Seniors Round 9 Reports
Another great team bowling effort
Cricket was back after Christmas and New Year break, and with that we headed down the highway to take on local rivals Ferntree Gully Footballers. Being an overcast day and having a bunch of rusty boys still a few kgs overweight from their Christmas celebrations. I was thinking it would be a good day to bowl first, fortunately that decision was made for us with Ben Rawlings winning the toss and electing to bat.
With Dewayne Bowden back bowling, he and Cam Wheeler got us off to a very good start. They combined for a wicket a piece to have them struggling at 2/20, from which they never recovered. We beat the bat regularly all day and never allowed them to settle. Josh Lindner and Steve Deller also took wickets and were both very economical. We bowled them out for 62 of 31 overs.
We were after a solid start and unfortunately we lost early wickets, with Kallum Croxford (3), Clint Buckland (8) and Adam Heath (6) all getting out early, the plus with chasing 62 is that even at 3/22, we were still on top. Johnny Rozakis came in and batted a very sensible innings, along with a few boundaries from Dewayne Bowden (13), he was able to see us safely across the line with a well made 26no. We finished at 5/66 of 12.3 overs and took the points.
With 3rd, 4th and 5th all losing this week, we are now all but guaranteed a home final, which is very pleasing.
Seconds get back on the winning list and back in the top 4
With the New Year started, the gators wanted to start off fresh and shake off their losing streak. This opportunity presented itself with playing one of the bottom teams and the importance of a very close top 5 ladder.
Playing in a One Dayer against the Footballers at Windermere, we won the toss and elected to bat. The conditions werent the best for batting or bowling, but the gators wanted to post a total first and make the Footballers do the chasing. The opening duo of Chris Harris and Josh Burridge got us off to a solid start, before losing our first wicket of Josh on 9. Surprising both teams, the pitch and conditions were working wonders for the bowling side as it was moving and cutting in all directions. This proved to be the downfall for the gators as we lost quick wickets, and at one stage we were on 5/52. However, Trent and Rusty teamed up together and both fought hard to bring the gators back with a respectable total 8/122 off 40 overs, with Trent finishing up on 29 not out and Rusty bowled out on 21.
Feeling confident with the total of 122 on the board, the gators opened up with Eraj and George 'Booga' Shaw (making his comeback game). The skipper got the gators off to a flying start with picking up two straight wickets in the 5th over, and had the opportunity for a hat trick, but couldn't convert. With tight bowling from Booga at the other end, this was setting up Eraj to knock the Footballers over. In Eraj's next over, he struck again with two wickets in a row, placing himself in another hat-trick opportunity, but also couldn't convert. The gators were up and about in the field and they knew it was our big comeback match in the run home to the finals. The openers finished up on 4/8 off 8 (Eraj) and 2/23 off 8 (Booga), as well as a good bowling partnership with Brad (7.4 overs 3/16) and Steve (7 overs 1/19) which helped bowl out the Footballers for 68.
This big win should bring the gators back in to the top 4, and we will look to continue this good form with facing two bottom teams in the next two games away.
Threes get close again, but, again, no cigar!
The 3rds played Johnson Park at their back oval, after winning the toss we sent them into bat, they started off quickly scoring 6 runs an over for the first 7 overs before debutant Tom Griffin took a catch at deep square leg off Nick Burridge's bowling. Both Nick and Ryan Fabrici then stemmed the runs before Evert took a sharp catch behind the stumps. Another debutant for the club Larry Wijerathne then took the ball and bowled well, we later learned it was his first ever time he had bowled a cricket ball. The started to get another partnership going before Luke Heads managed to pick up 2 wickets and they were 4/88 after 22 overs. After a few years hiatus Dan Fabrici came back to play and picked up a wicket aswell as Garry Wilson picking up a vital wicket in their captain. After 35 overs they were 7/176 which was very reachable on the small ground.
We started our innings well with Evert and Robbo creating an opening partnership of 31, Matt Guice yet another debutant in our side was looking good before getting hit on the pad, Tom came to the crease and looked comfortable and batted extremely well for his 32. Steve Smith and Ryan Fabrici then swung the game in our favour with a 50 partnership, Ryan made 31 which included 3 sixes 3 fours and even managed a single in there. Steve quickly followed with 21. Unfortunately we fell 21 runs short been bowled out in the 32nd over.
