ROUND 4 MATCH REPORTS V ST GEORGE & METRO
T20 1st Grade & PGs v UNSW
La Nina certainly played havoc with Round 3 last weekend but the cricketing gods smiled favourably over Coogee and Petersham to ensure 4 Randy Petes teams took the field – allowing for 2 wins and 2 losses and plenty off fireworks of Dan Sams’ blade.
Lefand Group 1st Grade @ Coogee Oval
Randwick Petersham 8-143 (25 overs) Sangha 30 def. by St George 5-185 (31 overs cc) DLS Ayre 2-30
Only five 1st Grade matches were possible in Sydney last weekend, after Friday’s storm and Saturday morning’s wind and showers. One was the clash between Randwick Petersham and St George at Coogee, which finally got underway at 2.30pm, 4.5 hours after the scheduled start. Overs were reduced from 50 to 31 per team with St George batting first after losing the toss.
They were soon in trouble when local spinner, Riley Ayre, grabbed two wickets for a 2-27 scoreline. A run-out shortly after had the visitors reeling at 3-33. However, skipper and former Randy-Pete, Nick Stapleton, who learnt his early cricket on the Coogee strip, combined with Kaleb Phillips in an 88 runs partnership before he was out for 58 off 79 balls. Phillips went on with the job to be still there on 78* off 69 balls when the overs limit was reached. Ayre was the most successful bowler with 2-30 off 6 overs. Chasing a competitive 188 when it looked earlier that the target might be in the 160 range, Randwick Petersham made an ordinary start, losing both openers for 28 after 8 overs. Skipper Jason Sangha increased the scoring rate but when he was unfortunately run out for 30 off 36 and Riley Ayre was gone for 8 off 17, the score was a perilous 4-70 off 16.4 overs. Then it rained. The stoppage meant a revision of the target under the Duckworth Lewis method leaving the hosts to score 159 in 25 overs—another 89 off 8.2 at a run rate of 10.68 runs per over. There was plenty of bat swinging when play resumed but despite cameos from Anthony Sams (21 off 23), debutant Camden Hawkins (18 off 11), Daya Singh (18 off 12) and Adam Semple (21* off 13), the side finished 16 short at 8-143 in gloomy light at 7.30pm. A valiant attempt in difficult conditions. A good effort by both teams with congrats to the victors, St George.
Lyall Gardner OAM
Lefand Group 1st Grade T20 @ Coogee Oval
Randwick Petersham 3-213 (20 overs) D Sams 92, Sangha 66, A Sams 45* def. UNSW 7-144 (20 overs) J Sangha 2-8, D Sams 2-28
In a brilliant exhibition of power batting, Randwick Petersham piled on a score of 3-213 in its Kingsgrove Sports Twenty20 Cup match against University of NSW at Coogee Oval today. Batting first, an early wicket was lost when Ben Mitchell was out fifth ball. But that was the last of the good news for the students as skipper Jason Sangha and the dynamic Daniel Sams, put on 134 from 76 balls before Sams was caught for a 2-138 scoreline. Daniel absolutely smashed the attack, hitting 92 off just 41 balls with 5 fours and 8 mighty sixes. He hit each one of Uni’s six bowlers over the fence. His 50 came in only 21 balls with 5 sixes. It was a powerhouse display and equalled his best score in this competition when he belted 92 off only 39 balls with 7 fours and 9 sixes against St George at Hurstville, a little over 2 years ago. Big brother Anthony, joined Sangha and the pair continued the good work with a 71 runs partnership with Jason out second last ball for 66 off 55 with 4 fours and 3 sixes. New man in, Ash Burton, hit the only ball he received from Chris Tremain for four to bring up a final total of 3-213, leaving Anthony Sams unconquered on 45* off 20 balls with 2 fours and 4 sixes at a strike rate of 225, the same as Daniel earlier. The team hit 12 fours and 15 sixes.
Uni’s run chase started in sensational style with Dan Sams disposing of NSW opening bat Matt Gilkes first ball. He picked up a second on the last ball of that first over to have Uni. reeling at 2-8. But a 61 partnership between Tom Scoble (30 off 15) and NSW opening fast bowler, Chris Tremain (32 off 22), saw the score 2-69 after 7 overs and up with the asking rate. Jason Sangha then took 2 wickets in the space of 5 runs and the writing was on the wall. Skipper and former Randy Pete, Brandon McLean, ran up 20, but the task was too great and at the end of their 20 overs, the score was 7-144 for a loss by 69 runs. Sangha (2-8) and Sams (2-28) returned best bowling figures. The win puts the club on top on net-run rate in the Sydney Sixers Conference half of the T20 competition. The competition continues NEXT SUNDAY with a clash against equal leaders Mosman at Petersham Oval from 2.30pm. It will be LEGENDS DAY so we hope to see as many familiar faces there as possible.
Lyall Gardner OAM
