From the Pavilion – Round 10 vs Parramatta
After a mixed weekend against the Bulldogs, it was time to take on another Western Sydney club as Parramatta came calling. Parramatta had been performing well as a club this season, sitting in 8th spot in the Club Championship, three places above where we sat. With First Grade clashing in a 2-day fixture, Two’s to Five’s played out another round of 50-over matches as the battle for final’s positions intensified. It was another mixed day overall with two Grades claiming dominant victories, whilst two Grades suffered heavy defeats. First Grade was probably the only really close game as we tried desperately to reverse a poor Saturday by claiming outright points. Also the Metropolitan Cup boys played fought it out in the local derby clash between Green and Gold at Coogee Oval.
After a mixed weekend against the Bulldogs, it was time to take on another Western Sydney club as Parramatta came calling. Parramatta had been performing well as a club this season, sitting in 8th spot in the Club Championship, three places above where we sat. With First Grade clashing in a 2-day fixture, Two’s to Five’s played out another round of 50-over matches as the battle for final’s positions intensified. It was another mixed day overall with two Grades claiming dominant victories, whilst two Grades suffered heavy defeats. First Grade was probably the only really close game as we tried desperately to reverse a poor Saturday by claiming outright points. Also the Metropolitan Cup boys played fought it out in the local derby clash between Green and Gold at Coogee Oval.
Find out below who starred in Round 10 as we looked to get back into the Top 10 in the Club Championship.
Beastwear 1st Grade – Randwick Petersham (5th) v Parramatta (9th) @ Petersham OvalTeam – A.Sams (+), Kemp(c), Price, Scicluna, Sangha, D.Sams, Psarakis, Semple, Critchley, Neser, West
Result – Randwick Petersham 10/128 – 54 Overs (Scicluna 36, Semple 21) and 10/192 – 68 Overs (Kemp 68, Neser 23 n/o, Psarakis 20) Defeated by Parramatta 3(dec)/132 – 34.5 overs (Neser 1/15-5) and 9/103 – 31 Overs (Semple 3/12-8, Critchley 2/22-6)
First Grade were back at Petersham Oval for a rare Saturday-Sunday two-day game against Parramatta. After a fantastic win against table topping Bankstown, it was a great chance to solidify our place in the Top 6 against a Parramatta side hot on our tail. Outside of Soumil Chibber who was unavailable, we were able to call upon a full strength line-up once again with everyone fit and raring to get back into long form cricket.
In what became a wild game of twists and turns, we were convincing beaten on the first innings, before coming within a whisker of reversing the result on Sunday, falling just one wicket short of what would have been a memorable outright victory. On a wicket that had a bit it in for everyone, only Jake Scicluna (37) managed to dig in and bat time against a Parra attack that was right on the money. In reply, Parra quickly passed our score and immediately declared late on Saturday night in search of outright points.
Sunday proved a bit of a grind with the bat as we suffered the worst of the conditions, before scratching our way up to 192 all out to set up an interesting run chase. Skipper Alex Kemp (68) scored a classy half century under pressure, before James Psarakis (20) and Fancois Neser (23n/o) added some late runs to the total. In reply we were all over Parramatta from the get go, taking wickets and closing in on a great fightback win. Adam Semple (3/12-8) proved close to unplayable, whilst Matt Critchley (2/22-6) started running through the tail.
Sadly it was not to be, as Parra barely survived the final over to claim a first innings points victory. We now sit just outside the finals positions in 7th place and face a crucial game against 10th placed Manly at Coogee Oval over the next two weekends.
JC Travel Professionals MVP Points
3 – Adam Semple
2 – Alex Kemp
1 – Matt Critchley
Frankie & Swiss 2nd Grade – Parramatta (13th) v Randwick Petersham (15th) @ Old Kings OvalTeam – Everett (+), Moran, Hassan, Eaton, James, Holland (c), Mackay, Ram, Hart, Magann, Tyson
Result – Parramatta 10/160 – 36.2 Overs (Tyson 5/24-10, Eaton 2/42-8.2) Defeated By Randwick Petersham 8/161 – 34.4 Overs (Hassan 38, Everett 27, Holland 23)
Second Grade have been on a roll of late, winning four of their past five matches to climb up to 15th on the ladder, but only seven points out of a Top 6 position. Parramatta lay just ahead of us in 13th spot so it was essentially a must-win game for both teams, with a loser at long odds to get back in the final’s hunt. In a rarity, Second Grade were able to name an unchanged line up from the side that swept aside Bankstown at Petersham Oval last week.
The boys were able to make it five wins from six games after a pretty convincing victory that was made closer by the chasing of a bonus point. After ripping through Parramatta for 160, the boys were after a crucial bonus point by trying to chase the runs inside 30 overs. However, as wickets started to tumble that was soon abandoned and we settled for the 6 points, eventually passing the home side for the loss of 8 wickets in the 35th over.
Veteran left arm fast bowler James Tyson (5/24-10) has been in sublime form since the return from Christmas, and he put an exclamation mark on that by ripping through Parramatta to claim a well deserved 5-wicket haul. In humid conditions, Tyson was in his element, hooping the ball around corners to have the home side in all sorts. He was well supported by Sean Eaton (2/42-8.2) and all the others bowlers, as we reduced the home side to a mediocre score of 160.
In reply, regular opening pair Max Moran (15) and Matt Everett (27) got us off to a flyer with a 42-run opening stand before Moran fell. The in-form Suffan Hassan (38) has been in spectacular form this year and he quickly jumped into gear, hitting a number of boundaries. Hassan was joined by skipper Tom Holland (23) and those boys kept the tempo going in chase of a bonus point, as we reached 3/129 before both players fell in quick succession. Suddenly we slumped to 8/154, before youngster Jack James (15n/o) and James Tyson (1n/o) saw us safely over the line.
The boys are now up to 11th, our highest spot this year, and take on high flying Manly at Manly Oval next week. Manly are notoriously hard to beat in Second Grade and, sitting in 5th place, this will be a great test to see exactly how far our boys have come of late.
JC Travel Professionals MVP Points
3 – James Tyson
2 – Suffan Hussan
1 – Tom Holland
Petersham RSL 3rd Grade – Randwick Petersham (14th) v Parramatta (15th) @ Coogee OvalTeam – Ahmed (+), Stares, Calder, Mitchell, Lyle, Maloney, Stafford (c) Nawaz, McKenzie, Loth, Tsalikidis
Result – Randwick Petersham 10/63 – 21.2 Overs (Calder 21, Stafford 15) Defeated By Parramatta 0/66 -12.3 Overs
Third Grade were desperate for a game of cricket after their match was abandoned last week against Bankstown. While Stafford’s men were sitting in 14th place, they were only a couple of games outside the finals, and went on a spectacular charge to the final after Christmas last season. For the clash against Parramatta at Coogee Oval, the side looked a strong one with the likes of Ben Stares and Tom McKenzie in the side, having played some 2nd Grade earlier this season.
Unfortunately, this was just one of those days for Stafford’s men as everything that could go wrong did go wrong as we were beaten by 10 wickets. The boys were sent in to bat on a Coogee green top on a very humid and sticky morning. The Parramatta quick bowlers made the ball talk and reduced us to the hopeless position of 5/5. Matt Calder (21) and Rod Stafford (15) did a good job to resurrect the innings, taking the score to 43, before another collapse saw us bundled out for 63.
By the time Parramatta got to the middle the wicket had flattened right out and they made very light work of the chase, securing the win for the loss of no wickets in the 13th over. Third Grade now slip to 15th place, and need a victory at Petersham Oval next week where they take on 7th placed Manly.
JC Travel Professionals MVP Points
3 – Matt Calder
2 – Tom McKenzie
1 – Rod Stafford
Sydney City Toyota 4th Grade – Parramatta (11th) v Randwick Petersham (9th) @ Merrylands OvalTeam – Eldridge, Schubert (+), Murdita, King, Bourke (c), Graham, Wallis, Mahony-Brack, Budwee, Jenkins, Sprowls
Result – Result – Parramatta 10/116 – 34.3 Overs (Jenkins 4/15-8, Graham 3/8-6, Mahony-Brack 2/28-5) Defeated By Randwick Petersham 6/119 – 24.2 Overs (Wallis 29n/o, Murdita 28, Schubert 27)
Fourth Grade were looking to bounce back after a surprise loss to Bankstown last week left their final’s hopes in the balance. Coming into this game in 9th spot, we could ill afford back-to-back losses against a Parramatta side that lie just below us in 11th spot. Merrylands Oval looked in fantastic nick for the game, having won lower grade ground of the season last year. Bourkey was able to call on the services of Matt Wallis who was back, while Jackson Eldridge had been promoted after some good form in 5th Grade.
The boys put in a fantastic performance to secure a bonus point victory against a side that has proved hard to toss at home this year. After dismissing Parramatta for a moderate 116 we went all guns blazing for the extra bonus point and managed to secure it, chasing the runs inside 25 overs to ensure an early finish and a nice trip home.
The win was made all the more remarkable in that Parramatta had started this game in dominant fashion. With the score on 0/78 and the wicket playing pretty well, we looked all set for some very long toil in the field. However, the game turned on its head as, after reaching 2/102, we claimed a stunning sequence of 7 wickets for just 4 runs as the home side slumped to 9/106. Getting amongst it was gun left arm orthodox spinner Mac Jenkins (4/15-7). Jenkins recently made his debut for PGs and was a stand out performer for AWGS, so he has had plenty of cricket of late. His unnerving accuracy and ability to grip the ball caused havoc as he built pressure and picked up wickets along the way. Corey Graham (3/8-6) has also had a great season and he was also running amok among a shellshocked Parramatta middle order. James Mahony-Brack (2/28-5) also chipped in as we completed a remarkable turnaround to bowl them out for 116.
In reply, both Schubert (27) and Murdita (28) gave us a great platform to launch from. Both players have been in great form in the top order and have played a large role in 4th Grade’s change of fortunes of late. After a flurry of wickets, we slipped to 6/90 and suddenly Parramatta were back in a contest they looked out of. However, big all-rounder Matt Wallis (29n/o) was in no mood to muck around, destroying the home side’s attack to all parts, to ease the nerves in the sheds. He was well supported by James Mahony-Brack (12n/o) as we safely got over the line six wickets down.
Bourkey’s men are still 9th on the table, however they are now just five points outside the Top 6. Next week is now a massive game against 6th placed Manly at Graham Reserve. A win could see us back inside the Top 6 for the first time since the opening two rounds.
JC Travel Professionals MVP Points
3 – Mac Jenkins
2 – Corey Graham
1 – Matt Wallis
Adina Apartment Hotel Coogee 5th Grade – Randwick Petersham (4th) v Parramatta (16th) @ Kensington Oval Team – Gracias Flor, Rushton, Powell, Mullins, Hilder, De Silva, Montedoro, Singh (c), Jones, Boyns, O’Laughlin
Result – Randwick Petersham 10/137 – 38 Overs (Montedoro 55 n/o) Defeated By Parramatta 1/141 – 39 Overs
Fifth Grade were looking to bounce back from a narrow defeat to Bankstown which saw them slip from second on the table to 4th. With Parramatta struggling in 16th spot, this looked like a good opportunity to get back in the winner’s circle, and push for a home quarter final later in the year. With Sean Rushton, Matt Hilder and Dylan Powell back into the side, 5th Grade looked to have a deep and strong batting line up to go with their regular quartet of bowlers.
Unfortunately, this was probably our poorest performance of the season as Parramatta romped to a 9-wicket victory at Kensington Oval. After winning the toss and electing to bat on a typical low and slow Kensington Oval wicket, we lost wickets at regular intervals just as we seemed to be building some momentum. The stand out performer was clearly Ben Montedoro (55n/o) who has recovered from a slow start to the season to show the talent that he possesses. Montedoro held the side together, playing some sparkling drives and hitting a number of boundaries. Montedoro, unfortunately, ran out of partners as he was left stranded to give us something to bowl at, as we scratched our way to 137 all out.
With the ball we didn’t have much luck, despite going close to making a few inroads at times. We have to give some credit to Parramatta who belied their position of 16th place on the ladder to bat responsibly and claim a 9-wicket victory, with more than ten overs to spare.
Whilst it has been a disappointing couple of weeks for Singhy’s men, with back-to-back losses, we remain well placed in 6th spot with five rounds to play. Next week almost becomes a must win now, as 10th placed Manly are just 7 points behind us, and a loss would see us slip out of the Top 6 for the first time this season.
JC Travel Professionals MVP Points
3 – Ben Montedoro
2 – Nigel Singh
1 – Mitch Jones
Metro Cup – Specsavers Marrickville RPC Gold (4th) vs 
Clovelly Community Bank Branch Bendigo Bank RPC Green (10th) @ Coogee Oval Teams: Gold (House, Stewart*, Crawford, McDonagh, Sidney (+), Fox, Lee, Kashyap, Connolly, O’Loughlin, Waugh)
Green (Papathansiou (+), Jastrzab, Andonopoulos, Marsden, M Wall, Sapariya, Finkelstein, Mohan, Deller, Bhavsar, Coovre)
Result – RPC Gold 10/207 – 46 Overs (Lee 61, Connolly 55, Deller 4/30-10) Defeated RPC Green 10/95 – 36.1 Overs (L. O’Loughlin 3/20-10)
The annual Metro Cup Derby match at Coogee Oval took place this past Sunday between Randwick Petersham Gold and Green. As always, it was full of twists and turns and plenty of banter, but Gold were again able to notch up an impressive win.
After losing the first four wickets quickly for only 8 runs, Gold looked in serious trouble as young Green quick Alex Deller (4-30 off 10) continued to terrorise the batsmen for the remainder of his first spell. At 6-36, the Golds looked like they were going to be defending a double-digits total, but a solid partnership between Pratoolya Kashyap (18) and Adam Lee (61) steadied the ship. This was followed by a brilliant innings from Green Shield player Ryan Connolly (55) and some cameos from the tail to bring the Gold side to a score of 208.
The Golds, led by seamer Hayden Fox (2-21 off 6) started shaky with the ball before clawing their way back. The spinners caused the trouble on a nice Coogee pitch however, with a return to form for off-spinner Lj O’Loughlin (3-20 off 10) and some superb efforts from a tired Ryan Connolly (2-6 off 6) allowed the Golds to prevail and bowl their opponents out for a low score of 95, claiming 2 bonus points for their victory and retaining “The Grouch” for a third consecutive year.
It was another entertaining Metro Derby that was plenty of fun for both players and spectators in attendance. The efforts of all players and spectators to donate money to the Stop Sarcoma foundation in honour of the late Laura Hinds (daughter of Denis) was a tremendous initiative organised by Jeremy Jastrzab. Furthermore, many thanks to Anne and Paul O’Loughlin and Mr and Mrs Lee for providing drinks and lunch throughout the day, and Sam Boyns and Pingu for scoring.
Liam O’Loughlin, Metro scribe
JC Travel Professionals MVP Points
3 – Adam Lee
2 – Ryan Connolly
1 – Liam O’Loughlin
3 – Alex Deller
2 – Balan Mohan
1 – Abbey Bhavsar
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