From Behind the Stumps – Waverley on top as Momentum builds

 

From Convenor of Cricket, John McCallum

 

Waverley Cricketers enjoyed some of their strongest performances around the grounds, and boys and their coaches should be congratulated with their level of effort. Many teams are seeing their training focus bear fruit – particularly in the standards of bowling and fielding. This week sees many of our sides in their final round of matches, so we hope to build further on this momentum.

This week saw 3 standout performances with the ball – with a hat trick and a highly unique co-incidence from two spin twins. 2 boys at Queens Park bowled their teams to victory – finishing with the same figures of 6 wickets for 11 runs! Well done to Year 10s Lachlan Forrest with his leggies spinning the 1sts to victory over Cranbrook, with detailed report below. Moments later, Year 7 Left-arm spinner Edward Regan led Cranbrook’s dismissal for 89 in their chase of Waverley’s 4/145 in the 8As. Ed also scored 38, while skipper Daniel McSweeney scored 48 not out in another strong win. Quick bowlers William Dodd, Ryland short and Patrick Abrahams all took early wickets with very straight bowling – in fact 7 of 10 wickets in the innings were bowled!

There were many other impressive team displays, with another undefeated round from the Year 9 teams. The 9As were quick to dismiss Cranbrook for just 60, thanks largely to Matthew McAlpine’s 4/11, including a hat-trick to end their innings swiftly. Matt has worked really hard in the pre-season on his Cricket with the goal of improving his rhythm and consistency. Not only has he been rewarded with a move into the 9A side, but now to spearhead this victory is a fantastic reward for that hard work. The 9As batted strongly to finish over 100 runs in front, with Connor Boyd Boland scoring a fluent 54, while Murray Shearer remained 31 not out. Nick Quinn and Peter Reeves were on fire in the 9Bs innings, both passing 50, only for great team bowling dismissing the Trinity side for 36.

The 2nds at Hordern were unlucky to draw their rain-affected match – left short of time to score the 24 remaining runs. Ben Heal was in form with the ball with 2 wickets, while Ridley Owens struck a powerful 35 runs. The 3rds and 10As were a victim of not putting enough runs on the board with the bat, while both the 8B and C teams fell just short of their targets when chasing. We wish all our teams the very best in a big round ahead – may the strong momentum continue and more runs flow of the Waverley bat. News just to hand comes from a victory by 63 runs in the 1^st XI midweek Twenty20 clash with Cranbrook. Batting first, Jacob Tomasiello top scored with a swift 35 runs, before 2 wickets apiece to Daniel Andrews and Ben Scarf helped dismiss Cranbrook for just 59 runs. The next T20 is on Monday November 27 at Trinity.

1^st XI report Day 2 v Cranbrook

From Coaches, John Boyd and Greg Elliott 

Waverley started Day 2 at 5 for 60 with Alex Ferrara and Reid McNamara at the crease. Neither batsman looked troubled as the score moved to 83 when Alex Ferrara hung the bat out to dry only to feather one through to the keeper with his score of 35, the highest of the Waverley innings. Jacob Tomasiello was next to bat and a classic straight drive raised the hopes of a long innings. This was not to be as a nothing shot saw the ball strike the back of the bat to be caught at short cover. Lachlan Forrest faced up to his first delivery only to hear the death rattle as the ball cut back to go between bat and pad and hit off stump. At 8 for 96 the game looked to be slipping away, however Harry Whitaker joined Reid McNamara for this pair to post a 46 run rear guard partnership which ended when an attempted cover drive to a wide ball was nicked through to the keeper for 34. Only one further run was added to the score when Harry Whiteman was bowled leaving Reid McNamara not out 31 in a very patient and well compiled innings. The question now was asked would 143 be enough to force a victory.

A minute silence was observed on 11am before Cranbrook had to face 6 overs before the lunch break. Benjamin Scarf looked to have made the breakthrough in his second over however the decision went the way of the batsman. A catch was then floored at second slip off the bowling of Harry Whitaker. However, in Benjamin Scarf’s third over he again struck the pads and this time the umpire agreed. After the break it was not until the 25^th over that Alex Ferrara picked up the 2^nd wicket, spinning one between bat and pad to hit the stumps making it 2 for 53. A solid innings from the Cranbrook skipper looked to have turned the game to the visitors as he hit 3 big sixes to rocket the score into the 90’s. The total stood at 99 when Alex Ferrara induced a false shot from the skipper for Oliver Ruse to take a good running catch behind square leg. Lachlan Forrest was asked to bowl the final over before the tea break and with his 4^th delivery he had the batsman stretching forward reaching for the shot, the ball spun sharply and as the foot was raised, keeper Jack Hardwicke-Owen whipped the bails off and the finger was up at square leg. Tea was taken with the score at 4 for 102.

Waverley was back in the game but it was going to take some very disciplined bowling to pull off a victory. The leg spin twins were now working together attempting to weave some magic. In just his 2^nd over Lachlan Forrest bowled the wrongun which struck the pad and the umpires finger was up, 5 for 104. Cranbrook edged closer but with the total at 123 Lachlan Forrest got one to dip late on the batsman who hit a low catch back to the bowler. 6 became 7 as the same bowler ripped one past the bat catching a thick edge on the way through to the keeper. In the next over Ryan Connolly joined the party with Reid McNamara taking the catch at backward point, 8 for 123. A very difficult boundary catch was put down, on the run, in the next over but the Waverley team didn’t lose focus and Lachlan Forrest fizzed one through to hit middle stump in the same over to give him his 5^th wicket and join the honour board in the pavilion, 9 for 124. Just one further run was added when another catch was offered as the ball was hit high in the direction of deep mid-wicket. The March hare, Jacob Tomasiello, set himself perfectly to accept the catch and the celebratory cheer from the team could be heard from blocks away as Waverley had claimed the 3^rd straight victory for the season. Lachlan Forrest was easily the man of the match having the figures of 9.2 overs, 3 maidens, 6 for 11, with his flight, control and spin a joy to watch. He was ably assisted by Alex Ferrara with 2 for 26 from 12 overs and Ryan Connolly 1 for 38 off 14 overs. Credit also must be given to Alex Ferrara, Reid McNamara and Harry Whitaker for without the partnerships from these batsmen earlier in the day this result would not have been possible. Special thanks also to Conor Molloy who fielded superbly for the injured Rory Doyle.