Round 7 Match Reports v Blacktown + Metro (Day 1)
MATCH REPORTS (Liam ‘LJ’ O’Loughlin)
1st to 5th Grades – Round 7 v Blacktown Mounties (2-Day Matches) Day 1
1st Grade T20 – Round 10 v Eastern Suburbs
Metropolitan Cup – RPC Gold v Georges River (2-Day Match) Day 1
Lefand Group 1st Grade @ Joe McAleer Oval
Result: Randwick Petersham (Bell-Drummond 131, Affleck 61) v Blacktown 0/39
After a nail-biting loss previously to Sydney, the Randy Petes were looking to bounce back and they did so in style on day one of their clash with Blacktown. Batting first, Shaun Eaton (23) and Will Affleck (61) got the ball rolling early but the injection of Daniel Bell-Drummond (131) at No.3 took things to the next level.
The Englishman continued his fine form – which is something I feel like I’ve written a lot in the past 12 months – on his way to his first century of the season. DBD has now scored 369 runs in four innings at a remarkable average of 92.25.
Some great contributions in the middle-order from Anthony Sams (59) and Riley Ayre (51*) took us to a big total of 6/407 before we sent Blacktown in for a bat at the end of the day. The hosts will start day two at 0/39 and the Randy Petes will back themselves to take all 10 wickets.
Lefand Group 1st Grade T20 @ Waverley Oval vs Eastern Suburbs
Result: Randwick Petersham 6/196 (Eaton 43) def. Eastern Suburbs 6/148 (Ninan 2/22)
Six games, six wins.
The Randy Petes finished the regular season of the Kingsgrove Sports T20 Cup in style with a 48-run over local rivals Easts on Sunday afternoon. Batting first, the opening pair of Shaun Eaton (43) and Daniel Bell-Drummond (23) kick-started things for the Petes. Some steady contributions throughout the order, highlighted by a classy knock from Riley Ayre (34* off 22) and cameo from Matt Everett (18* off 6) took us to a really solid total of 6/196 from the 20 overs.
Bowling was much of the same, with really solid performances from the likes of Daya Singh (2/40 off 4) and Daniel Sams (1/18 off 4). But it was spinner Ryan Ninan (2/22 off 4) that shone brightest, restricting the run rate and really frustrating the batsman as we were able to hold them to 6/148 from their 20 overs. The semi-finals begin this weekend, with the Randy Petes hosting St George at Coogee Oval on Sunday. Get there and support, bring beers and bring your voices as the Randy Petes look towards their first title of the season.
Sutton City 2nd Grade @ Coogee Oval
Result: Randwick Petersham (Doheny 170) v Blacktown 1/78
2nd Grade welcomed experienced campaigners Ashley Burton and Doug Loth for the first time this season, alongside a debut for Mitch O’Loughlin after leading the attack well in 3’s.
Losing the toss and being sent in at an overcast Coogee, we were off to the worst possible start losing gun opener Matt Everett to an absolute seed first up. From here on in the day belonged to our Irishman Stephen Doheny, playing watchfully early when the pitch offered plenty of seam movement, then getting settled to put on a masterclass and dominate the Blacktown attack to finish 170. Steve’s main challenge proved to be finding a few boys ‘backing green’ from the other end. Other than a handy 30 from Rav de Silva we found difficulty in building partnerships, eventually being bowled out for 296 on tea.
With 31 overs left in the day Blacktown played cautiously, struggling to handle a hostile straight 11 overs from Tom McKenzie which included a broken lid. Some smart bowling from Jake Wood bagged us a wicket in the last over of the day, leaving Blacktown 1-78 at stumps with it all to play for on Saturday.
Petersham RSL 3rd Grade @ Jim Hanshaw Oval
Result: Randwick Petersham 167 (Docos 67) v Blacktown 2/47 (Stares 1/9, Miskella 1/15)
Batting first away from home against the Mounties, an early wicket had us in a bit of trouble but a solid 80-run stand for the second wicket between Adam Docos (67) and Reuben Sachs (20) settled things. Unfortunately, as is so often the case, once one wicket fell another one was not far behind and Tom Holland was gone for a golden globe on his birthday. Ross Elliot (14) received another controversial lbw decision, and with seven wickets falling to spin and nobody able to kick on from the middle or lower order, the Randy Petes were bowled out for 167.
Ryan Miskella (1/15 off 8) hooped one in to get our first, before Hayden Fox took a brilliant one-handed, full-stretch catch over his head for our second off the bowling of skipper Ben Stares (1/9 off 3). Bailey Kenzie (0/2 off 2) should of had an lbw from a full toss but was turned down with the excuse it pitched outside leg. Skipper Stares is backing his side to defend the remaining 120 on a fresh wicket next week and claim their second win of the season.
Mellick Wealth Management 4th Grade @ Kensington Oval
Result: Randwick Petersham 149 (Connolly 55, Sultan 49) v Blacktown 3/161 (Bugti 1/16)
After a remarkable late win over Sydney in Round 6, Fourth Grade were coming into this game with some confidence despite sitting almost 10 places behind Blacktown on the table. But after two wickets within the first over, the hosts were in dire straits at Kenso. Jaya Murdita (21) and Dylan Powell (13) somewhat steadied the ship for a little bit, but another mini-collapse left us struggling. Enter Sayem Sultan (49) and Ryan Connolly (55) who batted beautifully in the middle-order and setting us up for a respectable total. The tail failed to wag however and the Randy Petes were bowled out for just 149 in 44 overs. Special mention probably should go to the Blacktown skipper, who made us look silly by taking 8/50 off 14.
Going out to bowl, Mitch Winslade (0/20 off 4) had a shout for caught behind turned down in the first over, but ‘The Dentist’ Anis Bugti (1/16 off 5) struck not long after and the boys were up and about. From there however, it was tough going as the Mounties took advantage of a good late-arvo deck and cashed in – something we had hoped to do before getting rolled. Having lost the first innings, the lads will now need to turn up to try and either get a second innings victory, or at the very least take away the chance of Blacktown scoring an outright win.
Bendigo Clovelly Community Bank 5th Grade @ Whalan Oval No. 2
Result: Randwick Petersham v Blacktown 8/238 (Whalebone 2/21, Deller 2/30)
RPCC won the toss and decided to bowl on an usually cool day at Whalan oval Blacktown. The wicket although flat had a bit of grass and soft underneath. The bowlers were asked to bowl top of off and keep the ball up to batsmen as the wicket did not look hard enough to drive on. Ben Thomas (1 – 47 off 16) and Will Deller (2 – 30 of 10) bowled great lines in 2 spells due to their age restrictions. Ben once again unlucky not to grab couple more wickets bowling at good pace. Will got the breakthrough with a fine caught and bowled catch diving forward.
Freddy Whalebone (2 – 21 of 10) and Hamza Mahmood (1 – 42 of 12) took over from Ben and Will and kept tight lines. Hamza struck early in his spell dismissing their number 3 batsman with a fine in-swinging yorker. At 2/22 in 13 overs RPCC looked like making inroads but a 70-run partnership for the 3rd wicket saw Blacktown stabilise their position. With the young Blacktown opener playing well and tea just one over away it looked like another big partnership was looming but Will Deller had other plans and with a brilliant bit of fielding at cover – he dived and stopped a full blooded drive to pick the ball and throw to the keeper and run the batsman out at the stroke of Tea. 3 for 92 of 39 overs.
After the tea break the Blacktown batsmen returned in a positive mood and attacked our bowlers from both ends. Adam Lee (0-49 off 16) bowled some splendid overs swinging the ball into the wind and was unlucky not to get couple of wickets with the ball beating the bat few times. Yogesh Wanzare (0-31 of 12) lion-heartedly tried his best bowling spin and then medium pace to get a break through but was well played out by the Blacktown batsmen. Angus Beaumont (0-18 of 4) also tried get a break but could not trouble the opponents.
With 3 players carrying injuries in the field the Blacktown batmen were cruising with taking easy singles within the ring on the onside and plenty of 3’s when the ball was just pushed through the infield. At 8 – 238 Blacktown will probably look to continue to bat for at least 10 overs. When RPCC get their turn to bat it will be once again bat, bat and bat on. If we play out the day we have a good chance to win the game.
Metropolitan Cup: Cartwright Insurance Green v Blacktown Mounties @ Kensington Oval
Result: Randwick Petersham Green v Blacktown Mounties
This match will be played over 120 on Sunday Dec 8.
Metropolitan Cup: Titan Fitness Gold v Georges River @ Marrickville Oval
Result: Randwick Petersham Gold 191 (Takacs 73, Genner 34) v Georges River 4/93
Gold lost the toss and were sent into bat on a dreary day at Marrickville Oval. It seemed to be a good toss to win, as the Golds were reduced to 4/39. From there, it was the team’s young guns that begun the revival, as Max Robinson purred to 26 before being fired off a woody LBW. Late call-up Josh Genner (34) joined the accelerating Luke Takacs for a rapid partnership that brought the Golds back into the game.
With the outfield slow, Takacs was then joined by the everyready Jack Braithwaite, and the pair helped escalate the score to 180. Takacs in particular used the momentum well and was looking to go big, before he chipped one back to the bowler on 73. The well-paced innings came in just his second match for the club. Braithwaite (23*) took the final score to 191.
The chase started nervously for River, as Jack Osborne sneaked in an early LBW, while Charith De Silva knocked over the other opener cheaply. A dangerous partnership was starting to develop, before Thanush Gowda had the technically correct number 3 caught behind. The burly number 4 for River slapped a powerfully half century before he was fortuitously dismissed with stumps in sight. The game is well in the balance going into week 2, with Gold well-placed to take their second win of the season.
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