Draw Reports

Competition – Round 2

(Saturday 30^th September 2023)

 

A1 Grade

WPHC (Cameron) 93 lost to Berowra White 4/94

Match Report not received

 

A2 Grade

WPHC (Campbell) 169 lost to Hornsby TBA

A2s first game of the season saw us face off against Hornsby at what was a spicy looking Glade wicket. With the long weekend seeing a lot of the regular players jump ship to actually enjoy their weekend the team was made up of 4 x A2 players, some B2 players and some C grade players. Whilst Hornsby were just about full strength. We would need all the help we could get. Ryan ‘Captain Dickhead’ Loveridge then proceeded to lose the toss because why not start the day with a loss.

DJ ‘negative contribution’ Garrett and Captain Dickhead opened the batting. DJ got off to a flyer hitting the first over for 14. It was looking like a good toss to lose. The next over Captain Dickhead departed for single digits after playing all around a straight one and somehow getting caught by the keeper. No one knows what actually happened in this dismissal.

Enter Ray ‘steady the ship’ Khamis who further cemented himself as one of the Clubs biggest FAGS (Future A Grader) today. Top scoring with a hard fought 34 on a spicy Glade wicket. This included 2 of the biggest sixes in club history (105 and 116m respectively. Source Ross Anderson).

Ray then unselfishly decided to leave some runs for the fill-ins to get. Kapil (C2s) and Brent (C3s) both made handy contributions showing the A2s boys just how crap they are. Matty Phillip then put icing on the cake with a beautiful 29. We finished on what we thought would be a competitive total of 169.

Enter Shaan Bhakshi who got Hornsby off to an absolute flyer bowling 3 overs of pure short trash. One of the worst opening spells imaginable. Sam Hando eat your heart out.

We took wickets in consistent clumps but unfortunately gifted Hornsby with 2 boundary balls every over. They got away from us despite having a more than defendable total. We did the job with the bat with healthy contributions throughout but unfortunately our bowling and fielding let us down.

A big shout out to everyone who filled in and outperformed the A2 boys really giving the selectors something to think about for the rest of the season.

Other news:

• After a run of unsuccessful dates and in an attempt to present as bearable to the opposite sex, Billy Gaunt has moved in with a gay couple. Billy believes getting the queer eye for the straight guy treatment may be his ticket to success in finding a partner. Let’s see if Clive and Lionel can polish possibly the clubs biggest turd. We wish Bill the best of luck on his journey.
• M ⁃ Matthew Digby lost the first leg of his multi
• Michael Gunn wins biggest dog at the club award (formerly named the Perry Waldron trophy) for not inviting any of his lifelong friends to his wedding. We hope his marriage ends in divorce.

Thanks readers, we hope you enjoy your long weekend.

B1 Grade

WPHC Blue (Todd) 139 lost to Kissing Point 8/143

First off, I’d like to apologise if I get any statistics wrong as Jack Hutchinson is yet to send me through the scorecard – in future, I’d like a little more assistance after I took a screamer in the gully off your bowling (it was straight at me) (he’s also probably studying for HSC).

Anyway, onto the match. It was a classic summer’s Saturday afternoon when we rocked up to Auluba Oval at 12:20 for a 1pm start and a 30-over match, skipper Todd presumably winning the toss and choosing to field, much to the aggravation of the Kissing Point lads lounging on their recliners in the clubhouse for some reason.

Although both sprayed a few wide ones early on, Todd and Ben got us off to a good start, before igniting a masterful bowling change by bringing Jack “MVP” Hutchinson on to immediately dismiss their number three for a duck, Kissing Point 2-30ish and their opening batter trying to (unsuccessfully) run himself out to become the third. Despite toiling away, though, Jack and Craig were unable to take another before drinks, walking off after fifteen with the game evenly poised at 2-54.

After the break, the Kissing Point batters began to open up more, the same opener that was trying to run himself out earlier proclaiming to me “I’m going to charge at your spinner and hit him for six”. That he did, doubling his personal total from six to twelve and lifting his strike rate into double figures, only for Craig to bamboozle him next ball to take our third pole of the day.

Soon after, Todd brought out the second inspired bowling change of the day, bringing on Chris “Willy” Williamson’s Lyon-esque off-spin for a triple wicket maiden to single-handedly turn the game in favour of us with just under ten overs to go. Willy soon took a fourth to leave Kissing Point in dire straits at 8-102 on a ground where 160+ was probably par, and two quick wickets would leave us with an easy chase and an early trip back to the Sporto.

But it was not to be. The Kissing Point number ten cashed in on a few too many balls down the leg side, combining with their skipper and number four bat who was still at the crease to take them to 8-143 after thirty.

With Connor Hindmarch a no-show, I had the pleasure of taking on the honourable role of opening the batting with Volc and together, we tore into the Kissing Point bowling.

Come drinks and the score 0-91 with yours truly unbeaten on 52 and Volc 37, even some of the opposition boys were telling us just to get it over with so they could have their beers in front of the AFL (stuff the pies – Ross please don’t edit this out).

However, it all seemed to be a major hoax as by the time Volc and I went back out to bat, the Auluba Oval groundsman had replaced the road in the centre of the field with a strip probably flown in from the Glade up the road.

From that point onwards it was all downhill and fast – the only thing bringing any sense of joy was the Kissing Point wicketkeeper’s chat that included proudly announcing that Willy “bats seven and doesn’t bowl” (Willy took 4-11),

For the record, I did eventually hit a six to bring up my fifty on the verge of drinks so I think I won that battle. Even though Todd, Prats and Willy provided some hope down the order with some lusty blows, our 0-93 in the seventeenth over eventually became 139 all out. The less said about it the better really.

Onto Warrina Street and Berowra for our first two-dayer of the season next week, where I’m sure we’ll take out our frustration from today and stick 400-odd on them.

 

WPHC Red (Shomik) Vs Glenorie

Scores and Match Report not received.

 

B2 Grade

WPHC (Warren) Vs Bye

 

C1 Grade

WPHC (Indranil) 4/259 defeated Thornleigh 6/258

Oliver Linschoten 117* (getting to bat for the first time this season and coming back to play for the club after break from many seasons).

160 runs, 3^rd wicket partnership between Oliver Linschoten and Akith Ekanayake

Round 2 came rolling round on a blistering afternoon with an early start due to no juniors game prior. WPH won the toss and opted to field first, with captain Indranil hoping for a better performance with the ball compared to last week.

Thornleigh seemed to be off to a flying start with balls spraying to the fence in the first few overs before we picked up a key wicket of Thornleigh’s opener as Indranil held onto an edge off Inam’s bowling.

However, their sights were still set on a massive total as their next in began his innings with a couple quick boundaries. This was just the beginning of the jogs to collect the ball from the fence.

At the halfway mark Thornleigh had piled on 80 odd runs but after drinks they really put their foot on the pedal accelerating to end up on 258/6 after 35 overs.

After chasing a similar score the previous week our hopes stayed high but with Vedant playing up for B1 today, the opener spot was free and Cameron took the opportunity to bat alongside his mate Ben Dunkerley. Runs were flowing between the 2 of them before Ben was dismissed on 26.

In at 3 was Oliver Linschoten who turned up an hour late claiming he hadn’t seen the message sent out days in advance. Ollie however made up for his tardiness after firing the Thornleigh bowlers all over the park. Cam was also looking good, nearing his 50 before getting caught on 42.

With firepower still in the shed, Akith was next in, starting slow before letting loose after drinks flying to 56 before playing a false shot ending a 160 runs 3rd wicket partnership.

We managed to chase down the total with 5 balls to spare with Ollie hitting the winning boundary completing a fairytale innings finishing on 117* including 11 boundaries and 7 sixes – our 524^th century.

In the end a great chase without batters staying persistent with a heavy target lurking to bring home the win.

C2 Grade

WPHC Blue (Rob) 65 lost to St Ives Wahroonga 1/69

Cricket is more than just a sport; it’s an embodiment of passion, teamwork, and unexpected twists.

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the cricket enthusiasts of West Pennant Hills Blue and St Ives gathered at the local ground for a 35-overs-a-side encounter that would go down in history as a day filled with drama, camaraderie, and heart-pounding moments.

As the match began, both teams were ready to display their prowess with the bat and ball. However, the game took an unexpected turn when, during the 15^th over of West Pennant Hills Blue’s innings, a streaker managed to sneak onto the field. The streaker’s antics caused a brief halt in the game, providing a moment of comic relief for the players and spectators alike. Amidst laughter and applause, the streaker was escorted off the field, and the match resumed, reminding everyone that cricket, while serious, can also be light-hearted.

Cricket has always been a platform for discussions that transcend the boundary of the sport itself. Within the West Pennant Hills Blue team, an engaging conversation ignited during a break between overs. The topic of discussion was the recent Australian “yes” vote on a significant issue, with team members holding diverse opinions. Some passionately supported the vote, emphasizing the importance of progress and inclusivity, while others expressed reservations, citing concerns about the implications of the decision.

This discussion, although unrelated to the match at hand, showcased the ability of cricket to bring people together, fostering open dialogue and mutual respect even when dealing with sensitive topics. It was a reminder that cricket transcends boundaries, both on and off the field.

Amidst the spirited discussions and streaker antics, a more technical issue emerged during the 25^th over of the match. The ball used in the game had shown signs of wear and tear, and the umpires deemed it defective. This prompted a short delay while the teams searched for a suitable replacement.

The defective ball incident highlighted the importance of fair play and adherence to the rules in cricket. It also served as a testament to the integrity of the players, who were willing to pause the game to ensure a level playing field. Ultimately, a new ball was introduced, and the match resumed, with the focus shifting back to the game itself.

Cricket is a team sport, and individual contributions often play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of a match. In this context, it’s essential to acknowledge the exceptional performances of two players, William and Bronson, who stood out with their remarkable skills.

William, with his deadly accuracy in bowling, consistently troubled the St Ives batsmen, putting West Pennant Hills Blue in a favorable position. His ability to swing the ball both ways and maintain an impeccable line and length made him a standout performer.

Bronson, on the other hand, displayed an exceptional batting prowess. His confident strokeplay and impeccable timing enabled West Pennant Hills Blue to post a competitive total on the scoreboard. Bronson’s ability to find gaps in the field and dispatch the ball to the boundary provided the much-needed impetus to his team’s innings.

Both William and Bronson’s contributions were met with admiration and gratitude from their teammates and supporters. Their performances reminded everyone that cricket is a sport where individual excellence can make a world of difference.

As the sun began to set, the match reached its climax. West Pennant Hills Blue had posted a target of 65 runs for St Ives to chase down. However, St Ives displayed a brilliant batting performance, chasing the target with ease. The 14 overs remaining when they achieved victory emphasized their dominance in the game.

In the end, the West Pennant Hills Blue team was gracious in defeat, acknowledging St Ives’ superior performance. The day had been filled with unexpected twists, from the streaker incident to the Australian “yes” vote discussion, the defective ball dilemma, and the outstanding performances by William and Bronson.

This cricket match was more than just a sporting event; it was a reminder of the camaraderie, passion, and unpredictability that make cricket an enduring and beloved sport.

As the players shook hands and the sun dipped below the horizon, it was evident that while the scoreboard may not have favored West Pennant Hills Blue, the memories and experiences of the day would be cherished by all, proving once again that cricket is not just a game; it’s a way of life.

WPHC Red (Arun) 1/99 defeated Mt Colah 95

On a splendid sunny day, the West Penno cricket team arrived at Campbell Park brimming with confidence after their recent victory.

Captain Arun, with a spring in his step, won the toss and chose to field first, hoping to restrict Mt Colah to a manageable score. Opening bowlers Vikas and Aniket started off well, bowling accurately with good swing. Vikas even began the innings with a maiden over. Aniket struck early, dismissing Mt Colah’s best batsman in his first over, setting the tone for the day.

Campbell Park’s quick outfield always makes it challenging for the bowlers, but the Mt Colah batsmen struggled against the West Penno bowlers. Captain Arun made quick bowling changes, introducing Brij and Saurabh. Just as a partnership started to take shape, Brij broke through, ending the crucial second-wicket partnership. Saurabh and Brij’s precise bowling had the Mt Colah batsmen in trouble. One of their batsmen tried to attack Saurabh but ended up giving an easy catch to mid-wicket, thanks to Saurabh’s mixed pace.

After a couple of overs, Arun brought in “toofan Lala”, Happy Rana, whose four-step run-up generated unexpected pace. However, one brave Mt Colah batsman decided to counter-attack, hitting some good shots and scoring runs.

Arun swiftly changed the bowlers, bringing in John Koleth and John Kurian. Koleth bowled an excellent outswinger to dismiss the courageous batsman, and Kurian took control, delivering precise off-spin with a teasing flight, wrapping up the Mt Colah innings.

West Penno showcased exceptional fielding skills throughout the innings, with Rommel’s high catch being a highlight. The ball went high into the sky, but Rommel judged it perfectly to take the catch.

With excellent bowling and outstanding fielding, West Penno bowled out Mt Colah for just 95 runs, which looked like a modest target, especially at Campbell Park.

As the West Penno batsmen took the field, they knew the target was achievable. Rishab and Vinod started aggressively, hitting the ball to all corners. Vinod’s classic strokes were a joy to watch, but the real show began when Rishab smashed a towering six. Rishab’s stylish shots were a treat, with Vinod providing solid support at the other end.

However, just when Rishab looked set for a big score, he was dismissed by a late-swinging delivery. Captain Arun then joined Vinod, taking a brief moment to settle in before launching a strike of boundaries and sixes to steer the team to victory.

After 15 overs, West Penno comfortably reached the target, scoring 96 runs while losing just one wicket. It was a convincing win, highlighting the team’s all-around abilities.

The West Penno team celebrated their victory and headed to the club for a well-deserved round of drinks, with their eyes set on the next match against Berowra.

 

C3 Grade

WPHC Blue (Mat) Vs Bye

 

WPHC Red (Fieds) 7/139 lost to Sydney Lions 7/143

After a disappointing result last week, the lads rocked up to Glenhaven Oval optimistic about facing a familiar enemy – Sydney Lions.

After 2 losses in the head-to-head last season, Andrew got the matchup off to a good start, winning the toss and batting to avoid the heat.

Youth and Experience in the form of Jack (14) and Andrew (29) entered the furnace blocking the shine off the ball, frustrating the lions heading into drinks. However, a false shot from Jack led to his downfall, and the first wicket of the innings. Dinesh (29 off 25) Headed to the middle with different intentions, blasting the ball to the boundary on multiple occasions with 2 sixes and 2 fours in quick succession to get the ball rolling, all whilst Andrew held down the fort at one end, chipping away by dispatching the bad balls.

However, for Dinesh it was a case of backyard cricket rules, after a blazing 6 with the first ball of the over, he hit the next delivery straight to point.

Pete (3) had an unhappy stay at the crease after an impressive innings in the previous match. Pete’s dismissal prompted seasoned veteran Peter Harrison (25*) to enter the game. After a shaky start, Peter quickly got into gear, doing so by steering the ball to all parts of ground, backed up by good running between the wickets. However, the good running between the wickets was abruptly ended with a mix up causing Peter to cook Andrew (if the heat hadn’t already done so), for a well-made 29 as the stand-in opening batsman.

Lachlan (19) was looking for redemption after the worst dismissal of the season in the previous match, hitting a ball bound for the side of the pitch off the toe-end of his bat to the one fielder in close. However, after a few slogs Lachie had his castle rocked, seeing all 3 stumps out of the ground, leaving Michael West the square-leg umpire specialist with his first duties of the day, cleaning up Lachlans mess.

Steven (1) had the same fate as Lachlan, before Steve retired on 25, leaving Malinda (8*) and Michael West (1*) to close out the innings. (Michael should be 0* however i forgot to call his sole run a bye).

After a batting innings with a bundle of ebbs and flows saw wickets fall when the lads looked to go on with it, we finished 7-139 with consistent scores across the board, however missing a batsman who could go on with it.

Chasing 140 Sydney Lions couldn’t have started their innings in a worse fashion.

Jack (2-19) and Pat (0-22) got the ball rolling with Jack taking a wicket off his worst ball of the season, as a half tracker down the leg side was scooped straight to Pat at fine leg for the first wicket of the innings.

However, after a severe case of fakers disease, Jack took himself out of the attack to pave way for Steve (1-18). Steve followed in Jack’s footsteps, bowling another short ball that popped up straight to Michael West, the shakiest fielder in the district (no one thought he was going to catch it). Everything was going our way, and Dinesh (4-24) took the game to the Lions with an inspired bowling spell, taking his wickets in quick succession.

This left the Sydney Lions in tatters, 6-52 at the break, we couldn’t lose this one, right?

After drinks the foot well and truly went off the throat with poor fielding mixed with inaccurate bowling being the story of the day as the game seemed to get away from us the longer the game went on.

A few bowling changes were in vain as Nath, Peter and Michael were worked around the park. A wicket with little to play for in what was the final over of innings was the only positive we had to show for what was a poor end to the day.

C4 Grade

WPHC Blue (Hiresh) 9/141 lost to Hornsby 171

It was a sunny morning in Northholm Grammar, a ground that is bloody far away to be considered as a home ground.

Hiresh won the toss again (woo two times in a row! On a roll here!) and elected to send in Hornsby. Things went swimmingly thanks to some tight bowling from Sparsh and Meet to hold down the Hornsby batters. Sparsh (1/18) took the first wicket as the batter tried to pull him and got a bottom edge which was amazingly caught by Renesh.

The handbrake was still on as Hornsby really didn’t get going.

Mukund came into the attack and got some surprisingly sharp bounce, making the batters think they must be playing at Perth instead of Northholm. Mukund removed the second opener bowled although most of the team thought he was yelling because the ball wasn’t thrown to him for a run out attempt. It took a bit longer than it should have to realise that the batter was actually bowled and that Mukund wasn’t irked that the ball didn’t get thrown to his end. Mukund (2/20) took another wicket just before drinks, leaving Hornsby reeling at 3/54.

Parin came into the attack and immediately made an impact. He bowled a full toss leading to the other opener hitting it up in the air for Hiresh at mid-off to catch. In came in one of their other batters which led to Hiresh warning Parin that this guy could hit. Parin tested that theory out by bowling another full toss next ball, leading to a comfortable catch at mid-on. The batter looked pretty devo, trudging back sadly off the field. It was the hat-trick ball and we were all raring to go. Parin bowled it and it sailed over the batter’s head for a no-ball but despite that those two wickets were really important. He picked another wicket to finish off with 3/14.

Unfortunately, Hornsby put on a decent stand for the 6^th wicket. They went from 6/96 to 6/171. Our death overs were not too flash as we conceded 52 runs off our last 6 overs. They just got runs and found gaps and we erred a little. Still, we backed ourselves to chase down 171 and they didn’t really get away from us.

Even though we lost a wicket early, we were in a good position. Sparsh (58) and Eamon (38) put on a solid 86 for the 2^nd wicket. They were finding the gaps, hitting huge boundaries, making the keeper yell at some players for not stopping runs, and pushing ones into twos, making the keeper again pretty unhappy. Things were looking grand at drinks when we were 1/91. And then post-drinks….things didn’t go so grand. Eamon held out and Sparsh caught out to a speckie at short midwicket.

Then despite Mukund’s solid 24, we just lost wickets and we struggled to score runs. We went from 2/111 to 7/141 (including needing 32 runs to win in the last over). The dream of five 6’s in an over ended pretty quickly and after losing two more wickets in the last over, we ended up at 9/141, a loss by 31 runs.

Another game where we were in a great position and things just slipped out of our grasp. Even though we have lost both one-dayers, we are confident in our game, we have a solid bowling attack, fielding is solid, and we can bat well as a whole. Just the last few overs in the first innings allowed them to score some good runs that proved to be the difference. We are pretty stoked for the derby coming up at Northholm and yay for the two-dayer!!!

WPHC Red (Ross S) 9/202 defeated Sydney Lions 8/199

Nice to have an earlier start and try get some time in before the heat of the afternoon.

Playing at a very fast Annangrove Park we lost the toss for the second week running and we’re asked to bat again.

Mridal and Ross opened up and faced some very fast, accurate hostile bowling…something we need to get used to…..runs were very difficult to come by with the aim to survive the opening attack.

Unfortunately we lost Ross on the last ball of the 7^th over just prior to the first bowling change…..1-11.

Mridal and Sufyan then played steadily to see the opening bowlers off, and then accelerated the scoring with some great running between the wickets. Sufyan was caught in the deep hitting out in the 16^th over with the score on 50….Mridal and Muthindra then decided to attack just before the drinks break adding another 17 ……Drinks at the 18 over mark 2-67…..

With wickets in the shed we were hoping to get near 150…..Muthindra out for a quick fire dozen, Mridal for a solid 40, and  Gihan 5/101 at 24 overs and 150 looking possible.

Henry and Mohan then put on a great partnership 56 off just 4 overs. Highlighted by some big sixes from Mohan and hard hitting by Henry….Mohan dismissed for 49, 6/157 with 5 overs left….really pleasing we put on another 45 off the last 4 overs with Henry 19, Ram (31 no) , Darren and Jake all contributing…. Final score of 9/202 very competitive and more than expected.

Our turn to bowl …..and looking for immediate inroads into the Lions batting. Their intent was easy to see with 22 off the first 3 overs before Ram and Sufyan at mid-on combined. Another great catch by Sufyan of Mridal , followed by another by Gihan off Ram saw the Lions crumble to 3/37…us right on top.

Whilst our catching was really good this week and ground fielding supporting the bowlers, our bowling was wayward and the Lions batters took advantage, accelerating to 3/80 off just 12 overs.

Finally a double breakthrough just before drinks, set batter well caught by Muthindra off Gihan and then the new batsman bowled by Henry….Lions 5/96 at the 18 over mark….

At this point in the game we were still very confident of wrapping things up quickly with Lions a man short, effectively 6 wickets down. Another wicket after the drinks break , set batsman 6/109 confidence increasing, but how things can change….a missed chance some wayward bowling, dropped catches and a batter with nothing to lose…7^th wicket falling at 135.

Set batter still in and Lions needing 66 off the last 10 overs….and within reach.

Further wayward bowling, missed chances, so we could not put any pressure on the batting pair. With Lions needing 20 off the last 3 overs, breakthrough finally made. Mridal bouncer, mis-hit going a million miles in the air to fine leg….a great catch by Sufyan running back as keeper….8/187…Lions top scorer making a quick fire 55.

In the end it came down to the final over……scorers yell out 15 runs required. Gihan bowling…field spread, and what a great over. An almost run out, and only 1’s and 2’s……. Batsman told they need a six to tie off the last ball…..a dot ball with Lions supposedly finishing with 8/195.

But….the story does not finish there……as we balanced the score books, scores are wrong…..bowling and batting don’t reconcile with the score. Lions finally ending up on 199/8 and we win by just 3 runs, so the last ball they only required a 4 to win, so makes Gihan’s last ball even more special…..

Wickets to Ram 2/36 (7), Mridal 2/44(6), Gihan 1/37(6), Henry 1/30(7), Anand 1/22(4), Darren 1/8(3) .3 catches to Sufyan, 2 to Gihan and 1 to Muthindra.

So a second win in a row.

Great effort guys…….and looking forward to the Derby next week.

D1 Grade

WPHC Blue (Agniva) 4/100 defeated Glenorie 9/98

Coming on the back of a win from Round 1 (led by stand in skip Chintan) the team was really pumped and looking forward to this round 2 game at the nicely trimmed Dural Park with clear blue skies albeit the heat.

Whilst some of our players were busy holidaying and partying, we still managed to get 12 players on the field. Special thanks to Sandeep, Tushar, and Vishal for filling in and helping us.

For our skipper Agni (returning from his vacation), it was finally a kick off to the main season leading the team, and he started on the right foot winning the toss and electing to bowl first.

As usual, our opening bowlers Mridul and Rohan, delivered a tight spell, with the ball doing the talking and beating the bat at multiple occasions. Mridul finally drew first blood in the 7^th over getting the opener edging, only to find the safe gloves of our keeper (Sahil).

Just when the Glenorie batsmen thought they had seen through the new ball, it was time to bring in Amith as first change.

What followed was a fiery spell of seam bowling from Amith (hitting the stumps thrice and one caught behind) rattling the Glenorie middle order leaving them reeling at 6/36, with Chintan also picking up a scalp.

Post drinks was consolidation time for Glenorie, and we brought in more bowling changes. Glenorie steadily built a small partnership which was broken by some strong pressure created by Siby and Lakshya (finally breaking the partnership). After a very economical first spell that was a lesson in swing bowling from Siby, he returned with back-to-back wickets in 2 balls setting up a near hattrick, the hattrick ball getting the inside edge but just missing the stumps!

Glenorie scrambled to finish their innings at 9/98. Amith the star of the show returning figures of 4/17, followed by Siby with his 2/7. Mridul, Chintan, and Lakshya each picking up one wicket a piece. This was well supported by some clinical ground fielding all around by the boys.

Also, heard that Amith’s nephew (John Kurien) also returned with a 4fer in the C2 game. Looks like a very good day for the family!

It was now time for the chase, and our opening pair today Chintan (29) and Sahil (26) gave us a magnificent start going at run a ball and getting to 50-run opening stand in the 9^th over. A great combination of elegant stroke making and running between the wickets (despite the heat).

As we were cruising along to an early finish to the game at 0/58 in the tenth over, we were hit by 2 successive blows: the dismissal of Chintan and a first ball duck for Lakshya. Soon Sahil got into a bit of a mix up with Agni leading to a run out. This put brakes on our scoring, and we went to drinks still comfortably placed at 3/70 with Agni and Amith on the crease.

What followed was some loopy bowling and spirited fielding from Glenorie resulting in runs drying up. So much so that, it got on to Amith’s nerves forcing him to play a false shot bringing about his downfall.

Agni (29 no.) on the other hand played a patient knock, befitting of a skipper, ensuring that we cross the finish line without any hiccups. The winning shot a boundary lofted over mid-on was a great way to finish, with 8 overs to spare.

In the end, it was a great win, ticking a lot of boxes for the WPHC Blues (bowling, ground fielding, batting) taking us to 2 successive one day wins. Looking forward to the 2-day games, bring them on!

WPHC Red (Diggers) 81 lost to Beecroft 7/138

After losing the local derby last week in a pretty disappointing performance we arrived at the home of cricket keen to improve against a strong Beecroft side.

We lost the toss and made to bowl first and with John Rose(3/18 off 7) making his D grade debut, Beecroft were under early pressure at 2/4, and with Manraj(1/19 off 5)and Farhjad(1/20 off 7) chipping in with wickets, Beecroft were soon 4/35 and we were well on top.

Some good hitting from Beecroft saw them get away slightly leading into drinks but spin twins Farhjad and Tim (2/15 off 7) kept things tight and we managed to restrict Beecroft to 7/138 off their 35 overs.

We were very pleased with this effort with the ball, having only missed a couple of chances this week.

Into bat and with 11 on the board after the first two overs, things were looking positive.

Unfortunately that’s pretty much as good as it got. We lost wickets at regular intervals and couldn’t build any partnerships of note. Cliff’s 15 and Adi’s 27 were the only positives and to be bowled out for 81 was really disappointing.

We really need to value our respective wickets going forward or we will find ourselves being well out of contention come finals time.

D2 Grade

WPHC (Roger) Vs Bye