Stinga shines
We almost got a full schedule of games in last weekend with only the Women’s 2s missing out. The round was highlighted by a bunch of great wins, a tie and some fine individual performance. Let’s take a deep dive into all the games.
Men’s 1st XI v BUCCCCCCCC at Rammo
A home game for the Men’s 1s with Benny Cap winning the toss and batting. The indomitable Sam ‘Stinga’ Barrett continued his fine batting form, falling just short of another half century. With good support from Malty (32), Hugh (a quick 27no at the end), Half Empty (16no), Cottsy (11) and Lou B (10) we compiled a par-ish score of 8/177 in our 40.
With Daisy his usual miserly self (0/15 off 8) and fine bowling from Cottsy (3/17 off 6.4), Stinga (2/21 off 5), Lou (1/13 off 3), Half Empty (1/17 off 5) and Fin Ward (1/33 off 7), not to mention a consummate wicketkeeping performance from Ben Cap, BUCCC were not in the hunt, all out for 136.
CHICKEN: Malty’s 32 gets him the chicken this week.
Men’s 2nd XI v Glen Waverley at Brentwood Reserve
It’s a rare day when one of the only two senior men’s side to lose is the 2s but that’s what happened this week. A very strong GW got off to a flyer with the bat and although we did a good job to put the throttle on at the back end of the innings they put together 4/236. Most of the bowlers got hammered but two exceptions were Lachie Elmore (1/30 off 8) and young Auley Brown (0/17 off 4) who did a great job in stemming the onslaught.
Although we fell well short with the bat (9/139) our blokes did a good job in seeing out the full 40 overs. Well done to Tulky (28no), Cal Presidente (27), Stam Mills (21), J-Ho (14) and Stan K (14).
No doubt the 2s will bounce back this week!
CHICKEN: Lachie Elmore’s bowling has come along in leaps and bounds this year, and his great spell on Saturday earns him the chicken.
Men’s 3rd XI vs Notting Hill-Brandon Park at WJ Cox
With Fairlea West still fairly wet, the 3s home game moved up the road to Cox and we bowled first. Excellent work from my soul mate Nick Zajac with the bowl saw him collected 5/29 off 7 as NHBB could only put together 147 in their 40. Jack Barrett (1/18 off 8), Sonney (1/20 off 8) and Nails Parlane (2/30 off 6.4) also did nice work with the ball.
147 is a very gettable score which we…. didn’t get. All out for 125 despite the efforts of Asher Kelly (32no) and Zaj (20).
Like the 2s, I’m sure the 3s will bounce back for the W next week.
CHICKEN: Hats off to Zaj but Asher ‘The Basher’ Kelly gets the chicken for his batting and great ‘keeping.
Women’s 2nd XI vs Ballarat
Match Report by B2
We had expected Sunday, 13th November, to present us with a double-header, but, in what has developed into somewhat of a theme for this season, the weather intervened and our first match (Round 7) was cancelled due to the condition of Sydnenham Hillside ground.
Thankfully this did give us a chance to support our fabulous 1s in their match at Rammo and to focus on our Round 8 match against Ballarat.
Having lost the toss to Ballarat, we were sent in to field, on what was an unusual surface for cricket, more a multi-purpose rubberised carpet than a grass field but no puddles!
Heather and Alex began our attack and while runs were made against us, there were also chances and we are taking more and more of these chances each week.
Catches were taken by Heather, including another caught and bowled, Alex took her first two wickets - the first, a hit stumps dismissal, and we ran out two batters thanks to the sharp efforts of Sherin, Tylah and Eloise.
Terrific intent and support was shown by all in the field with Dutchy very effective in point, and our outfielders in; Jen, Eloise and Allie doing a lot of running to cover the boundary as the ball was moving very quickly.
Mum and Kate proved to be secure on the on-side and everyone is taking Mum's example and becoming more and more vocal in the field.
Big thank you to Allie, who stepped in at the very last minute and was a welcome addition to our team!
Having bowled 19 overs in our time, we were set an impressive total of 5/176 runs by Ballarat.
Undaunted, Sherin and Alex began our innings and then stayed in for 11 overs!
Scoring boundaries and taking quick singles to rotate the strike, it was a massive effort from our opening pair and a great reward for two players who train hard and continue to improve and grow in confidence each match. Having kept most shots on the ground, Alex was eventually caught, bringing in Tylah who, despite bringing the same enthusiasm from her fielding to her batting, was bowled.
B2 then joined Sherin with about 5 overs left, and Sherin continued her stellar innings until finally being caught having made 35 runs. Well done Sherin!
Dutch came in next for her very first innings, and patiently picked the right ball to get off the mark! Having gone for perhaps an ambitious 2, B2 was run out, but happily this brought Kate to the crease. And with just a couple of overs left Kate took guard and scored her first boundary! A textbook shot straight down the ground!
Our total after 19 overs was, 4/82 runs.
Well done Hillers!
Again a big thank you to Allie for joining us, and also to Mum for scoring, and to Heather and Alex for being our square leg umpire.
THREE-WAY CHICKEN: With contributions from everyone, this week's Chicken has been the hardest yet. This week it is a three way tie, congratulations to Sherin, Alex and Heather!
Men’s 5th XI vs Glen Waverley at Sir Arthur Rylah
The 5s went over to the worst cricket ground in the history of cricket and bowled first, dismissing GW for a below par 199. Star with the ball was young junior Lucas Harris, who took 4/36 off 6, back up by none other than man himself BILLY ABC, who bowled SEVEN STRAIGHT OVERS to take 2/36. Raf Glaspole was also brilliant, taking 1/18 off 7.
With the bat, Neek starred again, making 53 no, as did Craig Harris (50no). With contributions from Sam Ferraro (42no), Raghu (21) and Max Sundram (14no) took us to victory with plenty to spare.
CHICKEN: Junior Lucas Harris capped off a brilliant senior debut by taking him the chicken!
Women’s 1st XI double header at Rammo
Match Reports by Rex
Game 1: Round 7 T20 – CHCC vs Frankston 2s
You’d be forgiven for thinking CHCC were back in the NMCA last weekend, with the clubrooms open at 9am and players ready for a morning in the field. Sunday was the second double header fixtured for the WCCC’s T20 comp, with our 1st XI hosting Frankston Women in the morning and Kingston Heath in the afternoon.
Despite another run of poor weather and an ominous forecast, the skies remained clear and we managed both matches without interruption. Unfortunately for our 2s, an early morning trip to Melton proved fruitless, arriving only to learn that the outfield for their first match was better suited to those with gumboots. The silver lining was a contingent of CHCC supporters who made their way to Rammo, albeit via the scenic route!
Captain Rachael ‘Razzle’ Jones won the toss, elected to field and threw Hannah ‘Handsy’ Watson the ball. ‘Handsy from the Hilly End’ proved a winner, with a crisp first ball wicket courtesy of a catch to Isobel ‘Izzy’ Fenner at silly mid-off. Not a bad way to start Izzy’s 50th game for the Hill! (Izzy joins Rebekah ‘Bobby’ Drake (65 games) and Razzle (54 games) as the only Senior Women’s players to reach the milestone – congrats all!)
After a wicket maiden from Handsy, Maya ‘Like Fire’ Harrington continued the pressure, starting her spell with a maiden. It wasn’t until the 20th ball of the innings that Frankston finally got off the mark with a single. To their credit, Frankston’s batters were patient, and despite plenty of dot balls from our bowling contingent, they were able to put away the occasional short or wider ball.
In the 12th over, Emily ‘Dominos’ Costigan was ready for a change, bowling Frankston’s number three for a well-made 28. Three overs later, Dominos was at it again, running out Frankston’s remaining opener during another tidy over from Handsy. Despite Dominos' handiwork, however, Frankston by this stage were 3/94.
Additional contributions with the ball from Razzle, Izzy, Bobby, Ashleigh ‘Steam Train’ Murdoch and Laila ‘Electric Train’ Rae couldn’t quite find the breakthrough through the middle of our innings, and some particularly big hitting from the opposition’s number four (including five 6s), helped Frankston grow their total. Late in the innings, Handsy bowled her second wicket for the match to claim figures of 2/1 off 4 and leave Frankston 4/121 at the close of the innings.
Our chase got off to a sombre start with Maya retiring hurt due to a quad strain in the opening over as she backed up from the non-striker’s end. Izzy joined Handsy at the crease, only to watch Handsy’s wicket fall in the second over, bowled by Frankston’s big hitter.
Next up was Laila, who joined Izzy in the middle and the pair set about adding 41 to our score before Izzy lofted one to short mid-off. Electric Train was joined by Steam Train to add some big hitting and good running for a partnership of 30 before Laila was bowled for 27. Dominos next joined Ash in the middle to keep the score ticking over, adding 13 together before Ash was caught for a handy 20 runs.
Another 18-run partnership between Dominos and Hannah ‘HG’ Gray took our total past 100, before HG was given out for a rather high lbw... With Clifton Hill on 103, Rachel ‘Greyhound’ Gray joined a determined Dominos for the last 3 overs of the match.
As two of the quickest players in the team, Dominos and Greyhound quickly went about finding as many singles and twos as they could, interspersed with some powerful hitting from Dominos, who found the boundary at deep mid-wicket, backward of square and long-on in her innings.
Needing 5 off the last over, Greyhound snared a single off the first ball, before two dots (including a millimetre perfect wider delivery on the off-side, much to Dominos’ displeasure…). Another single from Dominos left us needing 3 from 2, before a third dot ball ramped up the pressure on Greyhound. Needing 3 from 1 Greyhound smacked a shot to deep extra cover and the pair sped through to run two as the fielder made their return throw. CHCC 5/121. ‘What does that mean?’, asked one of Frankston’s fielders to a senior player in the outfield. A tie!
CHICKEN: BOG goes to Emily ‘Dominos’ Costigan for an impressive all-round performance!
Emily Costigan 1/26 off 4, 1 run out and 30 not out, Hannah Watson 2/1 off 4 (3 maidens), Laila Rae 27, Ashleigh Murdoch 20.
Game 2: Round 8 T20 – CHCC vs Kingston Heath
Despite the forecast from the Bureau, there was not a storm in sight for the Women's Team First XI's second match of the day at Rammo. After a lovely BBQ lunch (thanks Cal and Ben!) we received a call from the opposition that they were going to arrive right on time. Following consultation with Handbook, Umpire and Umpire Supervisor, it was determined that Kingston Heath would forfeit the coin toss (technically Razzle's second win of the day) and we decided to bowl first. We were excited to have Juliette "Puck" Gentle fill in for us, as well as having Lauren "Rex" Chester play (well, field) her first match of the season!
We began with Handsy from the Hilly End again, but unfortunately did not manage a wicket with the first ball! Handsy was her usual economical self and combined well with Dominos, while Kingston Heath's batters were patient. Izzy struck in the fifth over, with a nice catch taken by Steam Train! Izzy then followed it up two balls later with another wicket, the batter out LBW. The batters were able to form only a small partnership before Razzle came and dazzled them, the batter getting caught out with the catch taken by Izzy. This was Razzle's 50th wicket - congratulations Razzle! Some more economic bowling followed, with Steam Train and Jessica "Nan" Aldridge, before Handsy came back on and bowled out the batter for a well-deserved wicket. Steam Train a wicket the same way not long later and, due to Kingston Heath being low in numbers, we were advised their last batter was coming in. Five more runs were added to the total before she was bowled out by Bobbie, with Kingston Heath all out for 49 in the sixteenth over.
We opened the batting with Handsy and Nan and it turns out that's all we needed! With a small total to catch, and some decent opening bowlers, Handsy and Nan were patient, while hitting the balls that were there to be hit. There were some stunning shots and beautiful boundaries, the highlight being Nan bringing up the win with a lovely straight boundary! Handsy finished 29* and Nan 20*, with us reaching the total in the tenth over.
CHICKEN: BOG could not be split between our two opening batters, with Handsy and Nan sharing the honours!
Men’s 4th XI vs Kew at Willsmere
The 4s played a home game away, proving once again that cricket is a funny game. We batted first and clocked up 9/165 thanks to 55 not out from Zach Wilson, playing his first game of the season. He got good support from Roadie (26), Jonesy (24), Jack Speed (21) and Daylon Seakins (20).
Kew made a fair fist of the chase but ended up 12 runs short, thanks to good bowling from Daylon (3/20 off 4), Geoff Smith (2/15 off 5), Jamie Holton (1/18 off 6.4), and Jeff Burstin (1/27 off 4).
Good win!
CHICKEN: Zach Wilson gets the poultry for his half century that set up the win.
TOM BELLIS
He makes runs every week, and when BenCap gives him a bowl he takes wickets! It’s Sam ‘Stinga’ Barrett!!