And that’s final(s)!
It’s been a huge week at the Hill, with our Women’s 1s heading to a Grand Final and three of our five Men’s sides heading into Semi-Finals this weekend!
WOMEN’S 2nds vs Melton Centrals at Blackwood Drive Reserve
Match report by B2
Our last match for the season, and we were lucky enough to play on turf again!
We lost the toss and understandably, Melton Centrals chose to bat on a nice pitch and fast outfield.
We began our attack with Laura and Nan, aiming to pitch their deliveries full and at off-stump. Melton, on their home pitch, did however begin to accumulate runs and picked the gaps between our 10 fielders.
The effort in the field was characteristically committed, Alex at square leg, Duchy at point, Tylah at silly mid-off, and Nan each throwing themselves in! Laura reading it off the bat beautifully at fine leg, Georgia sweeping in the covers, Mum blocking on the edge of the circle and Eloise chasing all afternoon. . .
When Eloise and Tylah were thrown the ball, they tempted and teased the Melton's batters and slight chances were offered. Another notable mention to Tylah, who showed some very agile one handed fielding close in, then with great game awareness, hit the stumps to almost force a run out!
Georgia stepped up to bowl and we continued to enthusiastically appeal for everything! Everything! Perhaps somewhat optimistically. . .
Not to be kept out of it, Tylah was also under a catch from Mum's bowling in her second over. Well done Mum!
Sherin was terrific behind the stumps again, remaining up in her usual close stance, despite the batters wielding their willow.
Throughout the afternoon, and as we have come to expect, the support and effort in the field was fantastic and offers us a great platform to build on for next year!
After 36 overs Melton Centrals 1/225
This season has seen great improvement with each batting innings and our Round 9 match, the last for the season, was an opportunity for us to finish the season on an upward trajectory. . .
Alex and B2 opened the batting and knowing we were chasing more than 6 runs an over, started well as they tried to find the balance between settling in and pushing for runs.
After more than 7 overs, Sherin joined B2 at the crease - Alex having made 12 runs and again helping to set up our innings and making boundaries.
Sherin was quickly off the mark with a boundary and then quickly joined at the crease by Tylah, after B2 was bowled for 28.
In what has become a habit this season, Tylah began with a boundary and then a single, before Nan was out in the middle with Sherin.
Picking up where they left off in our round 7 match, Sherin and Nan built, built, built their partnership! Playing with patience and intent, the two masterfully found the gaps for boundaries, rotated the strike with singles and protected their wicket with straight bat defense against the good balls.
Together for 20 overs, the two made 94 runs together!
Nan was fantastic and made 45 runs before unfortunately being bowled, bringing Georgia out to bat.
Sherin continued to make runs with Georgia, then Laura and then Eloise, before Mum came out for the last couple of overs of our innings.
With Sherin requiring just a few runs to make her second 50 of the season, Mum was the perfect support and sublimely tickled the ball around the crease to ensure Sherin had the opportunity to make the runs before the end of our innings.
Having endured most of the afternoon, it came down to the final few deliveries and with a ball to spare, Sherin hit the single she needed and made her 50! Congratulations Sherin!
Sherin and Mum remained not out in what was our highest total for the season, 174 runs!
Well done Hillers!
After 36 overs,Clifton Hill (2) 7/174
CHICKEN: Sherin for her 50 runs and effort behind the stumps and Nan for her 45 runs and effort with the ball and in the field. Congratulations Sherin and Nan!
Thank you very much to DT for being at our match and scoring for us.
Thank you very much to everyone who has played with the 2s this season, a formative year! And thank you also to everyone who has helped, scored, supported, been square leg umpire, provided afternoon tea, set up the field, etc. etc. etc. and just generally been enthusiastic about our team this season. It has been appreciated!
Well done Hillers!
MEN’S 4th XI vs BYE
The Men’s 4s said goodbye to the home-and-away season with a bye – and it was a good bye, because the other results went our way, meaning the 4s are in finals!
Semi-Final vs St Andrews Gardiner at Central Park East Malvern (North Oval) today!
MEN’S 2nd XI v WEST IVANHOE UNITED at Seddon Reserve
With Monty away on secret footy business, 3s skipper Jesse Parlane stepped up to captain the 2s for the final H&A game and it’s fair to say that Nails nailed it! After the great bowling efforts of week 1 which helped restrict WIU to just 8/177, our batters did the business, running down the total with five wickets and 23 overs to spare. Contributions all round with the bat: J-Ho 40, Peakey 36, Angus 35 and Kyle 25 not out.
As with the 4s, other results went our way meaning the 2s are in finals!
CHICKEN: Daisy, whose 4/57 included 18 consecutive overs after tea when everyone else though the wet ball was to hard to handle.
Semi-Final vs Glen Waverley at Brentwood Reserve today!
MEN’S 1st XI v DEEPDENE at Rammo
No other results needed to go the way of the Men’s 1s, who had already qualified for finals, but we did the job anyway, chasing down Deepdene's 167 with just four wickets down, thanks to Hughie's 26, Cottsy's 20 not at and a sensational 88 not out from Sam 'Stinga' Barrett!
CHICKEN: Ben Cap for his game-changing 3/16 off 10.
Semi-Final vs Deepdene at Hay’s Paddock (South Oval) today!
MEN’S 3rd XI v BLACKBURN NORTH at Fairlea West
The threes had a tough first day and we went into Day 2 already having lost on 1st innings. Blackburn North declared and put us back into bat and our batters put up a match better show this week. Will Crombie backed up his 23 last week with 38 this week and with the help of a top knock from Max Sundram (28) and cameos from Asher (19), Geoff Smith (16) and Benny B (14) we made 159, much better than last week’s 84.
However, that left BN needing only 34 and they got the runs in quick time to claim the outright.
CHICKEN: The new Chicken Man, Will Crombie!
MEN’S 5th XI v STC SOUTH CAMBERWELL at Sir Arthur Rylah Oval
The 5s took on top side STC South Camberwell at what – if the ECA do the right thing – will be the last senior game ever played at Sir Athur Rylah Oval.
Our team had a different look this week, as the selectors, realising the 4s had a bye, said to stand-in skipper Jeff Burstin, "May the 4ths be with you".
As a result, Ian Nolan, Roadie, Eddie and Harro all played the first games on the ground smaller than a threepenny and helped to a fine score of 0/247. Roadie and Ian both made retired half centuries, as did openers Craig Harris and Sal Ferraro, and Eddie made 15no in three balls.
Was that enough? Not on the dodgy Arfur Daly reserve. STC knocked off the runs two down in 24 overs.
Well done to Jeff and Roadie who took the only two wickets to fall for the entire match!
CHICKEN: Gilly, who only went for 8 an over, better than most and pretty good on a ground that has the diameter that could be comfortable covered by three bullants.
We’ve saved the best til last this week…
WOMEN’S 1st XI vs Parkfield
Captain Rachael ‘Razzle’ Jones won the toss and elected to field, once again throwing Hannah ‘Handsy’ Watson the new ball. With 33 degrees forecast and a north-westerly blowing, it was ‘Handsy from the Hilly End’ to start proceedings. As both teams settled in and did their best to put nerves aside in a must-win game, both Handsy and Amy ‘Wolfie’ Howell started nicely with the ball. Despite plenty of dots between the opening pair, Parkfield’s openers were savvy and found the gaps through slips to steal a few runs. After the first six overs, Parkfield were 0/16.
Into the wind and from The City End, Ashleigh ‘Steam Train’ Murdoch and Emily ‘Dominos’ Costigan were next to take the ball. Again, our bowlers worked hard to find their rhythm and build dot ball pressure, which included a maiden to start from Dominos. Parkfield’s openers, however, were up to the task and looked firm in their resolve to remain at the crease. The batters patiently waited for their chance to steal runs, rotating the strike well and putting away the odd ball for a maximum. After the first twelve, our opposition was 0/46.
Returning to the Hilly End, Handsy resumed with another six dots before Razzle gave Maya ‘Like Fire’ Harrington the ball. Ball one: LBW! The breakthrough!! Parkfield’s in-form opener, dismissed for 26. With a spring in our step, we celebrated the wicket and returned to our positions. Next in was the opposition’s captain, another capable batter. A firm edge early saw a missed chance through slips, as our bowlers continued their best to find line and length and put pressure on the batters. Lauren ‘Rex’ Chester and Tylah Drochmann – who was a very late but very welcome inclusion for the match, thanks Tylah! – were busy behind the stumps, with the batters finding what seemed like every possible gap through slips and fine leg, and surviving a couple of chances, too. Parkfield persisted and slowly kept ticking the scoreboard over, reaching 1/70 after the 18th.
For the next change, Captain Razzle called upon Wolfie and Dominos and, true to form, both rallied to maintain the pressure on the opposition. Although Parkfield continued to add to their tally, it didn’t feel like we were struggling or that the innings was moving beyond our control. With patience and superb support 360 degrees around the field, including some great glovework from Hannah ‘HG’ Gray and Sherin Breed, and another welcome addition in our 2nd XI captain Rebecca ‘B2’ Troon, our teamwork could not be faulted. The next wicket was coming, we knew it.
In the 23rd over Wolfie delivered, sending leg stump flying and Parkfield’s captain on her way for a patient 10 runs. Parkfield 2/84 and the arm wrestle was really starting to feel like it was shifting our way. The change of ends came after the 24th over and after another tidy over from Maya, the skipper gave the ball to Isobel ‘Izzy’ Fenner. After making a slight adjustment in the field to push Handsy down to long off, Izzy’s off-pace and lofted bowling with the breeze proved a winner. On the fifth ball of the over, the opposition’s remaining opener lofted one in Handsy’s direction for a contender for catch of the season - refer to video on CHCC socials. Izzy with the breakthrough. Handsy catch of the season. Parkfield 3/95.
Not wasting any time, Maya’s first ball of the 27th over snared another batter LBW, before Razzle joined the party on the last ball of the 29th thanks to a solid catch from Steam Train. Parkfield 5/104. By the 31st over, the skipper returned the ball to our reliable openers Handsy and Wolfie, who cleaned up another three wickets before the close of the innings. Wolfie first, with a spectacular ball the sent the stumps flying in all directions; then Handsy in two consecutive wicket maidens, both dismissals also clean bowled. At the end of the 36th over, we had held our opponent to 8/124.
After a well-earned innings break out of the heat, Rex and Handsy opened the batting and quickly put some nerves at ease, with Rex finding a four off the first ball. Despite some tidy bowling from Parkfield over the next few overs, the opening pair did well to put away the odd bad ball and settle into their partnership. Unfortunately, it was in the 9th over that concentration waned and Rex feathered one to the keeper. CHCC 1/32.
Captain Razzle joined Handsy at the crease, and once more the pair found their rhythm, finding the gaps, rotating the strike and picking up a couple of boundaries along the way. It wasn’t until the 18th over, after some patient and proactive batting, that Razzle came undone, out caught. CHCC 2/68. Next in the middle was Izzy, who was luckless this time, playing a delicate shot around her legs that picked out the one fielder who wasn’t letting go of that catch. At the halfway mark, CHCC 3/68.
After an outstanding effort with the ball, Maya showed her skills as an all-rounder, getting off the mark with a boundary before steadily working to rotate the strike with Handsy and build another partnership. Unfortunately, in the 21st over (and with Parkfield’s sixth change bowler, mind you) Handsy edged one to the keeper, ending her innings on 33. CHCC 4/79 with 15 overs to go.
Next up, Steam Train joined Maya in the middle for what would become the last partnership of our innings – a dominant 46 runs off 8 overs, that was also done in style with big hitting and excellent running seeing us over the line in the 29th over. A fitting way to finish a comprehensive and well-rounded team win that holds us in good stead for the grand final.
Handsy 2/22 off 9 overs (including 2 maidens and 2 wicket maidens), 33 runs and contender for ‘catch of the season’
Wolfie 2/22 off 9 overs
Maya 2/9 off 5 overs and 25*
CHICKEN: BOG Handsy!
GRAND Final vs Melbourne Uni or Essendon next SUNDAY (March 19)
TOM BELLIS AWARD...
…goes to this handsome nman for his 88 NOT OUT!!
