Match Reports
A1 Grade
WPHC (Cam #25) Vs TBA
Turf competition starts 26/2026
A2 Grade
WPHC (Todd) Vs Glenorie 4/320
Welcome back to another season of cricket for WPHCCCCCCCCCC
Today was the start of our season, which felt strange because it was the 19th of September. The second last weekend of September. A weekend where we are accustomed to dusting off the cobwebs with a T20 match. So why was our Clubs fearless Director scrambling to find numbers for a two day match less than 24 hours before the season starts when a draw finally emerges?
What a man Jamaican is navigating player movements to ensure all teams are filled. I’m sure it was a week full of late night coffees, early morning beers and maybe even a xanax or two.
We are rocking up at Les Shore, still a bit dusty, some shoulders in need of loosening, some hands yearning to become accustomed to the feeling of hard leather.
We would lose the toss and be sent in to bowl.
This seemed ok, yes it was 30+ degrees, but it was a good way to ease ourselves back into cricket. And today on the 19th of September, a day we are used to warm-up T20 matches, we were eased back into cricket for the year by watching balls ping of the middle, outside and inside edge and the toe of English willow to all parts of the ground. No matter what part of the bat the ball would hit it would find grass…. A heavy, prickly, bindi ridden outfield that was lightning quick. God we love cricket.
Balls would fall tediously close to outstretched arms but inevitably race away across the outfield. Glenorie’s opener had a day out smoking a quick fire 120 odd with a hundred of those scored through the covers, despite at times having 4 men positioned in the cover region.
Daniel Fagg looked the best of the bowlers early coming away with 3 poles for the day. Dane Twinning made his much-anticipated Club debut, nearly pulling off a screamer that would make Nathan Lyon proud. But as was our day it wasn’t to be.
Dan Schwartzel returned to Australia’s best state with an extra 10km/h of pace and charged relentless beating the batsmen on numerous occasions for no reward.
As the afternoon went on the MCC laws were applied to the letter and Will was forced to be out in the field to endure breathing difficulties and a calf injury, as no sub fielders were allowed.
No one was getting out of today lightly. This meant that the great O Makin was left sitting in whites, in the blistering sun thinking of all the other places a young 16-year-old could be on such a fine weekend.
By 5pm the light started to fade, and we started to play cricket based of anticipation. The batsmen were sticking the bat out hoping the sound of hard leather on wood was ball on bat not bat on stumps…. And of course it was.
Our fieldsmen after suffering in the heat for a gruelling day were still putting their bodies on the line, tackling balls to save vital runs that will make a difference as we embark on pulling off one of the greatest chases in WPHCCCCCC. Source RA.
The umpires soon gave in, and play would stop early due to poor light.
And that was cricket on the 19th of September… but does it really count?
As we all know, the 19th of September is reserved for warm-up T20 matches…. This question can be answered next week after Shomik leads from this team on a great run chase
B1 Grade
WPHC Blue (Prats) Vs Hornsby 8/256
In the words of the great & famed Cameron Newton….
WE’RE BACKKKKKKK
Now that’s about as much enthusiasm & creativity you’ll get in this here dear match report… Cricket is not a fun game and standing on the surface of Sahara Greenway is not fun when bowling first
Prats won a toss, blokes got wickets, blokes went for run after run & blokes dropped catches at a regular pace.
A 2 dayer to start this new season is the biggest woke nonsense I’ve ever seen and that’s including pricey shot-gunning a red bull 15 mins before the first ball.
We go again next week hoping to chase down a large total at Greenway but it may actually be ‘unders’ given the rapid pace of the outfield at the Home of Cricket
Viva La Blue!!!!
Till Next Week
WPHC Red (Warren) 0/6 Vs Castle Hill 8/304 dec
First day of the new cricket season started with a surprise change of opponent and ground. We thought we were playing Castle Hill at the home of cricket, but we made our way to Montview Oval to face Hornsby.
On a warm day with 10 players, Warren won the toss and elected to bowl. This did not look like a good decision when at the first drinks break Hornsby were 0/103 after 18 overs going at a little under 6 an over on a lightning fast outfield. Warren broke through with the first wicket and we were back in the game at 1/125.
At tea the score was 3/175. The bowling tightened up after tea and we had them 8 for 272 at the second drinks break. Hornsby declared at 8/304 leaving 10 overs left in the day. Jake 3/59 and Amit 3/63 were the pick of the bowlers with Ryan 1/19 and Warren 1/39 picking up the other two wickets.
Ronaldo and Luke saw out 4 overs to see us 0/6 before the stumps was call early due to bad light. We are looking forward to chasing 301 next week for the win.
B2 Grade
WPHC (Sparsh) Vs Berowra 6/203
A big opening day for Sparsh’s newly refurbished B2 side on a bright and sunny day in Dural Park.
A clear sky and a clear outfield; but most of all a clear objective for what hasn’t been the easiest of off seasons for the whole West Pennant Hills/Cherrybrook community: go out there, and win. As Berowra stepped out onto the field electing to bat first, West Penno managed to take an early wicket through Manas.
As the pressure on Berowra lasted, chances flowed left, right and centre, with Ratul taking his man with a peach of a delivery. To add on to this, Manav belted a ball through middle stump to send Berowra into a tight 3/70.
But as is the nature of the game, a father-son partnership in the middle was enough to bring back what was a somewhat difficult situation for Berowra.
Yet, West Penno were not quite out of it.
Pratham, Adi, and Pratham again were able to unsettle the Berowra middle order; ending the day on a commendable 6/203.
The game is never quite over until it is indeed over!
West Penno have their work cut out for them next week.
Steadied heads, loud voices, and high spirits will ensure that the boys in white and blue not only get the job done, but do it in a way that defined a certain pair that remain with the boys on the field…
Till next time.
C1 Grade
WPHC Blue (Aniket) Vs Beecroft 193
West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Cricket Club produced a spirited and disciplined bowling performance on Day 1, battling through several stubborn partnerships before dismissing Hornsby District Cricket Club for 193 in 61.3 overs.
The visitors made a solid start, with openers showing patience at the crease. However, WPHCCC struck twice through the impressive Advay Rathor, who set the tone for the day. He removed both openers to leave Hornsby at 2/34, giving the home side an early foothold in the contest.
Momentum continued to swing WPHCCC’s way when Prashant Kumar trapped next batsman lbw moments later, reducing Hornsby to 3/35 and placing the batting side under significant pressure.
Just when WPHCCC looked poised to run through the middle order, Hornsby’s resistance arrived in the form of their next pair. The pair dug in admirably, rebuilding the innings with determination and frustrating the bowlers through a lengthy partnership that guided Hornsby beyond the 100-run mark.
What followed was one of the most pivotal moments of the day.
One of their batters had survived not one but two consecutive caught-behind chances and a clear runout, with WPHCCC agonisingly close to a breakthrough. Refusing to be denied, Saurabh continued to bowl with outstanding discipline and persistence.
The reward finally came when he produced a magnificent delivery that trapped the fortunate batter plumb in front, earning a crucial LBW decision and breaking a partnership that was threatening to take the game away from us.
The breakthrough energised the fielding side.
Shortly afterwards, Mridul accounted for a dangerous batter, who fell just four runs short of a deserved half-century. From a strong position at 3/119, Hornsby suddenly found themselves at 5/124.
Although Hornsby’s next two batsmen added valuable runs in the lower middle order, WPHCCC maintained relentless pressure with disciplined lines and tight fielding. Our bowlers continued building pressure with tight line and length.
With Hornsby reaching 6/177, another recovery seemed possible. However, Isaac Taylor had other ideas.
Taylor produced a devastating spell with the older ball, dismantling the lower order in spectacular fashion. He removed Hornsby’s next 4 batsmen in spectacular fashion end the day by hitting the top of middle and send Hornsby captain back.
The late burst sparked a dramatic collapse as Hornsby lost their final four wickets for just 16 runs, slipping from 6/177 to 193 all out.
WPHCCC Bowling highlights
🏏 Isaac Taylor – 4/36 from 10.3 overs
🏏 Advay Rathor – 2/10 from 7 overs
🏏 Saurabh Kapoor – 2/16 from 6 overs
🏏 Prashant Kumar – 1/25 from 9 overs
🏏 Mridul Das – 1/28 from 7 overs
While Taylor’s four-wicket haul provided the finishing touch, the day’s defining passage belonged to the collective effort of the bowling unit.
Advay’s early breakthroughs, Saurabh’s persistence to finally remove Kamesh after three near misses, and the sustained pressure applied throughout the innings ensured Hornsby never fully capitalised on their rebuilding phases.
A big thank you to Sheehan for stepping in and helping the team today. Whether it was chasing the ball in the field, backing up teammates, or contributing valuable overs with the ball, Sheehan was involved in everything and brought tremendous energy to the side.
Looking forward to continue the momentum next week and bring it home. 🏏🔥
WPHC Red (Roger Francis) Vs Castle Hill
283 all out after a long afternoon in the field, solid effort. We used eight bowlers and dropped about five catches, so if you didn’t get a wicket, its Roger’s fault.
Vivek got us going with two LBWs. Smart bowling up front, hit the pads and didn’t give us the chance to drop it. A good start that had everyone up and about before we realised we’d be out there for a while.
Atharva finished with three wickets, including the last two, and deserves credit for finally getting us off the field. From bowling normally to bowling like Bumrah and finally to bowling like Meet, he did something right to get those three and put in a crazy shift of 18 overs to get us off the field.
Rahul, Hiresh and Kaushik chipped in with one each, all caught, which given our afternoon was probably more surprising than the wickets themselves. We held just enough to prove we could do it, then dropped another to keep everyone humble.
Ritesh bowled his man. Clearly he’d seen enough of our catching and decided to sort it out himself.
About five chances went down altogether. Plenty of hands on heads, staring at palms and checking the turf afterwards. Nothing wrong with the ground, boys.
Roger was comfortably our best fielder, stopped absolutely everything, provided it was already stationary, and stayed laser focused on anything except the cricket ball. In all seriousness, good day captaining from the skipper.
We also gave away 18 extras, thanks Hiresh, a generous little top-up.
284 to win next week. A decent chase, but after spending all afternoon giving them extra batting practice, hopefully they return the favour.
Credit where it’s due, one of their batsmen batted very well.
C2 Grade
WPHC (Chintan) 1/88 Vs Normanhurst 151
🏏 C2 — WPHCCC v Normanhurst | Day 1
And what a way to start the season!
With Chintan away in India due to a family emergency, Agniva stepped in to lead the side — and, after what felt like years of waiting, finally won a toss! Clearly, miracles do happen. 😂
The boys were absolutely superb with the ball, restricting Normanhurst to 151 all out. A proper team bowling effort, with Pritam leading the way with 3 wickets, Agniva picking up 2, and contributions right through the attack from Braha, Anand, Samuel, Sayantan and Eshan.
And behind the stumps, Vishnu was phenomenal, with two sharp stumpings and a catch to cap off an excellent keeping performance. 🧤🔥
With the bat, Pritam and Anand carried their form from the warm-up into the first game, putting us in a strong position.
Pritam finished the day unbeaten on 66, with WPHCCC just 64 runs short of taking the first-innings lead.
A fantastic effort from a very short squad — and a big thank you to Pras, Eshan, Samuel and Sayantan for stepping up when the team needed it.
Day 1 done. C2 has officially begun.
Stay tuned for Day 2… 👀🏏
Let’s finish the job, boys! 💙
C4 Grade
WPHC (Ravi) 149 Vs Castle Hill 0/9
Day 1 of 2 Campbell Park, West Pennant Hills Saturday 19 September 2026
Round 1 of the new season kicked off at Campbell Park under a cracking sun. Once again, captain Ravi Gunna copped a loss at the toss. Castle Hill White won it and chose to bowl, getting first crack at the pitch.
What followed was a solid day’s work: a maiden half-century, two run-outs that’ll be talked about in the clubrooms for ages, and a Castle Hill reply that crawled to 0 for 9 off six overs before bad light — or maybe just good sense — called stumps. The match picks up on 26 September, with Castle Hill White needing another 140 to get uncomfortably close, and all ten wickets still in the shed.
Blessed beginnings
Every good season needs a bit of luck, and WPHCCC got theirs before a ball was bowled. Ravi and Amith bumped into none other than Yograj Singh — yep, the dad of World Cup legend Yuvraj Singh — and scored a blessing plus a photo.
Blessed and ready: Ravi and Amith with Yograj Singh (father of Yuvraj Singh) before the start of play.
Man of the Day: Waman’s Maiden Fifty
Waman Tamhankar was the real winner today. Coming in at number three, he put together the only solid knock of the session — a lovely 54 off 104 balls with 7 boundaries — holding things together while wickets tumbled around him like cheap drinks on two-dollar Tuesday at the local.
It’s his first half-century of the season, and judging by this, there’ll be plenty more. Getting run out by a sharp bit of play from the opposition was a tough way to go; an innings like that deserved a better finish.
54runs off 104 balls 7 fours season’s first fifty.
Waman Tamhankar, still in his whites, minutes after the innings that mattered.
The smile of a man who banked the first fifty of the season.
The Innings: A Story in Three Acts
Act One was all about patience: Sahil Kirpalani (19 off 85) and Arindam Dhar (4 off 22) kept things tight while the ball lost its shine, until Dhar hit one straight to mid-off and Kirpalani eventually got caught out.
Act Two was Waman’s show with a fun little burst from Gihan Thebuwanage, who whacked 16 off 18 balls (three fours, strike rate 88.88 — pretty close to his average) to keep the score ticking.
Act Three turned into a bit of a muddle: Ravi Gunna, Sandeep Phukan and Anant Wankhade managed just 2 runs off 12 balls in a middle-order wobble that would’ve had the tea urn bubbling early, before Jashwant Upadhyay fought back with a breezy 31 off 51 (five fours) to push the total past 140. Muthindra Gunasekara’s second run-out of the day and Amith Ninan’s handy unbeaten knock finished things off, and WPHCCC were all out for 148 in 53.5 overs — just in case you were wondering how long a Saturday can drag on.
The Reply (So Far): Six Overs of nothing much
With daylight fading and 148 to chase, Castle Hill White sent in their openers to face six overs of Ravi Gunna and Gihan Thebuwanage — and got exactly what you’d expect from openers under no pressure to do anything but survive.
Ravi Gunna’s opening burst of 3-2-5-0 was as tight as a Sunday morning parking spot at Westfield, and Gihan matched him over for over with 3-0-4-0.
Nine runs, no wickets, no fielders required beyond the eleven already standing around.
D1 Grade
WPHC (Diggers ) Vs Hornsby 285
And finally we’re back on the park playing cricket!
Congrats and thanks to all the club and association organisers to get us here.
We were originally scheduled to play Thornleigh, but a (very) late change had us playing Hornsby at Karuah Oval and it somehow became our home game.
We turned up to Karuah, where the grass was mown and the short outfield was fast. A quick discussion was required between the two captains about the trees hanging over the ground.
Captain Diggers wasn’t sure what to do if he won the toss, but probably bat. Anyway like most of last season, the toss was won by the opposition and Hornsby chose to bat.
We were keen to get stuck into Hornsby, especially when we had a number of family and friends come out in support. We especially like to thank Club Captain, Cam McBrien and family, for turning up.
Dean and Disco opened the bowling, with Dean bowling with some absolute heat. But it was Disco who was lucky to get the first 3 wickets with Hornsby only 26 runs on the board.
Nandit took the vital wicket of Happy and at the break, we were in a good position with Hornsby 4/60.
However, Hornsby put on a couple of big partnerships, with their main batsman scoring 132* and carried the innings. Unfortunately, the 35 metre boundaries at Karuah weren’t big enough to contain the scoring.
Despite the amount of boundaries, there was some great bowling from Shreyansh, who put on the breaks and grabbed an unusual hit-wicket for his first in Seniors – congrats Shrey!
Although fielding wasn’t our strength today, it is the first game of the season, and we will improve. Some good catches were taken, including a screamer by Adi.
A couple of late wickets to Disco and one to Dean (who was still bowling heat late in the day) resulted in Horbsby getting knocked over for 285, when they were probably on track to score well over 350.
Overall, a good first day of the season. Now we need to back it up with the bat next week.
One-Day Competition
Division 1
WPHC Blue (Roger Friend)
No game this weekend – competition scheduled to start on Saturday 26 September
WPHC Red (Pras ) VS TBA
No game this weekend – competition scheduled to start on Saturday 26 September
Division 2
WPHC Blue (Rob)
No game this weekend – competition scheduled to start on Saturday 26 September
WPHC Red (Parin) Vs TBA
No game this weekend – competition scheduled to start on Saturday 26 September