cam) drew with Berowra Maroon
As expected, Berowra Oval was unplayable due to wet weather. Another case of La Nina = 2 and Cricket = Nil.
A2 Grade
WPHC Blue (Campbell) drew with Kissing Point
Another turf oval and another washout.
B1 Grade
WPHC Blue (Shomik) drew with Castle Hill
Another match abandoned without a ball being bowled.
WPHC Red (Birdcage) drew with Normanhurst
Mt Ku-ring-gai was water logged so 2 out of 2 games washed out.
B2 Grade
WPHC (Todd) 3/87 defeated St Ives-Wahroonga 9/85
We rocked up to Hassle Lake sorry Hassle Park and after some local excavation work by men in pristine cricket whites recently purchased (now there’s an idea for a sexy 2023 calendar) play would begin in a reduced 25 over match.
After winning the toss the Hutchinson brothers (Todd 2/14, Jack 1/10) would open the bowling both getting quick wickets before Dylan Bish (1/15) and Prats Datar (2/14) joined in the fun as St Ives were 7/34. One very notable wicket was a drop – sorry intentional tap on – from Chris “Willy” Williams straight into the awaiting hands of Jude Boyle. Jude, make sure you get a beer off Willy.
A strong 8th wicket stand would help St Ives to a total of 85 and make for an interesting chase. With Craig “Senior” Hutchinson (1/17) and Willy would (1/3) chipping in nicely with the ball at the death.
Dylan Bish (35*) and Michael “Volc” Banner (16) would stroll to the middle to begin our chase and face an 11 ball first over. Volc elegantly smoking ball threw cover point, put it on repeat! Dylan continued to accumulate runs with some beautiful stroke play.
Rick Turner and Dylan would take off for a single straight down the wicket on trajectory to collide, with both wanting to assert dominance as true Alpha males, neither showed signs of backing down, and we had our first huge hit of the game.
Connor (11) would fight hard with Dylan through a tight spell of bowling and running some quick singles.
Unfortunately, Dylan slipped and had to retire hurt. This brought Samuel “The Finisher” Kirkgard (12*) to the crease, who very quickly got to work. Bowling a ball on a middle and leg stump line is nothing short of a hospital ball when Sammy is in form, and he so effortlessly and elegantly put the ball over the fence in a much needed big over to get us within 1 run of victory.
With victory in sight Xander Vink (3*) punched one over the top to secure our first win of the season.
C1 Grade
WPHC (Kapil) 84 defeated Kissing Point 79
After couple of mixed results for the newest team in the Club, C1 rose to the occasion by pulling off a miracle after scoring 84 in a low scoring thriller.
On a ground with a wet pitch with uneven bounce and a big and slow outfield, their batting fought bravely against Kissing Point with skipper Kapil scoring 27.
After being bundled out for a lowly score, our bowlers decided to have field day and show what they could do. Kissing Point were treading with caution as our ‘sultan of seam’, Abhimanyu took 4 wickets and inflicted a direct hit to have them at the ropes at the half way mark.
Supported by speed twins Daniel and Matthew and veterans Sid & Manish who took a return catch under pressure, they blew a kiss of death to Kissing Point by having them all out for 79.
This close win should give them ample confidence for the remaining games.”
C2 Grade
WPHC Blue (Rob) drew with Castle Hill
Another early call with no play possible on a water logged Dural Park.
WPHC Red (Indranil) drew with Hornsby
No chance of play with a flooded Campbell Park for the 2nd weekend in a row.
C3 Grade
WPHC Blue (Tarun) drew with St Ives-Wahroonga
An early call on this game at Howson Oval with the match called off on Friday.
WPHC Red (Cameron) drew with Beecroft
Northholm Grammar was too wet to play so the game has been abandoned.
C4 Grade
WPHC (Hiresh) drew with Hornsby
No play as ground was closed due to being unplayable,
D1 Grade
Sunday 2nd October
WPHC Blue (Arun) 7/112 defeated Castle Hill 8/111
It was the 1st official game of the season and with many old faces, and a few new ones, the WPHC D1 Blue team was raring to go. In spite of the wet weather over the last few days, it was a beautiful day for cricket – not too hot and not too cold – like a perfectly spiced chicken tikka!
Arun won the toss and choosing to play to the team’s strengths plus take advantage of a potentially sluggish outfield, he decided to have a bowl.
Praneel and Mridul opened the bowling for us. Providing a combination of pace and tight line and lengths, they kept the opposition under pressure from ball 1. Siby came in as 1st change, and bowled some lovely and at times uplayable in swingers – giving the team it’s 1st breakthrough around the 10 over mark. Special callout to Siby as he continued his solid performance through the innings, ending up with 4 wickets on the day. Nirav (2-17), Sahil (1-17) and Tej (0-9) all bowled impressively too – keeping the opposition’s total to 111 all out.
At the break, the team felt the target was achievable but knew we’d need to bat well to get there. Arun (17) & Luke (9) provided the team a solid start, but fell to some of the slower spin bowling, which interestingly, proved tricky for our batters through the innings. At the halfway mark (18 overs), the team was 2-49 and felt like we were on track, but well aware that only half the job was done. While we lost a couple of quick wickets after the break, Praneel played a brilliant innings (30) to put us in a good position to achieve the total.
Now it was time for the lower order to shine and they didn’t disappoint. Pankaj (14), Siby (12 n.o.) and Nirav (3 n.o.), all made valuable contributions, getting us across the line in the 33rd over.
All in all a good day for the team – solid performances by everyone leading to a good win – onwards and upwards!
Sunday 2nd October
WPHC Red (Diggers) drew with Hornsby
Despite being a Sunday game this one was called off by both Captains as Montview was underwater.
D2 Grade
WPHC (Ross S) drew with Thornleigh
Match drawn – no play possible.
Down to Holland Reserve Friday afternoon to do a ground report….it was clear no play would be possible in the near future. After trudging across a soggy field, taking care not to drown in the several large puddles of surface water, quite apparent that there was no way we would get a game going on Saturday. Both ends of the pitch under water with mud all around the pitch. Game called early. That’s weather 2 – cricket 0.