Draw Reports

Competition – Round 1

(Saturday 23^rd September 2023)

 

A1 Grade

WPHC (Cameron) 122 defeated St Ives Wahroonga 119

Match Report to follow.

 

A2 Grade

WPHC (Todd) Vs Bye

Next week we play our first game of the season against Hornsby at The Glade.

 

B1 Grade

WPHC Blue (Todd) 128 lost to Mt Colah 3/130

In the Grand final rematch, we unfortunately lost the toss and were sent in to bat.

Volc and Connor got us off to a solid start, but things got a bit shaky. However, Rick Turner (aka BDR… ask his wife about this nickname) stepped up and steadied the ship with a nicely complied of 44.

Mt Colah took some blinders in the field which didn’t help cause. Willy came in with a valuable knock, swinging the bat HARD and hitting the ball to the boundary… this had BDR questioning if he needed a drug test, Rick may I remind you we nicknamed him Viagra for a reason. We finished with a modest total of 129 but we’re confident of defending it (for approximately 10 – 15 minutes).

During their innings, two of their players had to leave early to watch a musical, talk about misplaced priorities! However, one of them managed to score a casual 50 off just 20 balls, which dented our hopes. Lachlan Edwards (aka twin towers), sacrificed his knees, diving into the concrete to save a boundary… assisting his skipper in not letting his figures blow out more than they were.

The skipper would pick up their two musical leavers, before Ben Burrows was birthed into the B1s attack… and I’m sorry Buzz, but his ours now. Ben was the most economical with the ball and picked up a well-earned wicket: bowled Burrows, caught Kirkegard, get used to hearing it.

We’d retire to the Club. The pro of today was we only had to spend 22 overs in the field, and got early beers. Volc got his first garlic bread in 6 months. A pigeon stole my chips so it must be summer.

And Willy was happy GWS lost last night, as he’d rather a certain deceased German leader raise from the grave and win a flag before they do.

 WPHC Red (Shomik) Vs Bye

First game next week.

B2 Grade

WPHC (Warren) 7/165 defeated Castle Hill 145

To our loyal readers, welcome back to the ‘most heavily redacted match report in WPHCCCCCC history’ (Source Ross Anderson). We hope you all had a great off season and kept the good vibes up.

First and foremost a shout out to the A2 boys for coming down and showing some support yesterday. It was a great show of club spirit and we appreciate you.

For our first game of the season we were graced with a lightning fast Greenway Oval. Warren quickly got to work by winning the toss and electing to bat. Ray ‘chanceless’ Khamis and Zac ‘Grace’s boyfriend’ Turner quickly got to work putting away what was a pretty poor opening spell by Castle Hill.

This quickly brought on the change bowlers which then brought some wickets. Now guys, sometimes in cricket you just get one with your name on it. This happened to Ray whose resolute defence had been pretty resolute up until this point but Castle Hills Adam West found a way through with a hooping in swinging Yorker which was simply indefensible. Zac then left one on middle stump, good job Zac.

After a rapid start we then had what can only be described as a mini collapse. Things were not looking great. Enter Nick ‘steady the ship’ Duck.

Nick entered the crease with an air of calm that only a man who’s just bought a $1,300 bat could possess. For anyone wondering why they can’t score any runs Nick Duck has answered this question. It is because your bay isn’t expensive enough. Nick swung his new $1,300 bat despatching the ball to all parts to compile double the runs he scored for the whole of the 22/23 season in one innings. Good to have to back Nick.

We finished on 165.

With the ball, Sam ‘the worst Hando’ got us going with one of the worst spells of bowling we’ve ever seen. Sam simply couldn’t get into a rhythm and Mick ‘how the f is this guy still in B2’s Hungerford’ despatched him to all parts. Schlumps bowled ok at the other end but dropped short on a lightning fast greenway a few two many times. Castle Hill were starting to get away which prompted the bowling change of the year so far from Warren ‘mastermind’ Schwartzel.

Enter Bobby K who to the batsmen’s surprise had been working on a fresh batch of hot pies in the tea break.

Rob came on and completely outfoxed old Hungerford. Showing him a couple only to toss one up, beat him in flight and drop to have him caught on the boundary. It was fantastic to watch the two B grade talisman go at it and Rob ‘Mr Mac’ Knapman come out on top.

From there on we knew it was ours to lose. Through the middle overs it was spin to win with Matthew ‘supple wrists’ Digby and Knaps a ripping and a turning us to victory.

We ended up bowling them out for under 150 with an over remaining. Great to start the season with a W at the home of cricket. Let’s fkn go boys.

Other news

• DJ ‘should have stayed in bed’ Garrett wins the man of the match award (for castle hill) returning match figures of 2-0
• Ray steals the man of the match award from Nick Duck with his chance-less 43 and death bowling akin to Nathan Bracken
• Billy Gaunt is still a shit bloke, stay tuned next week as we dive into his off season dating escapades
• Spring has sprung.

C1 Grade

WPHC (Indranil) 2/229 defeated Hornsby Green 8/226

Back to regular season, and after multiple players shuffling during the week, its game on.

Earlier negotiation with captains failed to reduce the no. of overs to avoid any light impact to the result. WPH lost the toss and was asked to field. Lightning fast outfield at Northholm Grammar meant many chases to the boundary ropes and the Hornsby side started off well.

We got their key opening batsman after bringing the only slow bowler in the side Oliver Linschoten in the 17^th over.

Hornsby continued to pile on the runs after drinks and their Captain went on to score 86. At the end of the innings, some change of bowlers brought the wickets, major amongst them being Ansh Pratheesh 3/11, Rowan 1/41, Inam 1/17, Oliver 1/31 and Akith 1/6.

Our turn to bat and knowing Ben Dunkerley had to leave by 4.30 pm to attend a formal dinner, was invited to open. Hope his evening went well. Ben D 57 and Ved Virmani 113* had a flying start, 99 runs partnership in just 10 overs.

After Ben, Ansh 22 was moved up the order and the runs kept flowing, knowing the lights were going to be a problem. Ved got to his century before close of innings and the runs were chased down in 26^th over. His 113* is our 518^th Club ton.

This is a very promising start to the season, as the batters took up the challenge to deliver a result which at one time seemed difficult.

We were honoured by fill-in from Rowan Keating and Matt Schwartzel and thanks to both to help out.

C2 Grade

WPHC Blue (Rob) 67 lost to Castle Hill 2/68

In a fiercely contested 35-over-a-side cricket match between Castle Hill and West Pennant Hills Blue, the spectators were treated to a rollercoaster of emotions.

The defining moment came when West Pennant Hills suffered a shocking batting collapse, managing a meagre 67 runs. Castle Hill’s bowlers maintained unrelenting pressure, with wickets falling at regular intervals. Steve Burrows emerged as the lone warrior for West Pennant Hills, top-scoring with a determined 17 runs.

The match’s atmosphere turned volatile due to Will’s questionable umpiring decisions that overwhelmingly favoured Castle Hill. These contentious calls left West Pennant Hills bewildered and irate, leading to heated on-field exchanges and an official complaint.

Amidst the chaos, Zia, representing West Pennant Hills, bowled a series of magic maiden overs. His pinpoint accuracy and subtle variations left Castle Hill’s batsmen struggling to score, momentarily shifting the game’s momentum.

However, West Pennant Hills’ total proved inadequate as Castle Hill’s batsmen displayed poise and composure, successfully chasing down the target with ease. They secured victory while losing only a couple of wickets along the way, rendering West Pennant Hills helpless and sealing their defeat.

Ultimately, Castle Hill emerged triumphant in this eventful match, capitalizing on West Pennant Hills’ collapse and questionable umpiring decisions to secure a convincing win.

WPHC Red (Arun) 5/189 defeated Sydney Lions 6/188

What a perfect start to the season in C2!

The season opener was an ODI played at Glenn Haven Reserve against the Sydney Lions. Kapil from B2 had to come for our help due to unavailability.

It was a good day to play cricket on a very fast outfield. We won the toss and decided to chase, although we didn’t start as expected with everyone being slightly rusty in the season opener. Lions scored 50 runs in the first 6 overs! It needed a special spell first from Saurabh and Happy to put breaks on the free-flowing runs and then from the skipper (Aniket – acting captain for the match, as Arun has chosen to embark on a well-deserved trip to the Gold Coast to rejuvenate himself), who took 2 quick wickets to send the dangerous-looking top order back. The Lions lost some wickets but managed to put 95 runs on the board by the drink break.

The bowling unit came back beautifully after the drinks break to restrict the opposition to 6/188 in 35 overs. Happy, Vikas and Vinod chipped in with wickets at regular intervals, but Saurabh and John C were unlucky not to get wickets due to some poor decisions by the Lions and a few drop catches.

It was not an ominous start with the bat, as we lost one wicket in the first over. Kapil and Saurabh gave the Lions a taste of their own medicine with a flurry of boundaries. Saurabh’s departure in the 6th over did not change anything, as Kapil went into beast mode thereafter, and Hari provided him with support and freedom to go after the bowlers. They completed a 100-run partnership in less than 10 overs!

We lost 3 more wickets before Happy and Kapil took us home, with Kapil remaining unbeaten on 131 and Happy on 5 in the 25th over.

The way teams came together at crucial junctures and backed each other to put pressure back on the opposition and giving all the teams in C-2 a run for their money.

A special shout out to Rommel for motivating everyone during the fielding and volunteering to umpire and deal with the Lions during the second half.

We like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Kapil once more for joining us in the game and leading us to victory. Congratulations on your remarkable century – 131*.

C3 Grade

WPHC Blue (Mat)  ?/175 defeated Berowra 174

After a rough start with the T20s, the ‘Sweat Hogs’ were fired up to get the season on a roll with a win. 6 junior and 8 veterans, the age average was low, but the runs weren’t.

Berowra won the toss and decided to bat, Rob had a rough start but his son didn’t, taking a wicket in the second over. John replaced Rob after his first over and got straight to work.

5^th over. John’s got the ball in hand, bowls a normal ball outside off and the batsman gets an edge going over what would be 2^nd slip, Marty Lubrano diving to his right takes a screamer Steve Smith would dream of, winding back the clock and further edging the Sweat Hogs in front.

Ending their bowling partnership in the 11^th over at 3/48. Captain Mat bowls a beautiful 7 over spell at 1/25 along with Dave who also finishes at 1/25. At the 20^th over Berowra we’re 5/81. Runs began to flow as they usually do at Campbell Park. A few incidents left both teams disgruntled but the game went on. Berowra we’re bowled out on the last ball at 174.

WPHCCC 175 to win.

The openers off to a slow start, Bronson departed for nought and Mick came in at 3, first innings in decades, earns the best supporting role with the main man Rizul. Rizul was blasting 4s all around the park and Mick followed. 20th over and Mick departs. Mat and Rizul keep chipping away at the total.

At the 25^th over West Penno were at 2/114 leaving 60 runs off ten overs. The odd 4 would come and we kept edging over the required run rate. Rizul was exceptional today but sadly fell short to his maiden ton to a very good catch at mid on,

Rizul left at 95. Mat and I were left to finish what was started, running multiple singles and pushing 2’s before I missed one on to the stumps. Dave came in with 10 runs to go and 3 overs left. The sun was just about gone and the ball was getting very hard to see. Mat slips one past point and gets a double to secure our first win of our first game.

Man of the match: Rizul

Honorable mentions: Marty and Mick.

WPHC Red (Fieds) 129 lost to Normanhurst-Warrawee 5/148

The lads showed up to Normanhurst Park looking to dust off more than a few cobwebs picked up during the off season. However, there was a bit of confusion before the match started with a few of the lads believing we showed up to the wrong ground as no opposition player appeared to be over the age of 15. Anyways, after a successful toss we bowled first.

After recovering from a month stint in Australia’s most boring state (Canberra) Jack opened the bowling with Pat. Both toiled away early with Jack benefiting off competent catching behind the stumps with Lachie Edwards no longer the team wicket keeper, as he took 2 early wickets.

A good start with the ball set the tone for the rest of the innings with Prats (0-20), Steve (0-12) and Eric (1-24) restricting the batsman to dealing in singles for the majority of the innings. But it was Nath (1-18) getting the key breakthrough right before drinks taking a simple caught and bowled, however, when it comes to Nathan’s catching, nothing is simple.

A couple brave displays in the field didn’t go unnoticed with Michael running like a headless chook for most of the innings and Pete taking notes off the Matilda’s with a few slide tackles saving multiple boundaries.

However, the foot went off the pedal after drinks as inaccurate bowling was met with the remaining Normanhurst batsman picking the gaps, benefiting from a quick outfield, finishing their innings at 5-148.

Eric (20) and Cam (17) put the pads on and got the lads off to a good start, defending the good balls and attacking the loose ones. However, just before drinks both were dismissed by balls that skidded on and stayed low. Lachlan (13) and Pete (32) were tasked with stabilizing the innings as Lachlan looked to attack early as Pete accumulated the singles leading up to drinks before crunching the ball through midwicket just before the break to lift the momentum heading into the pointy end of the innings.

At drinks Lachlan was licking his lips at the sight of a leggie warming up in the outfield, however remained optimistic, stating – “This absolutely wrecks off a top edge.” However it was a shot off the toe end of his bat to a ball that was bound to bounce off the pitch that undid him.

After a solid contender for worst dismissal of the year, Pete showed his class as he and Steve (21) steadied the ship. Requiring close to a run a ball for the last 10 overs of the innings, the pressure told as the tail crumbled following the dismissal of Pete and Steve with no-one scoring over 7 runs from numbers 6-11 meaning we finished all out for 129.

 

C4 Grade

WPHC Blue (Hiresh) 6/149 lost to Castle Hill 6/185

As the sun hid behind thick, brooding clouds, the Caddies Creek Reserve seemed the perfect backdrop for a day of cricket. The West Penno boys arrived with a renewed sense of determination, eager to kick off the regular season with a win. Winning the toss and opting to bowl first, they took to the field, determined to seize the momentum early.

Castle Hill, however, had other plans. They started strong, steadily accumulating runs on the scoreboard, leaving the West Penno Blue Team without a wicket in the first seven overs. It was Sparsh who brought his team back into the game with a stunning catch (b Jerry), rekindling their hopes. The tides began to turn as Mukund joined the attack, delivering lethal pace and unplayable yorker’s that led to a flurry of wickets.

Throughout the innings, West Penno held a firm grip, limiting Castle Hill’s scoring opportunities. But just when things were looking promising, the Castle Hill captain strode onto the crease, launching a merciless assault on the bowlers. His quickfire 34 not out left the West Penno Blue Team reeling, burdened with a daunting target of 186 runs.

Determined to secure their first victory of the season, West Penno’s openers stepped onto the field with unwavering resolve. Their mission was clear: start strong and apply pressure on Castle Hill. By the halfway mark, they had only lost two wickets, thanks in part to the impressive performances of Hiresh, who notched up 45 runs, and Vishnu, finding his rhythm with 22 runs. As the match progressed, Mukund made a valuable contribution with a gritty 39 runs.

However, the quick runs scored by Castle Hill in the final stretch proved to be their undoing. Despite their best efforts, the West Penno Blue Team fell short by approximately 35 runs. The setting sun and fading light forced them to wrap up their innings prematurely, with the scoreboard reading 6/149 and just two overs remaining in the game.

Though the day began with optimism and dreams of victory, the West Penno boys learned that cricket, like life itself, is full of unexpected twists and turns. As they left Caddies Creek Reserve that evening, they knew that they’d be back, ready to face the challenges of the season with renewed determination and a hunger for success.

 

WPHC Red (Ross S) 7/225 defeated Mt Colah 6/185

We go into the C4 season with 3 pairs of father / sons…. 3 players having not played for over 20 years and a bunch of us playing a couple of grades higher than previous seasons. But expectations are high and everyone is excited….

First toss of the season lost by the skipper….we had intentions to bowl first, but were asked to bat on a ground that had just been cored, was extremely rough and a pitch covered in sand and grit….in hindsight a good option given no daylight savings yet.

Ross and Ray opened up…..and was evident immediately that the bowling in C4 was going to be a lot more accurate than D2’s. Ross was taking a more steady approach whilst Ray found it easier to hit 4s and sixes rather than take singles….Just before the 18 over drinks break, Ray was dismissed for a well-made 43.. An opening stand of 74…our best in 2 seasons. Drinks break at the 18 over mark ..1-81. The over rate painfully slow with continual committee meetings by the opposition. 2^nd over after the break a freakish one handed catch at square leg saw the dismissal of Ross for 27 – 2-84….

Mridal (36) and Anand (45) then went into T20 mode…putting on 70 off just 8 overs. Mridal first to go caught on the boundary….then Anand a few runs later…very exciting batting…even with both gone the runs continued with Mohan taking 25 off a few overs, dismissed playing for the team, then another freakish catch and we lost Darren for only a couple..6/189.

4 overs to go with Jake and Ram at the crease, wonderful running between the wickets and some big hitting – 36 off the last 4 overs. Jake dismissed last ball going for a big one….Ram 28 no….

A really good effort 7/225 at our innings close….with 144 runs off the last 17 overs, all batters contributing.

Unfortunately it took over 3 hours for Mt Colah to bowl 35 overs…..and we started our bowling innings at around 4.10 with little time for a tea break and pushing to get our 35 overs in before bad light.

Right from the outset it was very clear the opposition was playing for run rate as they knew it would be almost impossible for us to bowl 35 overs before bad light intervened. But we were determined to try.

Ram and Mridal opened up bowled early without success….the openers taking plenty of risks. At first change Anand bowled steadily without luck.

Unfortunately we put down 5 chances before the first breakthrough. A beautiful ball from Henry clean bowling the opener. Unless our catching improves the only way we will get wickets…1/ 78. At the 18 over mark Mt Colah 1/97….. we managed to bowl 18 overs in around 50 mins ….exceptional ..

Given run rate pressure, we decided not to take a drinks break as the light was deteriorating fast. At the 20 over mark Ram and Mridal were brought back on to try slow things down. Immediate success with wickets to both. More importantly both set batsmen. Mt Colah 3/127 with 12 overs to go… Run rate still very tight should bad light be called.

With 2 new batsmen and a small ground a risk taken to bring slow bowling to try get our overs in. The opposition took on the challenge and continued to hit out, but 2 quick wickets to Muthindra (great catches to Anand and Mridal)  and a wicket to Darren in fading light ….Mt Colah 6/151….with 5 overs to go. Run rate now under control, we continued on.

Over the last 15 mins of play it was almost impossible to see the ball in the field but we finished our 35 overs in almost darkness at 5.55 pm….Mt Colah 6/185. A first up win and a wonderful team effort bowling 35 overs in just 1.hr 45 on a small ground.

Wickets to Muthindra 2-32(5), Ram 1-27(6), Mridal 1-22(5), Henry 1-28(7), Darren 1-30(6).

A really good win against last year’s C4 semi finalists….our batting was exceptional, our ground fielding solid,  but our catching was a real problem. 7 catches  going down put unwanted pressure on us so we need to improve.

 

D1 Grade

WPHC Blue (Agniva) 4/140 defeated WPHC Red (Diggers) 4/147

Cricket enthusiasts were treated to an unforgettable spectacle as WPHCCC Blue faced off against their counterparts, WPHCCC Red, in a rollercoaster of a match that had its fair share of twists, turns, and comedic moments. The stage was set for the first game of the season at Les Shores Oval, the Derby match not to be missed.

The Great Unavailability Conundrum

We’ve all heard of Mateship and looking out for your team members, however, in the week leading up to the opening game, there was an unexpected challenge for WPHCCC Blue – six team players were mysteriously unavailable for the season opener. It was almost as if they had signed up for a cricket match on Mars. But the show must go on, and our intrepid team members decided to soldier on, determined to make the most of the situation. Big shout out to Agni (our MIA skipper) and Chintan (stand in skip) to ensure we had enough hands and legs to make the playing 11.

The Magnificent Opening Bowlers

WPHCCC Red won the toss and elected to bat first. Steaming in at full speed, Mridul and Rohan, the dynamic duo of our bowling attack, took centre stage with their extraordinary opening spells. For the first eight overs, they bowled like they had a date with perfection, keeping the batsmen on the edge of their seats and the scoreboard in check.

Praneel’s Gravity-Defying Catch

The blues drew first blood when Praneel, our fielding sensation, took a brilliant catch that almost left him with a concussion. It was a catch that defied gravity, and we suspect he may have momentarily forgotten which way was up, but he held onto that catch as if his life depended on it.

Steve’s Nine Lives

Reds got to about 47 at the half-way mark of their innings, and continued to soldier on getting quite a few quick runs in the 2^nd half of their innings. The star of the batting show was undoubtedly Steve, who batted with such tenacity and luck that he could easily be mistaken for a cat with nine lives. It seemed as though the cricketing gods were on his side, ensuring that he survived every perilous encounter with the cricket ball. Reds finishing up at 147/4. Sufiyan, Chintan and Dave each picking up 1 wicket.

The Dynamic Duo: Sahil and Louis

Sahil and Louis, our opening batsmen, set the tone for the innings with their smart opening partnership. They rotated the strike before Louis fell to a simple catch, while Sahil continued on to finish up at a brilliantly played 24, after having kept for 35 overs, or as he says “completing 35*6 squats”.

Sufi and Praneel’s Fireworks

Sufi and Praneel stepped up to the plate with a partnership that saw a number of boundaries and a few 15+ run overs. Praneel, in particular, was in a league of his own, dispatching the ball to all corners of the ground with such ferocity that the opposition bowlers were left questioning their career choices. However, Praneel’s dazzling display was eventually halted when he fell at 35. Sufi continued on and crossed 50 runs in a very aggressive yet classy knock.

The Comedy of Errors

Just when it seemed like WPHCCC Blue was cruising to victory, a comedy of errors unfolded. Sufi, who had notched up a classy 50, found himself at the centre of a mix-up that led to a run-out. It was a moment that defied logic and left everyone scratching their heads, but it added an extra layer of hilarity to an already entertaining match.

In the end, WPHCCC Blue emerged victorious, wrapping up the game with about seven overs to spare. It was a fitting start to the season, and we can’t wait to see what other surprises the season has in store for us.

D2 Grade

WPHC (Roger) 90 lost to Beecroft 3/91

Match Report not yet available.