Season 2018/19 kicked off on the weekend with A grade starting its premiership defence with a one day game against Collendina. With the home side batting first after winning the toss, we elected to open with Dale and Ky Eskrigge, who was playing his first A grade game. Ky was quick to claim his first sclap and the teams first, as he found the woodwork and sending Norquay back to the shed for a duck. Dale then chipped in not long after with a double strike, first the prized wicket of Kavaliunas as he destroyed his castle and then repeated that to Ben Riccardo and all of a sudden it was 3-20. After the promising start by the boys, the home side regrouped and steadied with a handy fourth wicket stand. They managed to pile on 66 before Lee Edmonds broke through, claiming the wicket thanks to a Dale Kerr catch and the score became 4-86. The fifth wicket then chipped in and got settled and managed to put on 74 before Harper O’Keefe trapped the bloke in front for 23 and at the end of the 40 overs the home side finished 5-179.
Then it was our turn to bat and we opened up with Ned Cooper and Stephen Jacimovic. These two put on a great opening stand, with both posting fifties. Jacimovic ended up getting bowled for 82, while Ned was caught for 62, had set up the side brilliantly for an opening round win. Ash Poulton, playing his first game back after returning from QLD found himself out for just three, leaving Sam Weight unbeaten on 15, while Tyler Dittloff finished unbeaten on six to get us passed the requiredtotal with six overs remaining. A great way to kick off the season.
B Grade was sent in to bowl first and it was an electric start with the ball for the boys as we claimed three very early scalps to have Collendina on the back foot really early. Sam Kerr, filling in for Brent Smith was the destroyer claiming the first two scalps, caught and LBW, before Nick Swain, playing his first game for the club picked up his first, caught, and all of a sudden, it was 3-6. That soon became 4-27 when a good piece of fielding that saw Victor throw the ball over the stumps for Mark Eskrigge to take the bails saw the bloke run out. The fifth wicket then put on 50 but then Matty McGuane broke through and that started another mini collapse with matty picking up a second not to long after that, while Victor Morrow picked up the next bloke and all of a sudden it was 7-79. The eighth wicket then put on 56 but then swain came back into the attack and picked up two wickets without the opposition scoring, while jaron picked up the other and they were bowled out for 136. Swain the pick of the bowlers with 3-17 (8) followed by Sam Kerr 2-16 (8) and Mat McGuane 2-20 (8)
Then it was our turn to bat and it wasn’t a good start with Victor falling, without troubling the scorers and Aaron Lindsay for just 1. However Darcy Cooper and Jaron Lengyel stuck around for a while and built the target up a bit and put on a good partnership but Jaron was eventually out for 19. Darcy then continued with Mick Harper, who is playing his first game for the club, and they were looking good however it was Darcy that fell next with a well made 62. Mark Eskrigge and Sam Kerr both made starts scoring 13 each which along with Mick unbeaten on 30 saw us pass the total required giving us a win first up in the B Grade
C Grade won the toss and elected to bat. With a lack of batting depth there was a big reliance on the top order to make runs and that they did. Opening with the captain Mark Stoneham and Alan Hardman, the pair looked in control from the outset with both being very patient and waited for the bad ball and then accelerated when they needed too. They managed to see out 27 overs and brought up the century opening stand in the meantime before eventually Alby was out stumped in the 28th over for a well made 48. Jordan Bews were next in at three and along with Mark Stoneham put on a handy 51 run stand before bewsy was dismissed for seven. With a few late wickets including the wicket of Stoneham for a well made 95, we finished the innings at 5-189.
Then it was our turn with the ball and opening the bowling was Bryce Stoneham and Tom Eskrigge, playing his first senior game. It was Tom that managed to get the breakthrough first after Alby took a juggling catch at first slip. Then Joash Sterry playing his first game for the club, came into the attack and got a wicket bowling the other opener for 43 and breaking a 41 run stand. Joash got another quickly while Darren Eskrigge claimed a couple quick ones from the other end and all of a sudden it was 5-88. Then the game got tense as the sixth wicket put on 66 and the game was slipping away from us before Bewy bowled the bloke. The next wicket put on another decent partnership and at this stage the game was all bar lost with the score at 6-1883 before Blincoe claimed theprized wicket of Evans for 89 and the score became 7-183. Five runs required, three wickets in hand heading into the final over Tom Eskrigge bowled brilliantly and claimed a triple wicket maiden to seal a remarkable win for the boys. Tommy finished with 4-37 (7) and clearly was the pick of the bowlers.
A Great round to start the season with three wins from three games.
PLAYERS OF THE ROUND
Stephen Jacimovic 82
Ned Cooper 62
Dale Kerr 2-15 (8)
Darcy Cooper 62
Nick Swain 3-17 (8)
Mark Stoneham 95
Alan Hardman 48
Tom Eskrigge 4-37
