Competition Tables
- A1 (Cam #25) – =1st (12 points)
- A2 (Todd) – =5th (7 points)
- B1:
- Prats (Blue) – =7th (2 points)
- Red (Warren) – =7th (2 points)
- B2 (Sparsh) – =2nd (9 points)
- C1 (Aniket):
- Blue (Aniket) – 1st (12 points)
- Red (Roger Francis) – =6th (4 points)
- C2 (Chintan) – =2nd (7 points)
- C4 (Ravi) – =5th (2 points)
- D1 (Diggers) – 1st (12 points)
Seniors One-Day Competition
- WPHC Red (Pras) – not yet available
- WPHC Blue (Roger Friend) – as above
- WPHC Green (Rob) – as above
- WPHC White (Parin) – as above
Match Reports
A1 Grade
WPHC (Cam #25) Vs Kenthurst Upper Hills 8/120
With grand finals, long weekends, winter sport done and daylight savings started, we were now finally into the proper cricket season.
So without availability issues and the ability to bowl more than 25 overs after 3pm, we moved onto round 3 against Kenthurst at Kenthurst in what would be the first Test match of the season.
Team news this week was as follows
- Belly was back for his first game of the season as a W1 like-for-like replacement for DA;
- Ollie (Davies) Makin was promoted up the order to open with his dad in what will be a special moment for the family next week ; and
- Shaan was back in the side (much to HR’s delight) after being dropped last week, giving us a strong line-up as we batted all the way down to 10 (sorry Jack).
However, the biggest news of the week was that Cam was out.
With big shoes and box to fill, rumours swirled as to who would step up in his absence.
Would Jamaican / Wu make a comeback?
Would the prodigal son DA step up? or;
Would a young future leader be called upon?
After much debate, a Steven Bradbury-esque suitor emerged as it was decided that Preeds would Captain the side.
As the away team, and with a bit of precipitation around, we thank the Kenthurst team led by Rob for sorting the covers.
We arrived to leaf blowers, the big roller and this cool device which was like an inflatable tube to make the covers easier to get on.
Personally, I had never seen anything like it but suppose I’m not as into inflatables as some.
Unfortunately despite their efforts, the square was still slightly moist so we waited and had plenty of discussion as to if we would actually play and what the effects of doing so would be. I could go into more details but all I’ll say is that cricket pitches are prepared to play cricket on and a big thank you to all the groundsmen who prepare them each week for us.
So after a 2 hour delay letting the sun and wind do their thing, in Jackson’s first action as captain, he proceeded to win the toss and we were bowling.
The bowlers toiled hard all day as our patience paid off with P, H and J taking the wickets, as Juw chipped in with a handy run out late.
Nothing else to really report from the innings as they went at 2 an over to end up 8/120 odd to end the day.
Back next week again where we will aim to take the final two wickets and chase down the runs.
So until next week, I hope all our loyal readers take care and enjoy a well-earned drink.
A2 Grade
WPHC (Todd) Vs Hornsby 8/184
A good hard day’s cricket.
It’s something you can often expect at Greenway Park, and it’s something we sure got today.
On the back of our big win last week at The Glade, confidence was high as we took to the field against last season’s A grade wooden-spooners – Hornsby.
Stand-in skipper Kyle continued the tradition of losing the toss and as a result, we were sent in to bowl. We didn’t know what to expect from them, but it’s safe to say that neither did their openers as Tanay and Jack cleaned up one each in their opening spells.
What followed was several hours of testing, if somewhat negative cricket as Hornsby’s numbers three and four ground away, offering very little in the way of chances but often not even looking to score.
So much so that, despite Greenway boasting its usual quick outfield, by tea Hornsby were only 2-80, crawling along at two an over.
After tea, it would’ve been easy for us to let our heads drop and let them get away from us.
Instead, though, it was the batters whose heads dropped.
After passing 50, Hornsby’s number four finally gave Dan the reward he deserved for a lightning spell in the heat, giving Shomik an easy catch at mid-wicket.
And from there, all hell broke loose.
Having taken the big breakthrough, Hornsby’s middle order crumbled, losing 4-5 as 2-118 turned into 6-123.
After Dan broke the partnership, the ageless Craig Hutchinson, in his first game for our great Club in three years, picked up the next three as the Hornsby batters had no answer, including their number three who finally broke his Rahul Dravid persona by skying a ball straight to Mad Dog Silins, for 39 off about 250 rocks.
Even with the wind in our sails, Hornsby went on to hold out for the rest of the day, surviving through the rest of Craig and Dan’s spells and Willy’s back spasms.
Then, once we got the new ball, one of them decided to run themselves out by taking on Dan’s arm at cover, which was only ever going to go one way as we finally got the direct hit run out that had been coming all day.
Tanay then chipped in with one more as Hornsby finished a snooze fest of a first day at 8-184, a massive effort from our bowlers and fielders, with tight lines and lengths backed up by a brilliant performance in the field where every run had to be worked for.
With the ball, Craig led the way with 3-24, while Tanay picked up two and Jack and Dan one each. Willy and Alec both bowled several lengthy, tidy spells for no reward, to the frustration of probably both but DEFINITELY that of the former.
The bowlers did their job this week, now it’s up to the batters to finish it off next week once we mop up the tail as we look to make it 2 in 2.
B1 Grade
WPHC Blue (Prats) 7/257 dec Vs WPHC Red (Warren) 0/2
A warm welcome and hello to all long term and new readers of the famed B1 match report, sit back relax and enjoy the fine stories of a day of runs around Dural Park.
El Clasico, North London Derby, Boca vs River, South Coast Derby, Old Firm, Roosters vs Souths…. All famous and famed rivalries & derbies the world’s tune into…
In our part of the world just a few simple words are needed to announce the stakes for such a famed contest
Sheep Station Cup
Blues vs Reds
Prats vs Warren
On to the cricket…. Blazers, Ties & Caps were adorned for the tossing of the coin in a formal affair, Warren with the first salvo of the fixture winning the toss & sending in the Blues.
After that the salvos did not go the reds sides way… The blues were clinical throughout with a plethora of runs in the top 4 with Ronnie Hanich – 58, Cash King 60 & White Chocolate with 49 falling one short of a half century
Quick & hard hitting runs by the middle & lower order of the Blues had us flying past 225 then 240 & finally settling on 7/257 after 64.5 overs when a declaration was called.
The Reds tried valiantly with the ball on a brutal Dural outfield with Lance Tabone pick of the bowlers with 3/32 of 13 overs with 3 other bowlers chipping in with wickets throughout – the lowlight however was Birdcage Loveridge pulling up lame with an “injury” – finally confirming to everybody he’s not made of the right stuff, this humble match reporter is not shocked by the new developments.
With 3 overs to go & fading light setting in the blues had there tails up and were keen for a cheap wicket or two right before stumps
Unfortunately, the reds managed to see out the 18 balls despite a chance or two almost materialising, with a bit more luck the Blues might have been in the game
All-in-all a great days cricket by a fine club in a fine and long running derby revered throughout the land, runs were scored, wickets were taken & tales were shared from player to player & before we go just one final act of Blue Business.
After long research & development WPHCCC Blue have found a new nickname for resident propaganda minister Will McLennan’
If you see Will in the wild please refer to him as the:
G-Man,
failure to do so will have you hauled before the B1 Blue fines committee for strict & swift punishment
Till Next Week
Viva La Blue
P.S How good are the chooks – 16 Times!!
And now to the Youtube highlights – B1 Sheep Station – Round 3 Day 1
B2 Grade
WPHC (Sparsh) Vs CHRSL
Results and Match Report not yet to hand.
C1 Grade
WPHC Blue (Aniket) defeated on forfeit Kenthurst Upper Hills
Unfortunately, this 1st Vs 4th game is not being played due to Kenthurst forfeiting. This means that we get the maximum number of points scored in the Round to consolidate our position at the top of the table.
WPHC Red (Roger Francis) 209 Vs Sydney Lions 2/46
Batting first, we sent our two heavy…weight batters to open.
Rahul and Aryan worked tirelessly, seeing off 9 balls of the new ball between them without troubling the scorers. Rahul lasted 3 balls before missing a straight one and getting his timber shattered, but Aryan dug in for a marathon 6 before being caught behind off a leg glance. Both returned to the sheds on ducks, satisfied they had done the hard yards and taken the shine off for everyone else.
The middle order then showed its appreciation by joining them in the sheds shortly after. Harshil (15 off 30) and Jaswant (10 off 21) got starts and decided that was plenty before Skipper Roger led from the front with a glorious 8 which no doubt inspired the lower order.
Then Sanjay ground out 6 off 25. Our top six finished with 39 runs between them, comfortably outscored by Extras, who made a classy 26 and was our third-highest scorer on the day.
Enter our saviour.
Atharva walked out and played a different sport to the rest of us: 105 off 63 balls, with 11 fours and 5 sixes, scoring more than half the team’s total on his own.
At the other end, Ritesh showed Pujara-like resoluteness, finishing unbeaten on 37 off 99 balls and treating every delivery like the last over of a Test match. One bloke was scoring at 167, the other at 37, and together they built a massive partnership that saved the innings.
Once Atharva was finally caught off Netrapalli, the tail made sure nobody got carried away.
Kowsik (1), Harsh (1) and Vivek (0) added 2 runs between them, leaving Ritesh stranded and us all out for 209 in 46.4 overs.
We then came out with real intensity in the field. Harsh was breathing fire with the new ball, taking 1/12 off 6 overs with 2 maidens. Then, as if carrying us with the bat wasn’t enough, Atharva took a wicket as well, finishing with 1/13 off 7 with 2 maidens of his own.
At stumps Sydney Lions are 2/46 off 20 overs, crawling at 2.3 an over with Lekshmanan on 11 off 66 and Rai on 10 off 24. They trail by 163, with all to play for on day two.
C2 Grade
WPHC (Chintan) 3/46 Vs St Ives-Wahroonga 217
Key highlights:
- Chintan Shah – 5/52
Part 1: The Toss, Bowling Masterclass & Electric Fielding
With Round 3 underway, the morning brought a splash of rain, leaving the outfield wetter than a sponge cake at a tea party.
WPHCCC won the toss and predictably made the brave decision to bowl first, letting St Ives navigate the damp grass.
While our bowlers did the heavy lifting, the fielding display was absolute *gold-standard*. Diving stops, athletic boundary chases, and lightning-fast ground fielding easily saved at least 20 to 30 runs, and in the process frustrating the St Ives batters and building relentless pressure. That kind of defensive effort turns half-chances into wickets!
When the breakthroughs came, our attack shared the spoils:
*Ram (B Ramamurthy) & Anand (A Sadasivam)* set the standard early!
Ram cleaned up one of the opener at 1-23, before Anand bowled the next man at 2-36. Ram came back later to get his second of the day as Chintan pulled off a blinder at slip to remove the 4th wicket at 100 runs.
*Pritam (P Dhamija)* bowled with pinpoint precision, knocking over one of their good bats (3-60) and later timber-hunting another wicket (6-160) to finish with a crucial 2 wickets.
*Chintan (C Shah)*, however, decided today was his personal highlight reel! He ripped through the St Ives middle and lower order, snagging a 5-fer to bowl St Ives out for 217!
Part 2: The 9-Over Rollercoaster *🎢
With just 9 overs left in the day to negotiate, West Penno padded up. What followed was 54 balls of pure adrenaline, heroism, and questionable shot selection:
- *The First Over Heartbreak:* Vikrant and Sitabja took the field to open, but Vikrant was unfortunately trapped LBW on the very first over. (A classic “did it actually hit the pad?” moment).
- *The High-Flying First Down:* Anand marched out at number 3, took one look at the field, and decided defense is for cowards. Attempting to clear the outfield, he found the fielder at mid-on instead.
- *The Quickfire Counterattack:* Sitabja decided the best defense was to unleash chaos. He scored at a blistering pace to lift the run rate, but as the classic tale goes, tried one big hit too many and was caught at deep mid-wicket just as he was heating up.
- *The Cool Heads:* Enter Anubhav and Praveg, who firmly applied the brakes, put their heads down, and safely navigated the surviving overs without any further drama.
Day 1 Verdict & the Road Ahead* 🔮
We finish Day 1 at 3/46, trailing St Ives by 171 runs.
While 3 wickets down late in the afternoon isn’t ideal, the real silver lining is that our main top-order specialist batters haven’t even walked out to the middle yet!
Day 2 promises to be an absolute thriller. Rest up, hydrate, and get ready for a big run chase!
🏏💪
C4 Grade
WPHC (Ravi) 7/170 dec defeated on the first innings Oakhill College 4th X1 41 & 0/10
Let’s look at the numbers, shall we?
Senior Mixed C4 Grade: WPHCCC vs Oakhill College 4th XI.
Yes, the 4th XI.
The theme was set before anyone walked out. Pay attention!
Under a grey sky and on a pitch that hadn’t quite dried out, the 1st ball was bowled at 1. The conditions looked made for the bowlers, and Skipper Ravi got 4 wickets in a hurry.
Sandeep, Amith, Gihan and Anant took 1 apiece.
So that’s one four and four ones.
Is there something about 4s and 1s?
Well, Oakhill were bundled out for, wait for it – 41!
Then we batted, and the numbers went from coincidence to a calculable conspiracy.
Arindam Dhar played the innings of the day, 63 off 76 on a tricky surface. Sahil, Waman, Daksh, and Gihan, the next four in, added up to exactly 36 between them.
We batted 36 overs.
That’s 63, then 36, then 36.
But wait! It goes deeper.
Sahil, Daksh, and Gihan each made 7, and we finished 7 down. Three 7s make 21, which is precisely how many balls Waman faced for his 15.
Meanwhile, Ravi followed his 4 wickets with a steady 24, sticking to his obsession of 4s and Sandeep went with his obsession of 1s, facing 11 balls to go with his 1 wicket.
Later in the day, Jashwant (12* off 9) and Anant (8* off 5) cut loose. Jashwant’s 9 balls matched Sahil’s 9, and Anant’s 8 matched Sandeep’s 8, because nobody in this side gets a number to themselves.
In the end, here are the stats that matter. They have 10 wickets left, and we have 1 Saturday to take them outright.
Good luck boys!
Highlights
Amith -2/2
Arindam – 63
Ravi – 4/13 and 24 runs
D1 Grade
WPHC (Diggers) Vs Mt Colah
This 1 Vs 5, Round 3 game is played on Sunday at Dural Park. A Match Report will be available on Monday.
Senior Mixed One-Day Competition
WPHC Red Red (Pras) 9/186 lost to Hornsby C2 1/195 (35 overs)
A hard-fought Saturday clash saw HTSC post 7/195 from their 35 overs. Despite Lakshya filling-in with a clinical 3/18 (on a hat-trick) and Will-P’s tidy 2/22 start… their middle order got on top.
Towards the end, a crucial lbw strike during Pras’s (1/34) debut Chinaman spell, alongside Prashant filling-in to bowl the closing overs (1/32), kept them below 200.
A few great catches in the covers saw Lakshya diving, with Jaydev and Luke (super-sub) also snatching them out of the air.
Chasing 196, WPHC Red fought tenaciously!
Chetan’s opening 42 followed by Will-P’s steady 26 set the tone, before Pras gave the chase real teeth with a brisk 41 off 32 balls.
However, they kept the screws tight. Leaving WPHC Red needing 28 off 12 balls to win, it was an agonising finish at 9/186—a thriller decided by just 9 runs.
PS: Controversial no-ball call that bowled out Callum, and then again repeated the next ball, which was also close to a no-ball… got the HTSC team fired up with the umpire.
All in good spirit, and it ended in laughs!
WPHC Green (Rob) 122 lost to Berowra C4 4/155
Report not yet received
WPHC Blue (Roger Friend) 8/165 defeated WPHC White (Parin) 9/164 (35 overs)
A terrific Sheep Station contest between WPHCC White and WPHCC Blue was played in great spirit at our spiritual home, Campbell Park, with an independent umpire kindly provided by the association.
After winning the toss, WPHCC White elected to bat and posted a competitive 164/9 from their allotted 35 overs.
Batting highlights for White:
- Ramil De Silva – 50
- Sachin Dixit – 40
- Flynn Di Pietro – 22* not out
Best of the bowlers for Blue:
- Pankaj Gawande – 5/39
- Roger Friend – 2/5
Fielding honours:
- Malinda Dharmadasa – 1 catch
- Shehan Fernando – direct-hit run out
In reply, WPHCC Blue chased down the target in 26.1 overs, finishing on 165/8. Despite losing a few late wickets and facing some tense moments, Blue held their nerve to secure the win.
Batting highlights for Blue:
- Shehan Fernando – 54
- Vinoth Sambasivam – 54* not out
Best of the bowlers for White:
- Flynn Di Pietro – 4/19
Fielding call-outs:
- Lachlan McNamara – 1 catch
- Ross Smith – 2 catches behind the stumps
- Lachlan James – 1 catch
Most importantly, cricket was the real winner, with the match played in the true West Penno spirit, showcasing teamwork, sportsmanship and enjoyment of the game.
Well played to both teams.