During the 07/08 season, Engadine Dragons won our 11th Junior Club Championship with the 10A, 14A, 16C, B1, B2 and B8 teams becoming 2007-08 Premiers with commiserations to the 12A, 16A, and C1 sides for finishing runners-up. Click for details:
Junior Teams | Senior Teams | Awards | Committee | End of Season Reports | Match Reports |
Finals Scorecards | Representative Players
Juniors
U/8A1 | U/8B1 | U/8B2 | U10A | U10B | U10D | U12A | U12D | U14A | U14C | U16A | U16C
Seniors
A2 | B1 | B2 | B5 | B7 | B8 | C1 | C2
8A1 REPORT
Sponsored by - Whitto's Pizza
THE TEAM: - Max Batty, Harrison Blacker, Dylan Croker, Luke Kayani, Alexander Lee, Kygh Popple, Rithik Sahay, Joshua Smith, Michael Stock, Christopher Todd, Emily Smith, Rebekah Lee
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Having assembled a mix of boys from last years 8A and 8B sides, plus two new players, expectation was that this would be a good season for the Dragons 8A1's. Little did I know that the boys would remain undefeated throughout the 10 rounds and perform some amazing feats with both bat & ball along the way. No opposing side managed to get close to us, our narrowest winning margin was by 43 runs, our largest, 135 runs and more often than not our total team innings per match would be in excess of 140.This was especially pleasing since half of our games were on the very slow and damp outfield of Preston Park. Five of our batsmen scored heavily throughout the season with excellent support from the remaining boys. Our bowling and fielding just kept improving as the season progressed and opposing teams and their spectators could not believe the quality and depth of bowling the team had. The boys worked very hard on their fielding at training and this showed up with 29 run outs many of them direct hits.
Although we were so dominant the boys never lost sight of the fact that the main objective was to have fun and play the game in the right spirit and this they did magnificently. I can honestly say that it was an absolute pleasure coaching this group of boys; they have been a credit to their parents and to the club. Not only did they gel as a team but many friendships were forged along the way not only amongst the boys but also the parents as well. To all of the parents and supporters thank you for your support throughout the season, I think we always had the largest number of supporters at each game. A big thank you to Sylvia for managing the team and her apprentice scorer Stephanie. I still can't believe how much harder the scoring is in Mod cricket - I certainly had the easier task being out in the middle. Thank you to Brad and Nick for their help and support at training and the games and also Neil for your technical assistance and knowledge with the boys during each match and helping out in the middle when I wanted a break. A special mention to our two super subs Emily and Rebekah who filled in for one game while some of our boys were off sick and on holidays. You both played very well and who knows maybe it might have given you a taste to pull on the whites on a more permanent basis next season.
I hope all the boys continue their enjoyment of cricket and wish them all the best for next season. Thank you to the Dragons club and all of the committee and other club helpers for the fantastic job they have done throughout this season.
Max Batty: 195 Runs - ave of 39.0 , 15 Wickets - ave of 6.8 , 2 catches, 7 run outs. Max was our last minute key signing. One of our batting big guns, his left handed batting made life difficult for the opposing bowlers, he was very consistent and his off-side strokes became a feature of his batting in the second half of the season. Max was our highest wicket taker and managed to keep things tight even when he started to throw the occasional leg spinner in for good measure much to the coach's surprise.
Harrison Blacker: 43 Runs - ave of 7.17 , 8 Wickets - ave of 16.8 , 1 run out. Harrison was new to the game and a pleasure to coach. He was never daunted by the opposition or by being one of the youngest in our side. He featured in many high scoring partnerships and his bowling came on in leaps and bounds. Harrison managed to take 8 wickets for the season, this being a fantastic achievement for a first year cricketer. Good luck in U8s next year.
Dylan Croker: 260 runs - ave of 86.67 , 8 Wickets - ave of 8.0 , 4 catches, 7 run outs. Dylan was by far the standout batsman throughout the whole 4 grades of U8s this season. His highest score of 53 not out in round 2 was phenomenal for this age group and who knows what his season total might have been had our home ground not been so lush. Dylan's bowling was fast and deadly at times and his fielding just as good.
Luke Kayani: 109 runs - ave of 54.5 , 8 Wickets - ave of 9.13 , 3 run outs, 1 Stumping. Another of our strong all-round cricketers Luke struggled a little with the bat probably missing the influence of his older brother Osman this season. His bowling and fielding was its usual high standard and he was always the first in at the stumps when a run-out was on the cards. As Luke has moved out of the area we wish him and his family all the very best for the future and hope he and Os find a good club to carry on their cricketing skills.
Alexander Lee: 182 runs - ave of 182.0 , 12 Wickets - ave of 6.17 , 4 catches, 3 run outs. An outstanding season for Alex saw him dismissed only once. His straight batting technique and great running between the wickets helped in many high scoring partnerships. His bowling was also very strong with a best of 4-7 in one game, could have been 5 for, had our own coach not called a dubious no-ball.
Kygh Popple: 36 runs - ave of 7.2 , 4 Wickets - ave of 21.0 , 1 run out. Another first year cricketer Kygh's enthusiasm rubbed off onto the other players. He was an excellent team player and featured in some great batting partnerships, his bowling improved out of sight and certainly could have snared a few more wickets had he not cracked a bone in his arm whilst practicing WWW Wrestling with his father Brad.
Rithik Sahay: 54 runs - ave of 9.0 , 6 Wickets - ave of 11.67 , 1 catch. Rithik was the quiet achiever this season, his batting was always solid and featured in some good partnerships. It was his bowling that really blossomed and many times the opposition found scoring off him difficult. Rithik is a natural as a wicket-keeper and his all-round keeping skills really shone through when given the gloves.
Joshua Smith: 123 runs - ave of 30.75 , 7 Wickets - ave of 12.14 , 1 catch, 3 run outs. Difficult to believe that Josh was still one of the youngest in the team however this did not prevent him from developing into a really good all-round cricketer. His batting was very powerful and I'm sure he can at least double his run tally for next season. On his day Josh's bowling was deadly, he had a good in swinger and was another who made scoring difficult for the opposition.
Michael Stock: 31 runs - ave of 4.43 , 8 Wickets - ave of 13.25 , 1 catch, 2 run outs. Michael and his partner in crime Chris featured in many good batting partnerships throughout the season. Their calling between for runs was a feature and Michael's bowling really turned the corner after the Christmas break snaring important wickets.
Christopher Todd: 37 runs - ave of 6.17 , 8 Wickets - ave of 14.5 , 1 run out. A real character in the team Chris went about his business with a minimum of fuss. His batting improved as the season went on and his bowling kept on getting better and better snaring 8 well earned wickets. Chris's fielding was always good with the highlight being his run out by a direct hit in the last round.
Emily Smith & Rebekah Lee: Batting partnership of 22 runs, no wickets lost in their only game. A fantastic effort by the girls and maybe they might be persuaded to play a few more games next season.
COACH - JIM LEE
MANAGER - SLYVIA STOCK
8B1 TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - KFC Engadine
THE TEAM: - Luke Grinham, Jack Heffernan, Will Hickey, Harrison Long, Phoebe Scott, Liam Shiagetz, Cameron Westlake, Olivia Wilson, Luke Goodman
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With only on player having played cricket before and all new starters it was going to be a fun and challenging season. After our first training session I saw that most of the kids could bowl and bat a bit and with their great efforts and concentration this lasted throughout the season and they all improved greatly as the season went on. All the kids were batting and bowling well by the end of the season which made it rewarding for me as a coach. There weren't very many wins for the team as a lot of teams we came up against had a lot of strong and much older players but that didn't deter our players they went out there and gave it their best.
I would like to thank all the parents for getting their children to training each week and from giving them the opportunity of playing a great sport. I hope they have all enjoyed the season as much as I have as they were a pleasure to coach and it was rewarding to me to see their individual achievements each week.
To Patty-Anne our Manager I'd like to thank you for all your time effort and support you've given me and the team during the season and thanks for all the behind the scene duties and typing up of the reports each week.
Thanks once again thanks to everyone for a great season. John.
Luke Goodman: Luke joined the team after Christmas and showed good promise and enthusiasm from the start. He was always willing to learn and listen which saw Luke's bowling improve greatly. Very straight and nice easy action saw Luke bowl some tidy overs. When batting he showed potential with some good stroke play. On the field he was ever so keen to get the ball. Well done Luke.
Luke Grinham: Luke a first year cricketer showed batting promise. Like most of the kids Luke found himself getting into a tangle at the start of the year with the bat. But after a few weeks Luke showed good promise and with a good eye was always handy for some runs when out in the middle batting. His bowling showed much great improvement over the year with some good spells of bowling. All the best Luke. Well done on a great effort.
Jackson Heffernan: Jack's first year playing cricket started just like the rest of the kids getting in a tangle when coming to bowl. But with a little bit of practice it was not long before Jack was sending them down with venom and consistency. Jack found it hard getting his first run which surprised me because he could really time the ball. One game he had the umpire ducking for cover as it whistled past his ear. That run came in our 2nd last game where we couldn't take the smile off Jack's face. A good effort Jack, keep up the good work.
Will Hickey: Will was another young chap that had his first year of cricket. Will was tall and when he ran in to bowl he had the opposition shaking in their boots. Will's bowling vastly improved over the season which saw him take some good wickets. When batting, Will's front foot work got better with time, sometimes when he connected with the ball it took off from the bat like a rocket. Will took our first catch of the season with a screamer. Well played all year Will, great stuff.
Harrison Long: Harrison was the youngest player in the team but with a big spirit. Always with a smile Harry scored the teams first runs of the season. Harry's got a good sense of batting technique knowing when to use his front foot and hook shot and cover drive. Harry couldn't make half way down the pitch when bowling at the start of the season, with a little practice now he's getting them right up at the stumps. Well done Harry keep up the good work and that smile.
Phoebe Scott: Phoebe was one of our girls in the team and it was too her first year at cricket but this didn't worry Phoebe when she came to the wicket to bat. Phoebe had a great eye to hit the ball and when she got onto one it took off. Phoebe's strength was her bowling. Phoebe was the fastest bowler in the team. After she knocked the stumps flying one time we were approached by an opposing coach who asked "you sure she's never played before". Good first season Phoebe, well done.
Liam Shiagetz: Liam was another little fellow playing his first year of cricket. Liam's batting vastly improved over the months especially one day at training when I threw a ball at Liam in the nets fairly hard producing a lovely cover drive, so I did it 5 more times with the same result. Liam took that to the field with some good innings. With a bit more patience with bowling Liam will become a good little cricketer. Well done Liam, great effort.
Cameron Westlake: Cameron was the team's 2nd year player and he showed great ability. His batting technique improved a great deal over the year that saw him not lose a wicket all year. A very nice bowling style and very few sundries saw Cameron pick up quite a few wickets with his accurate bowling. He was also a very good wicket keeper and a great field player always running down the ball no matter where he was. Well done Cameron on a great season.
Olivia Wilson: Olivia's first year at cricket saw some great improvement over the season. Olivia bowled some very tidy spells. Olivia picked up her first wicket late in the season which bought a huge smile to her face as well as the coach's. Batting Olivia had some good strokes and always frustrated the opposition with her good defense never letting her wicket go easily. A great season Olivia all the best.
COACH - JOHN WESTLAKE
8B2 TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - Wizard Home Loans Engadine
THE TEAM: - Joel Beatton, Cameron Bradley, Benjamin Clarke, Ben Grimison, Ryan Grimison, Hunter Johnson, Luke Jones, Jacob Mifsud, Daniel Travers
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This mighty young team of Dragons all played in their debut season and always played the game with great sportsmanship. They learnt how to bowl, hold and swing a bat, run with pads on, throw to the right end of the wicket, catch with a pair of wicketkeeper gloves, walk in with the bowler and were the only team to call for their own runs. Here is a brief run down of each player:
Daniel shows the natural skills to be a great all rounder for any future Dragons team. Daniel is a very good fast bowler and took 8 wickets. His 78 runs when batting was also a pleasure to watch and he learnt the game quickly and always played in the right spirit with excellent sportsmanship.
Jacob is developing his all round cricket skills. He is equally comfortable batting, 93 runs, and bowling. He scored many runs with his straight drives and took 9 wickets. Jacob's enthusiasm was shown with him always wanting the ball to be hit to him when fielding. He created a great run out after fielding a shot from his own bowling and throwing down the stumps with a direct hit.
Luke's enjoyment for cricket was obvious. He liked all parts of the game and showed a great talent for bowling. His strong throws and run outs were due to his anticipation when fielding. Luke took 8 wickets and scored 67 runs and was a valuable member of the team.
Hunter never stopped trying all season and was rewarded with his bowling improving with every match and being a consistent straight bowler taking 4 wickets. He also developed a fine sweep shot. His season highlight was his direct hit run outs from side on and just to prove it was not a fluke he did it twice in the same innings!
Joel's cricketing skills improved dramatically. By season's end he was bowling straight and quickly, taking 4 wickets and was improving upon his highest batting score. All the time spent running up and down the corridor paid off Joel! He was a great team player who was very popular among all of the boys.
Ryan was the youngest Dragon in the team who loved to run around and mix it with the bigger boys taking 3 wickets. He always ran onto training and games with a smile on his face and ran off with a bigger smile. Ryan hit many shots often combined with his brother Ben G to share batting partnerships.
Benjamin G will develop into a great bowler one day taking 4 wickets for the season. He was consistently straight with his bowling and was working on some spin bowling before the season ended. He took some great catches and hit some big shots for runs. Ben learnt the game of cricket very quickly and will develop into a skillful Dragon one day.
Benjamin C always entertained the crowd with his slogs and was our highest run scorer with 126 runs. This boy can bat and he enjoyed every boundary he hit. A very good bowler and his excellent hand-eye coordination enabled him to take many great catches throughout the season.
Cameron was a hard working member of the team who was determined to improve his bowling and he was successful in his mission. Cameron began the season batting very well finishing with 34 runs for the season and taking 6 wickets. Cameron was a good fieldsman trying his best to not let any ball pass him.
I know all parents enjoyed their hour and a half watching their boys play Cricket. I know I had the best location standing behind the stumps at umpire watching the boys have fun. A special thank you goes to all the parents for their beautiful and well mannered children and helping to make the season enjoyable. The pleasure was mine, thank you. Thanks for all your assistance in scoring, setting up, organising the boys and helping them put on pads and bowling to them.
Last of all to the boys of 8B2. Thanks for all the great amount of fun we had this season. You all have listened, watched, behaved and improved your cricket skills and I look forward to watching you play Cricket in future teams with the Dragons.
COACH - JOHN MIFSUD
MANAGER - KERRIE BEATON
10A TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - Thrifty Skips
AWARD WINNERS
- BATSMAN
Joshua Johnston - BOWLER
Joel Almond - MOST CONSISTENT
Jarrod Mazurkiewicz - FIELDING AWARD
Luke Miller - ALL ROUNDER
Joey Cox
THE TEAM: - Joel Almond, Adam Batty, Joey Cox, Jack Dwarshuis, Joshua Johnston, Osman Kayani, Jarrod Mazurkiewicz, Luke Miller, Lucas Parsons, Dylan Smith, Lachlan Smith
)
At the start of the season we had gathered together a young team, with 6 first year 10's, 2 boys from the 10C's and three returning from the victorious 10A's. Speaking with Dennis and Ian early, expectations were for a year of development - 5 wins was the target. It didn't take the boys long to show Ian and Dennis that the perfect storm had arrived, and these 11 boys would meet all challengers and send them packing.
It was early in the preseason that the talent started to show. It is quite rare to have a team where every kid could bowl, with pace and accuracy. This bowling attack was unleashed in the first round, where they dismissed Caringbah for 26; the team that ran third over the normal season were shell-shocked. After that, all challengers were met and dismissed. Not one team came close to us over the entire normal season. Our quotient ended up the highest 10A quotient for a decade, and highest amongst all A grade sides during this season. We had a team of stars in our midst. Ian and Dennis worked tirelessly with these players, honing their skills and ensuring equality was met, where possible. Every kid bowled over 40 overs, except our keeper, and the batting was shared around. It is a testament to the quality of our fielding that only 50 runs per game was hit off the oppositions bat. Our bowling accuracy was an amazing 92% across the whole team, with a strike rate of a wicket every 29 balls and a team bowling average of 8. Amazing stuff.
So who made up this team of young talented cricketers. Dennis provides his season summary:
A short critique on the boys who advance to the U/12's next season.
Joel Almond: With height and bounce Joel was always intimidating and our leading wicket taker with 14 scalps @5.64. Missing the very early part of the season with an injury he soon bounced back with hostility. An excellent close in fieldsman he was prepared to dive for any opportunities. Scored 18* in thick grass hitting over the top to help win a low scoring game against Sports. Joel's 14 wickets were second in the 10A competition. Joel featured well in our final's win.
Adam Batty: A strong boy keen to learn, Adam's improved cricket skills were a credit to him. With 7 catches, 11 wickets and 68 runs (t/score 24 ret) he was a big cog in an oily wheel. His all round fielding was a real joy to watch. With most catches and strong returns from the 40 metre boundaries it was all made to look easy. Adam was equally our fastest bowler and will only go on to better things in the game. Another who played a major part in our final's victory.
Joey Cox: Taking on the new role of wicket keeping like a duck to water, Joey proved to be a fearless character behind the stumps. Keeping umps (especially one) on their toes, he will never be left wondering through lack of appeals, nor should he! As an opening batsman his 72 was our teams top score, another score of 50 (ret) was real aggression. His 8 catches for only 36 byes and a total of 182 runs was a real credit to him. Joey rolls his arm over as a leggie as a second string. Top stuff little "Gilly".
Joshua Johnston: Our captain Josh perhaps didn't pick up the wickets as he would have liked but opened our bowling attack with distinction snaring 7 wickets. After initially opening our batting, Josh slotted into the #3 batting position, giving him a real opportunity to show his class. With a top score of 60 and another of 45* against St Pats he was always dominant. Josh peeled off 222 runs at a fine average of 27.75. His confidence with the captaincy improved and really peaked in the final.
Lachlan Smith: Equally the competitions fastest bowler, Lachie had the opposition weaving, backing away and (especially) ducking from his thunderbolts. He certainly reminded opposing batsmen to wear thigh pads. His 11 wickets came at a low average of just under 8 while his 97 runs with a top score of 32* brought him a healthy average just over 16. In the field his 30/40 metre returns were outstanding and his 3 run outs real gems. Has all round natural ability and will do well in the game.
Boys remaining in the U/10's next season.
Jack Dwarshuis: "Big Jack" Our pocket rocket, Jack proved his talent is in the genes. With a classical side-on high bowling action he had an outstanding year. His line and length perhaps were not appreciated unless viewed from the centre. With 9 wickets, 5 catches, one actually over his head at cover diving backwards, he has talent to burn. His 74 runs @ 18.5 capped off a wonderful season. Jack had a blinder in the final and will be a real bolter next season. A real classy little dragon cricketer!
Osman Kayani: Commenced the season as our only spinner, something welcomed at this age in "A" grade. "Aussie Ostrich" could spin them either way and sometimes wasn't sure himself which way to turn them. Wasn't his job to score many runs but took 10 wickets around 7 average. Picked up 4 catches, one in covers totally drilled at him he took it like shelling peas. Osman's family moved to Burwood after Christmas but not to let the team down still turned out every Saturday. A real team character.
Jarrod Mazurkiewicz: Put his hand up early to open the batting and quickly cemented his place with fellow opener Joey. With an excellent technique and temperament Jarrod had a great first year season in traditional cricket. Jarrod scored 114 runs @14 and took 7 wickets at a miserly 4.3 with his accurate mediums. Topped off the year as the man of the match in the final carrying his bat through 50 overs to hold us together for 27* then taking 3-7. Wow.
Luke Miller: Luke (Keith) had a season of different halves. Starting off bowling medium pace and picking up a few wickets he changed to off spinning and immediately looked a veteran. With a good technique his batting will only improve. In the field Luke was brilliant, his pick ups and returns over the stumps from the boundary, as well as his close in diving catches in gully were outstanding. A real athlete he will be a stand out next season. "Let the force be with you" Luke.
Lucas Parsons: Lucas made training every week after relocating to Caringbah, thanks Narelle and Mark for the extra kilometres. Lucas scored around 50 runs with a top score of 22* and bowled 43 overs for 6 wickets at a low average. A real tough little player, Lucas was prepared to field anywhere. Lucas snapped up three good catches during the year plus a bruise under the eye from an opponents slice at gully, a blow which would send off most others, not so Lucas. A real tough team player!
Dylan Smith: An aggressive little fellow who only knows one way to play, attack. A great eye with a resolute attitude to his sport that should see his high goals achieved. Bowling 48 overs with his mediums he took 12 wickets for about 6 and scored 76 runs @ 13. With 4-5 only a dropped catch stopped him from bagging our only 5 for in an outstanding spell against St Pats. In the same match he scored his top score of 28* certainly his match! Dylan will be a stand out next season as a senior U10 player.
It was a truly amazing season and an amazing final. Beating St Pats by 3 runs in the second last over is something the kids, parents and coaches will remember forever. St Pats played their best game of the season, and took us to the line. The boys responded. Never once did their heads drop in the field - the chatter and support was constant.
I would like to thanks the parents for actively taking part in the running of the team this year. Your efforts with drinks, chips, scoring and BBQ's is very appreciated and essential for the running of the side. It was also good to see so many parents at the games week after week cheering on all the players' efforts.
To Dennis and Ian, everyone appreciates your efforts this year and the extra time you both put in. The kids respect you, listen to you and follow your instructions. They will be better cricketers because of the year they have had with you both.
COACH - DENNIS PENDERGAST & IAN LATHAM
MANAGER - ANDREW MAZURKIEWICZ
10B TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - Whittos Pizza
AWARD WINNERS
- BATSMAN
Anuraag Varanasi - BOWLER
Dylan Lees - MOST IMPROVED
Jordan Grinham - TEAM PLAYER
Matt Wright
THE TEAM: - Joshua Berry, Nicholas Blumor, Ryan Gorman, Jordan Grinham, Dylan Lees, Dane O'Neil, Joshua Ridge, Thomas Squire, Joel Topham, Anuraag Varanasi, Matthew Westlake, Matt Wright
)
After taking over the team as coach after Christmas I'd like to thank Rob for making my job easy. The kids sure knew what cricket was about and taking over was a pleasure. I'd like to thank Tina and Bruce for their help and support throughout the season getting the behind the scenes jobs done. Thanks to Patty-Anne for her great job in doing the reports each week. To all the kids it was my great pleasure to stand in the middle or at training with you guys. Your willingness to learn and listen made my job very easy and I can't wait till next season (I'll be back). To all the parents thank you for giving your children the opportunity to play this wonderful game and hope to see everyone next season for a fun time. To all the grandparents and supporters thank you for your support it was wonderful to see you there supporting the kids each week. Thanks very much. John.
Josh Berry: Still another year in the 10's Josh shows very good cricket skills. He is a good strong opening batsman who can stay and bat all day which he proved a number of times holding the team's innings together. Very handy when given the ball to bowl which got him a few wickets during the season. Josh has a great future in the game and with natural ability will go a long way. Great season Josh keep up the good work.
Nicholas Blumor: Nick's season ended short with his commitment to his school but when in the team showed some great ability. When bowling he was always on the mark with some good spells of medium pace. When asked to go in to bat Nick could hit the ball no matter what style of bowling was bowled to him. Always a good talker on the field getting the players minds on the job. Good season Nick well done.
Ryan Gorman: Always with a smile Ryan's cricket is getting stronger all the time. His bowling kept getting more and more accurate as the season progressed with some good bowling performances. Handy with the bat and when told to stay in batting Ryan shows good defensive skills which in time will make Ryan grow stronger in the game. Keep up the hard work Ryan it will pay off one day. Great season, well done.
Jordan Grinham: As the season progressed Jordan got stronger and more confident. He was a very good and handy batsman anywhere in the order. Good stroke player having all the shots. As a bowler he is pretty lethal and fast for a 10 year old and shows good potential. He sets and example in the field to his team mates with always consistent fielding. Well done Jordan you have a great future in the game.
Dylan Lees: Dylan's got all the talent to perform as a very high standard cricketer. When he's at the crease batting he's confident to play any shot to any style of bowling. Dylan's bowling is up there with the best in his group, always accurate and tidy. Outstanding in the field not much gets past him whether on the ground or in the air. Great season and well played Dylan.
Dane O'Neil: Dane's first year in the 10's saw him have no problems keeping up with the older kids. Dane's bowling much improved over the months and his accuracy was second to none. His batting technique wasn't far behind with very good potential knowing all the shots when needed. Well done Dane. Good work.
Joshua Ridge: Josh started the season in good form but as the season progressed Josh was one of the team's stronger players. Josh could handle himself at the top of the batting order which he proved by some strong match winning performances and hard hitting. With the ball his fast and accurate bowling saw him grab a few wickets during the year. Josh shows great ability as a cricketer and is always encouraging his team mates on the field. Well done Josh on a great season.
Thomas Squire: Always with a smile Thomas shows great potential as an all round cricketer. Still with another year in the 10's Thomas's bowling has much improved from the beginning of the season. A nice easy action it won't be long before he's cleaning up any batsman who stands in front of him. Thomas was also a very handy middle order batsman with some good stroke play. He was also very reliable in the field and Thomas was pleasure to coach. Well don Thomas on a good season.
Joel Topham: After starting the season a bit shaky it didn't take Joel long to set up and show some of his natural cricket skills we all know Joel has got. Joel's bowling improved out of sight during the season. With a few sundries in the beginning and once the radar got it on target Joel came to be one of our very consistent bowlers. Always willing to listen and learn the game saw Joel's batting improve the more he batted. Good for a run or two and could stick around just frustrating the bowlers. Joel don't forget "elbow up straight on the front foot". Well done and great effort Joel.
Anuraag Varanasi: Anuraag's cricket ability is up there with some of the top cricket players in his age group. Very handy with the bat always looking to perform which saw him scoring some handy runs for himself and for his team. After bowling fast for most of the year I spotted a very handy leg spinner. Always wanting to try something new Anuraag gave it a go at training with some great success. A bit of training and hard work and the rewards will come. Great seasons best of luck Anuraag.
Matthew Westlake: All the hard work over the season saw Matthew improve very much. Some hard hitting saw Matt's batting improve over time and when he connected the ball it stayed hit. He was a handy bowler and he found late in the season that spin bowling was his go. With a bit of practice he'll be handy in any team. Matt was very good in the field with some great run outs and a strong arm. Well done Matthew to a good season.
Matt Wright: Matt shows a good understanding of the game and his all round performance whether he opens the batting or his skills as a wicket keeper he's very handy when asked to have a bowl. He's always talking to his players and encouraging them on the field. Matt has a great future in the game. Great season Matt keep up the hard work.
COACH - JOHN WESTLAKE
MANAGER - TINA & BRUCE RIDGE
10D TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - Sportzone Engadine
AWARD WINNERS
- BATSMAN
Jay Shearman - BOWLER
Nathan Green - MOST IMPROVED
Matthew MacDonald - TEAM PLAYER
Keelan Jenkins - ALL ROUNDER
Jay Shearman
THE TEAM: Braiden Broadstock, James Dowd, Matthew Easterbrook, Anthony Franco, Harrison Furlong, Nathan Green, Keelan Jenkins, Matthew MacDonald, Aaron Pimm, Jay Shearman, Mitchell Sheehy
)
The 2007-08 season was a learning curve for all of us involved - the players, coach, manager and mums and dads. I think we all learnt a lot about cricket, playing and coaching and just how hard it is to win games, but also how much we appreciate the feeling of winning when we do snare a win. Hopefully, we all learnt that whilst winning makes it more enjoyable, the main aim this year has been to improve and enjoy ourselves.
For me personally, this season has been a very rewarding experience for a couple of reasons. I am sure I am not alone in being able to say that I have seen my son grow as a player and more importantly as a person over the course of this summer - I am confident that each and every one of the parents this year would be able to say the same thing about their son. Matthew Heywood wrote "Sports do not build character, they reveal it". In this day of professionalism in sport and our children looking for role models, especially in sport, it is an important message to remember. The character shown by these young men of the future this summer has been exemplary and they have shown sportsmanship and grit even when being beaten and of that I am truly proud of them. Not once, did our team give up. They are important values that they will carry with them for their entire lives. The other pleasing aspect is that they were always ready to play each week with a smile on their faces - that is the most important part of sport - having fun.
This is my first time coaching a team and although it can be a very patience-testing experience, it is rewarding nonetheless (I will apologise here and now if any of the boys expanded their vocabulary during the last six months with words you would rather they had not learnt).
As a coach, you want to see results straight away and expect the kids to be able to do everything you want them to do the first time they are shown. I have learnt that this is not the case. They are boys of eight and nine years old, not adults and too often we forget this. However, what you do see is that they get better each week, bit by bit and then suddenly everything starts coming together. The bowling practice, the fielding and throwing. I thought one of our real strengths this year was our fielding and I was especially proud of the boys and their efforts in this department. There were not very many occasions where you could say that they dropped catches or missed run outs. In fact, two of our players are amongst the top fielders and wicket keepers for their grade amongst all teams.
There are a number of other positives to take from this season. Although we only won two matches out of eight possible results (we had to abandon two matches due to the unusually wet summer we had), it is important to remember that a number of our players were first time cricket players. With this in mind, it is a great achievement to be able to come away with a couple of wins.
It was in fact a season of so near, yet so far. We lost three games by an average of 15 runs. They may sound like fairly convincing losses, but in actual fact that equates to just 3 more runs per batting pair or one less wicket lost per pair, per match. This is how well the boys played this year. Some of you may think I am drawing a long bow, but that is how close in actual fact they are to the other teams and how little the improvement is that is needed for them to become a consistently winning team. People talk about improvements in percentages and just a small percentage in improvement from the boys on this year's effort; will result in greater performances and more wins next year. They should be justifiably proud of their efforts this season. These wins will not automatically materialise, but with more hard work and training, next season will be better again for them.
Following on from this, I have compiled a brief summary of each player for the season:
Braiden Broadstock - Braiden's fielding this year was excellent and certainly the highlight of his performances came against Caringbah 4 when he took a catch and had three run-outs. Braiden's bowling was good too and next year his batting should improve with more practice.
Matthew Easterbrook - Matthew was one of our big improvers of the season. If there was a phrase that you could use to describe Matthew this season, it was "never give up". Matthew improved out of site after the Christmas break and his bowling was excellent. Matthew's batting was solid throughout the year and he demonstrated this in round 6 when he won the batting award.
Harrison Furlong - An excellent all-rounder, Harrison started the year off in flying fashion with his three wickets in the first over of the summer against Illawong-Menai. Harrison is a genuinely fast bowler and surprised many an opposition batsman and coach this year with his pace. Harrison's batting improved out of sight towards the end of the season and he is now starting to play a full array of shots and is playing with a huge amount of confidence. Capping this off, were his two catches as wicket keeper and one fielding catch.
Keelan Jenkins - Keelan this year was an absolute standout, especially in the fielding and bowling. Keelan's bowling all year was excellent and he consistently took wickets when required against the opposition. Keelan was great to watch when batting because he often showed he knew which shots he should be playing, rather than trying to belt the cover off every ball. He also claimed three run-outs in the match against Miranda, just before Christmas.
Jay Shearman - I thought Jay was one of our more experienced players until I found out it was his first season playing. Jay is a natural batsman and can hit the ball in exactly the place he wants. He topped our aggregates this year in the batting and deservedly so. He is also a very handy bowler and can bowl with excellent pace. One particular spell of bowling comes to mind late in the year when he terrified the opposition with some really quick bowling.
Mitchell Sheehy - Mitchell was a standout with the ball in his hand this year. He is blessed with the talent of being able to either bowl medium-pace that swings in to the batsman, or if he chooses, decides to bowl off spin that is very difficult to play against. Mitchell is a very handy batsman and can also score runs quite freely when needed.
Matthew MacDonald - A great team player, Matthew is a natural sportsman. His batting is excellent and he regularly scored runs in his partnerships. Matthew's fielding is first rate, especially his backing up behind the stumps and he was another of our big improvers this season. I think the highlight of the season for Matthew was his 4/7 off five overs in the final round against Caringbah that put him amongst the top bowlers in the grade for the season.
James Dowd - James was one our big hitters this season in the batting department. He scored the most number of fours in our team and also registered the highest score by any of our players this season with 21 not-out against Caringbah in what was also the highest partnership of the summer. James' bowling was excellent and when fielding, he has a very strong and accurate arm when throwing in from the outfield.
Aaron Pimm - Aaron's game this season improved from week to week. He is a genuinely keen learner and a real team player. Aarons bowling was very tight, especially in the final rounds of the season and he became a very difficult bowler to score runs off. Aaron's batting improved as his confidence grew throughout the season and as a result, he became a regular opener for us contributing greatly to the overall results of the team.
Anthony Franco - Anthony was another of our big improvers this season. His batting was strong from round one and he was always keen to attack the ball and score runs, but also knew when to defend when required, resulting in some excellent partnerships. Anthony's bowling was quite quick and as the season progressed he actually slowed his bowling down a notch and became a much better bowler for it.
Nathan Green - Nathan was our hardest bowler to score runs off this season. His average of 6.70 per wicket was excellent and to be honest, it is not always about taking a stack of wickets. If a bowler can restrict a batsman in their scoring, it is just as effective as taking the wicket. Nathan's batting was solid and he batted with more and more confidence as the season progressed. With more time in the middle, he will become an excellent cricketer.
COACH - GARY FURLONG
MANAGER - DARYL GREEN
12A TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - GNP Marine Trimming
AWARD WINNERS
- BATSMAN
Brendan Curtis - BOWLER
Marcus Beattie - TEAM PLAYER
Joel Beattie - FIELDING AWARD
Nathan Marciante - ALL ROUNDER
Brendan Curtis - ALL ROUNDER
Marcus Beattie
THE TEAM: - Joel Beattie, Marcus Beattie, Tim Berry, Brendan Curtis, Michael Favaloro, Jake Goulding, Brayden Heffernan, Jacob Heffernan, Connor Hetherington, Nathan Marciante, Dylan Rae
)
At the start of the season, I thought this team of midgets, consisting of seven first year boys to the age group and four 2nd year boys including a set of twins from Helensburgh, playing for the club for the first time would find it difficult to be a threat in the comp and after the 2nd round when St. Pats scored around 300 runs against us, it seemed likely my thoughts were correct, but to everyone's delight the boys moulded themselves into a mighty bunch, brilliant in the field backing up the bowlers with great enthusiasm, which saw them make the final after defeating our arch rivals Como in the last round. Justice was done after the problems we had with them at our previous meeting. The final was a disappointment when we only managed to score 43 runs. The boys came up against a talented team consisting mostly of 2nd year boys who were far too strong for our lads, but look out for them next season.
The 11 boys that had two sets of twins, the Heffernan's and Beattie's amongst them, were a great bunch, who got on so well with each other. My main problem was with the twins, they are so much alike I never knew who was who. Ryan Croom was a great help to me and the team. He is a handy cricketer himself and the club needs lads like him to take up coaching. The parents were unreal, all good friends, having a barbecue every Saturday. Special thanks to Greg Rae, Brad Curtis, Brad Heffernan, Tony Marciante, Phil Goulding, Col Berry and that sweet girl Bridget for looking after me. It was my great pleasure to be associated with a top bunch of parents and their children.
Dylan Rae - (Capt.). Shires top w/keeper in U/11 age group. Reps - U/11, handy off spinner, selected PSSA Sydney East team, when he learns to play straight will develop into a top batsman.
Brendan Curtis - (V/C) Brilliant all rounder, leading batsman, brilliant fieldsman held 9 catches, Captain of Shires U/11 Rep team, selected PSSA Sydney East team.
Marcus Beattie - Put up his hand to open batting and never let them down, a big hearted lad who always gave his best. Presidents U/12 Rep team.
Joel Beattie - Like his twin brother 100% effort for the team, if the coach batted him low in the order, never complained, earned his promotion to 1st wicket, kept safely 1st 25 overs, only allowing 4 byes. Presidents U/12 Rep team.
Jake Goulding - Jakes bowling improved over the season, especially against Como, also showed promise with the bat.
Michael Favaloro - Improved his line and length over the season and next season in the U/14's could develop into a handy bowler.
Nathan Marciante - Top all rounder, scored teams' highest score with 89. Must learn to bat himself in, before playing attacking shots. His pace bowling not as good as last season, could develop into a handy leg spinner, great fieldsman, his Run Out against Como was terrific. U/11 Rep team.
Connor Hetherington - Connor when he put his mind to the match, was a handy fieldsman and a capable off spinner. Presidents U/12 Rep team.
Tim Berry - Tim kept wickets for the 2nd half of the innings and had some fine stumpings, developing into a handy w/keeper. His batting should come good next season.
Jacob Heffernan - Like his twin brother Brayden, a good fieldsman, his batting fell away compared to last season, showed promise with his bowling. U/11 Rep team.
Brayden Heffernan - Handy batsman opening up late in season, his bowling came good over the season. U/11 Rep team.
Big thanks to Joshua Kedwell for helping out in the Final.
COACH - HARRY ROBBINS & RYAN CROOM & ANTHONY MARCIANTE
MANAGER - GREG RAE / BRAD CURTIS
12D TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - Mick's Quality Family Meats
AWARD WINNERS
BATSMAN: Joshua Kedwell
BOWLER: Jarrod Cosgriff
FIELDING AWARD: Trent Edwards
TEAM PLAYER: Anthony McNamara
THE TEAM: - Matthew Berry, Jarrod Cosgriff, Trent Edwards, Matthew Flegg, James Grady, Joshua Kedwell, Josh Kennedy, Anthony McNamara, Mitchell Morris, Eden Murphy, Chris Pendergast, Mitchell Sargeant
)
What a fantastic season for the young men of the Mighty Dragons 12Ds. In a very close competition, we were in with a chance of making the final up to the last half hour of the last match. Unfortunately it wasn't to be and we finished equal 3rd.
We had 4 very good wins during the season, 5 losses and 1 washout when we were in a strong position. All the boys improved their cricket over the season, and most importantly enjoyed their time together at training and at the games. The smiles on their faces and on those of their parents after our first win (by 10 wickets!) in the first round set us up for the season. Those happy faces were to be found each and every Saturday morning after that.
The team always played the game in the right spirit, and the coaches endeavoured to ensure equal playing time, while maintaining a competitive edge. In the main this was achieved.
Each and every one of the team have reasons to be proud of themselves.
The Players
Matthew "Barry" Berry - A fine year for one of our younger players. Barry opened the batting each match and formed a formidable partnership with Kedders. Barry kept wickets for half an innings almost every match. His keeping improved, as did his batting throughout the season. A late season switch to spin bowling wasn't as successful as Bazza would have liked, but persistence will pay off. One of our keenest trainers, he listens and works hard to put the coaches training into practice.
Jarrod "Cossie" Cosgriff - How much did we see Cos improve over the season! Cossie was our leading wicket taker with a very good inswinger, and a very strong leg side player while batting. He has loads of natural talent and enthusiasm. Jarrod's highlight came when he strode to the crease as our number 10, and last, batsman with the team needing 14 runs to win. He not only managed to bat out the overs with JK, but we won that game by 30!
Trent "Stretch" Edwards - Stretch was one of our opening bowlers, and it was rare for him not to snare a wicket in his first spell. He can generate real pace for a youngster, and has a wicked inswinger. Trent's top score of 34 shows his potential with the bat, but his real highlight was the catch of the millennium taken at Anzac oval. This effort at short mid wicket to dismiss one of the oppositions best bats had to be seen to be believed, and would have easily made Channel Nines Classic catches.
Matthew "Fleggy" Flegg - Matt was also an opening bowler who bowls a tidy line and length and deserved way more wickets than he got. Like his teammates he batted in different positions each week, taking a steely resolve and good technique to the wicket each time. Matt seemed to know when the good bowlers were coming on, and received more than his fair share of jaffas. Fleggy gave 100% at training and on the field, a coach's dream.
James "Grades" Grady - This was Grades' first year of competitive cricket and it was very gratifying for his coaches to see his improvement throughout the year. In our final game he bowled 5 excellent overs and was unlucky not to add to his wicket tally of 4 for the season. James' batting improved out of sight over the season, and he could be relied upon to stick around if needed, and always put the team first when it was "party time".
Joshua "Kedders" Kedwell - A huge start to the season for Kedders, scoring in excess of 200 before Christmas. Joshua was our leading run getter with a top score of 65 retired, and specialist deep backward square fieldsman when he wasn't keeping! Josh is an excellent ground fielder, rarely letting a ball past him. Like a couple of his team mates Kedders flirted with spin in the latter part of the season bowling them with great success. Keep up the offies Josh they are an excellent addition to your armoury.
Joshua "JK" Kennedy - JK listened and worked hard at training and turned himself into a very good middle order batsman. His top score of 19* was ended when we ran out of overs. It looked like he could have batted all day that day. JK is a specialist "boundary rider" with a strong arm and a safe pair of hands. Josh's right arm around bowling netted him 7 wickets for the season, and was always tight. An impressive season.
Anthony "Macca" McNamara - Macca joined the team after the first round and proved to be an excellent addition. Another one of our allrounders, Macca kept wickets, bowled medium pace and leg spin, and batted wherever he was asked. Anthony has a real future as a leg spinner. It is rare to see a young bowler turn the ball as much as Macca does. His 19 with the bat in the last match was a highlight, and proves his claim to being an all rounder. A great first year Macca.
Mitchell "Minor" Morris - This was Minor's first year of competitive cricket, and he showed a real understanding of the game. Mitch has a safe pair of hands in the field, and works hard on all aspects of his game. Mitch improved his bowling during the season, and bowled a much better line and length as the season progressed. His batting was always solid, and it was a pleasure to see his range of strokes improve. Mitch's attitude at training was always first class.
Eden "Ed" Murphy - Ed was undoubtedly the unluckiest bowler in the competition. One of our opening bowlers he used the new rock well, often beating the bat. Ed listened hard at training, and his bowling improved throughout the season. Eden's batting also improved, with his best innings of 24 late in the season was a study in concentration, until the coach said "party time", then he smote the ball to the boundary a number of times. That innings was a real pleasure to watch. Ed always gives 100%, and a coach can ask no more.
Chris "Pendo" Pendergast - It was looking like a big year for Pendo until he broke his wrist. That's a hard way to get out of training mate! A hard hitting middle order batsman, and an accurate medium pace bowler, Chris had taken 9 wickets before injury curtailed his season. Those 9 poles make him the equal leading wicket taker for the team. Chris improved steadily throughout the season, and proved himself as a team player by coming to watch his mates in the last 4 rounds.
Mitchell "Mini" Sargeant - Mini is the toughest player on the field. He brings a very even temperament to the game, and this is his strongest attribute. The unfortunate recipient of a diamond duck this year, Mini shrugged it off, and came out and bowled his left arm seamers with his usual accuracy. He picked up a few valuable wickets, in one game breaking a good partnership. Mini's batting improved, and he will score lots of runs in the future as he tightens his technique. A very good season mate.
If our aim was to win the competition, we didn't quite make it. But, if our aim was improvement and enjoyment , we had a brilliant season. In my mind it is definitely the latter.
A special vote of thanks to our wonderful manager Sue Kennedy, our co-coach Sam N, our chief scorer Rob Pendergast, chief cook Pete Kennedy, and to all the parents who ensured the boys were at the games and at training. Thanks also to the hardworking committee of the EDCC without who we wouldn't be able to play.
Lastly my thanks go to the boys. You are a great bunch of young men, with ready smiles and a willingness to learn. Those attributes will take you a long way in this game.
COACH - KEN NEWMAN & SAM NEWMAN
MANAGER - SUE KENNEDY
14A TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - Active Sports Coaching
AWARD WINNERS
BATSMAN Ryan Almond
BOWLER Joel D'Imperio
TEAM PLAYER Sam Haynes
FIELDING AWARD Ben Dwarshuis
ALL ROUNDER Joel D'Imperio
ALL ROUNDER Jordan Dow
ALL ROUNDER Ryan Almond
THE TEAM: - Ryan Almond, James Barnes, Patrick Bird, Samuel Bleasdale, Nick Chamberlain, Joel D`Imperio, Jordan Dow, Ben Dwarshuis, Sam Haynes, Liam Herne, Matthew Hobden, Hayden Smith
)
Another great year by a top bunch of young cricketers. We started the year rather ordinarily with two losses from our first two games but from then on the boys stepped it up a few notches and went the rest of the season undefeated to claim the title for the third year in a row. This was a phenomenal team effort which peaked in the perfect final. We batted first and scored 9-242 which included a mammoth 116 by Ryan Almond and many other contributions by all of the boys. In reply St.Pats only managed to score 105 due to some sharp line and length bowling, headed by Ben Dwarshuis with 4/7.
Below are just a few highs from the season:
Ryan Almond: After making the Emerging Blues team in the off-season, Ryan came into this one with a lot of confidence. This showed with 270 runs (1st) and 21 wickets @ 5.52. This doesn't even include his ton in the final which broke the St.Pats backs early. A fantastic season by a classy player.
James Barnes: Jimmy was once again strong with the ball, claiming 9 wickets at 13.22. He was sharp in the point region rarely letting runs through. Barnsey had limited opportunities with the bat but took his chances when he got them, his top score being 12no in the last round.
Patrick Bird: Birdy was definitely our impact bowler. He took 8 wickets for 44 off 39 overs, showing that when we needed to tighten the screws or take an important wicket, Birdy was the man to throw the ball to. With a top score of 39, Birdy was handy with the bat also which made for a good all-round season.
Samuel Bleasdale: A great bowler in the making. When Sam found his spot. He was impossible to play. Sam was also a tough, smart batsman who helped Ryan get his first century in round 9 with some intelligent batting in tough conditions. Sams bowling in the final helped 'strangle' St.Pats chase before drinks. Good season mate.
Nick Chamberlain: Nick had a very strong year with the ball. He went on to take 13 wickets (3rd) and deserved every one of them. Nick has the ability to tempt batsmen into playing bad shots and punishes them whenever they do. Congratulations go to Nick for winning the second annual Golden Goose award.
Joel D'Imperio: Joel was one of our captains and definitely led from the front. Taking a club 14A record 28 wickets and scoring 241 runs at 40.17, including his first century in Round 10. His 28 wickets cost only 160 runs from 107 overs, amazing stats for a leggie. A strong leader, faultless fielder and a good all-round cricketer.
Jordan Dow: Our Vice-captain and wicket keeper. Jordan had another strong year as he always does. He was strong with the bat with 190 runs for the season but he was unbelievable with the gloves taking 17 catches and 8 stumpings to end up with an amazing 25 keeping dismissals for the year. Jordan was an integral part of our premiership success.
Ben Dwarshuis: Benny was our other captain and also had a strong year. 215 runs for the season and the only reason he didn't join the century group for the season is that he selflessly declared when he was on 80no so the team could go for an outright. A quick left armer or a darty chinaman with the ball, he brought home wickets for the season. 8 catches and 2 run-out capped off a great year.
Sam Haynes: Haynsey was our only debutant this year and what a year it was. For a kid who has never played cricket before, it didn't show. His 9 wickets and 7 catches were the highlight taking plenty of impact wickets and diving for the ball no matter what in the field. A catch could go straight down his throat but he would still manage to hit the deck when catching it. Well done Sammy. Great season.
Liam Herne: Herney was solid as always. His top score came in the final with a swash-buckling 31 runs. Liam is a good medium pace bowler who never gave away free runs. He has picked up dramatically in fitness and this shows in the field with his dedication to stop the ball at any cost. Well done Liam.
Matthew Hobden: Hobbo is the man you always throw the ball to first. Lightning pace his strength. And often his downfall because they cant hit the ball. Hobbo took 12 wickets for the year as his accuracy is getting better with each match. With the bat Hobbo is definitely hit and miss. Its fun to watch cause its either going out of the park or onto the stumps. Hobbo is an important asset to the team and a great young cricketer.
Hayden Smith: Hayden is a very strong young cricketer. It wasn't his best season stats wise but they don't tell the whole story. There was many times where he came in a grinded away at the new ball, setting it up for the bigger hitters later on. Batted faultlessly in the Final and got a bit of a dodgy call. His leg spin was used late in the year and showed a lot of promise. Well done Haydos!
Lastly, I would like to thank all of the parents who showed their support and helped out both on game day and at training. You all know who you are. The boys and myself appreciate the effort. Congratulations all on another great year and another Premiership.
COACH - ROBBIE KNIGHT
MANAGER - GERARD DWARSHUIS
14C TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - KFC Engadine
AWARD WINNERS
BATSMAN: Cameron Lane
BOWLER: James Andrew
MOST IMPROVED: Brent Wallis
TEAM PLAYER: Martin Brooks
THE TEAM: - James Andrew, Nathan Benson, Martin Brooks, Mitchell Dibb, Thomas Dowd, Mark Kidd, Cameron Lane, Michael McFarlane, Matt Reynolds, Ryan Stevenson, Luke Tisdell, Ethan Verdich, Brent Wallis
Firstly I would like to thank Dave McMillan, Col Kidd and Greg Ings for coaching the boys this season. They are a great bunch of young fellows that the club should be very proud of.
All the boys showed improvement during the year which is a great testament to their coaching ability.
Although we finished down the ladder it was a very even competition with many close results. We finished with 2 wins and a draw and were pleased to finish the year with a victory over Bosco.
The most important thing was that all the boys enjoyed themselves and have a great camaraderie with each other. The year could be best summed up as good mates having fun.
I will now comment on each player's highlights throughout the year:
James Andrew: James had a great year with both the bat and the ball scoring 81 runs and taking 15 wickets. James continues to impress as an opening bowler possessing pace and the ability to move the ball through the air. James's best performance with the bat was against Illawong Menai in round 4 scoring a quick fire 32. His best performance with the ball was against Como - Jannali in round 2 with 3 for 11 off 8 and in round 8 against Caringbah with 2 for 4 off 4. With the right guidance James should show further improvement in the game particularly with his bowling. Well done James a great year.
Nathan Benson: Nathan continues to develop his cricket skills in particular his bowling continues to get better. He is still evolving his bowling action and with the right coaching should strengthen his skills in this area. Testament to this was Nathan's 2 for 15 off 4 overs in the last round against Bosco where he bowled with a bit of zip and was rewarded. Great effort Nathan your 2 wickets a crucial stage set up the foundation for the win. Nathan always tries his best and should be happy with his performance this year. We look forward to seeing you next season.
Martin Brookes: Brooksie playing in his first year for the Dragons had a fantastic season. He dazzled the opposition with his unique ambidextrous bowling keeping both the batsman and umpires on their toes. His best performance with the bat was in round 5 against Bosco (his old club) where he smashed a quick fire 18. His best with the ball was his 1 for 11 off 4 overs against Como- Jannali. Brooksie enjoyed the season and we look forward to seeing you next year.
Mitchell Dibb: Dibby's year can best be described as saving the best till last. The Dibbsters magic came to the fore against Bosco where spectators were treated to some big hitting were he crunched a solid 23 runs his highest score for the club. Not to be denied with the ball his 2 for 12 off 4 made a valuable contribution with Bosco's demise. Dibby is popular with the boys and is the practical joker of the team. Buddy we look forward to seeing you next year and hope that you start off where you left off. A good year mate.
Tom Dowd: Tom was unlucky not to have taken a few wickets this year but bowled economically only being hit for 1.8 runs an over. Tom's best performance was in round 6 where he snared a deflected catch in slips from Cameron. Tom enjoys being with the boys and no one has more club loyalty and spirit than he. Keep enjoying Tom.
Mark Kidd: Mark was our Captain for the year. Mark lead from the front with both the bat and ball for the majority of the year. Mark's best rounds with bat were against Illawong round 4 and Bosco in round 5 where he scored 21 and 23 respectively is. Excellent effort Mark. Mark inspired his team in the last game to victory with some great tight economic bowling. His finished with fantastic figures of 6 overs, 5 maidens 2 wickets for 1. What an effort. Mark had a great year and can be proud of his performance and that of the team. As mentioned before a lot of the games could have gone either way with a bit more luck. Mark we'll see you again next year.
Cameron Lane: This year was Cameron's first year of cricket having played baseball as his summer sport in the past. What a great debut scoring 174 runs and snaring 6 catches from behind the stumps. Cameron is showing a real flair for the game and it was great to see improvement in his batting technique as the season progressed. Cameron handled the gloves extremely well. Cameron's highlights were in round 1 against Miranda with a great 41, round 4 against Illawong Menai with 3 catches, round 9 again against Illawong with 38 and in round 10 against Bosco a solid 22 which included some big hitting as Cameron opened his shoulders to the opposition with the bat. Cameron a great start to cricket we look forward to seeing you next year.
Michael McFarlane: Michael had a great year for the Dragons including some great batting partnerships. He scored a fantastic 22 in round 2 against Como-Jannali and well rated 32 against Caringbah in round 3. Michael's fielding improved this year and his bowling was extremely solid. Michael always supported the middle order well finishing the year with 71 runs. Great effort mate. We hope to see Michael again next year.
Matt Reynolds: Matt continues to play well and deliver strong performances for the Dragons. Matt's enthusiasm for the game rubs off on his team mates. His running between the wickets was good all year. Matt's best performance was in round 3 against Caringbah we he treated us to a great 32 with the bat and fantastic 3 for 22 of 9 overs with 3 maidens, with the ball. Matt's fielding was a feature all year where he was rewarded with 2 great catches. Well done, a great year Matt. We look forward to you returning to the Dragons next season.
Ryan Stevenson: This was Ryan's first year of competition cricket. It was good to see Ryan progressively improve as the season progressed. It is not an easy game to learn and master, and Ryan particularly with his bowling technique shows a lot of promise. With a bit more experience and the right coaching I am confident Ryan will develop into a formidable bowler using his height to advantage. Ryan has an excellent batting defence and again more experience and confidence will see this part of his game improve. Ryan best for the Dragons this year was in round 2 against Como-Jannali where he scored 8 valuable runs and took 1 for 15 off 5 overs. We look forward to seeing Ryan next year. Good effort mate.
Luke Tisdell: Twisty had a great year for the Dragons. He was very consistent with the bat and ball and can be very pleased with his performance. His best with the bat was against Miranda in round 1 where he put on a solid 28. His best with the ball was in round 10 against Bosco where he took 3 for 4 off 5 overs including 2 maidens. These truly are great figures. Twisty is described as a real fighter he has a never say die attitude to the game. Great year mate see you next season.
Ethan Verdich: Ethan year can be described as being extremely unlucky. In spite of it being a tough year for Ethan he made a great contribution to the team. He scored 54 runs and nailed 8 wickets. In particular his ground fielding was excellent. The bonus here was his haul of 5 catches. Great work mate. Ethan is arguably technically our best batsman and I'm confident that next season will reflect Ethan's ability on the scoreboard. Ethan's best with the cherry was in round 7 against Como-Jannali where he took 3 for 5 off 7 overs. Great result mate. With the bat his 10 runs in the final round against Bosco were full of merit. See you next year buddy.
Brent Wallis: Brent was the big improver in the side this year. His wickets and scores with the bat progressively improved as the rounds went on. Brent's swashbuckling style with the bat produced some big hits. His bowling accuracy was a feature where he proved very hard for the opposition to score off. Brent best game with the bat was in round 7 against Como - Jannali where he scored a solid 20 runs. His best overall performance was in round 9 against Illawong - Menai where he scored 10 runs and took 3 for 10 of 8 overs including 3 maiden. Big effort mate. We look forward to further improvement in Brent's game next season.
I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all the parents for their support throughout the year.
I'm sure we will all miss those pleasant Saturday mornings. Until next season - regards Rick Dowd
COACH - DAVID MCMILLAN & COLIN KIDD
MANAGER - RICK DOWD
16A TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - Wizard Home Loans
AWARD WINNERS
BATSMAN: Mark Rice
BOWLER: John Watson
MOST IMPROVED: Blake Duncum
TEAM PLAYER: Dean McMillan
ALL ROUNDER: Nick Bird
ALL ROUNDER: Jarrad Fitzgerald
ALL ROUNDER: Mark Rice
THE TEAM: - Michael Bedford, Nick Bird, Jordan Duncan, Blake Duncum, Jarrad Fitzgerald, Jeremy Forshaw, Nathan Loder, Ryan Marlow, Dean McMillan, Mark Rice, Alex Teuma, John Watson
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This year it was a pleasure to coach a side that was talented and dedicated. They worked hard at training and during the games and earned themselves a spot in the final. The season didn't start off too well with two losses but a tense last over win over Caringbah saw the start of a 7 game undefeated streak. There were some great performances to note such as the 2 five wicket hauls captain Mark claimed, a century to Ryan and 7-22 for John just to name a few. The team also managed to claim outright victory in round 9 after being bowled out for a paltry 26. Chasing only 64 for first innings victory things went sour but to the boys credit they fired up and managed to chase down 91 in 45 minutes, and it was 60 in 20 minutes too. But Mark and Ryan ensured that the points were ours with 20-20 style batting. Every one in the team contributed either with bat, ball or in the field and they demonstrated that working as a team will win you games and this then resulted in a grand final appearance. The boys were outplayed by a terrific Illawong side but showed great determination throughout the match and played in the "spirit of cricket".
Mark (Bubbles) Rice- Captain: Mark had an outstanding year captaining the side from the front with both bat and ball finishing leading wicket taker as well as run scorer in the 16A comp. He boasted an incredible 28 wickets and 404 runs and always played aggressively. He featured in a couple of our close wins including 5-20 against Caringbah in round 3 to ensure a thrilling win and in round 9 against Como scored 40 in about 20 minutes to secure an outright victory after losing first innings. Mark, very well done this season.
Jordan (Dunco) Duncan- Vice Captain: Jordan was a very consistent player all year with bat and ball. Dunco was an integral part of the side batting at 6 or 7 and bowling first change with his slow swing bowling. Dunco was always reliable to keep an end tight and to build partnerships down the order. He was also our 1st slipper who has a safe pair of hands.
Michael (Bedi) Bedford: Bedi had a quiet year with the bat but was electric in the field. One of our best fielders, Bedi was always reliable as our specialist point/gully fieldsman. Bedi didn't drop many catches and took some screamers during the season. He had a strong flat throw and always chased hard reducing possible 2's into tight singles.
Nick (Birdie) Bird: Nick played his first season with the Dragons after moving from the west and stepped up to the plate to be the team's wicket keeper. Birdie had a rusty start to the season but he was one of our most committed players at training and by the end of the season his keeping was looking good, taking more catches and letting fewer byes through. Nick also became a mainstay at the top of the order opening the bat and regularly saw out the openers. During round 5 Birdie made an impressive 78 in a 180+ stand with Marlow to put our side in a very strong position.
Blake (Dunny) Duncum: In his first year Dunny did well to step up and partner Birdie at the top of the order. He never made big scores but ensured that he saw out his job which was to protect our middle order from the new ball and did a commendable job. Dunny enjoyed every minute in the middle and should be proud of the hard work he put in. A deserved recipient of most improved player and good luck next year.
Jarrad (Fitzy) Fitzgerald: Fitzy was the find of the season as we struggled for numbers and in Fitzy we picked up a very valuable player. Fitzy quickly became our number 3 batsmen and opening bowler. A very talented player, Fitzy always got starts at the top of the order and also spent plenty of time at the crease. Fitzy also shared the new ball with John probably making the fastest and more lethal attack in the comp. Fitzy would always scream in and land the ball on the spot making it almost impossible for the batsman to play themselves in. Top year Fitzy, great effort.
Nathan Loder: Nathan in his first year under 16s received the huge honour to play grade cricket for Sutherland and this meant his participation in the junior's side was limited. He always made the most of his time in the middle for the team consistently putting on 20 or 30 at the top of the order to help add the extra runs for the team.
Ryan Marlow: Ryan had a cracker of a year with the bat and also with the ball. Ryan was our number 4 and was very consistent making a few 50's and a brilliant century in round 5. The team could always rely on Ryan to make runs in the middle order and ensure that the bowlers had something to defend. A classy, easy going batsman, Ryan had all the timing in the world and played some of the best leg side shots when on song. Also reliable with his medium pacers Ryan kept it tight and was also very reliable in the field.
Dean (Deano) McMillan: Deano was another consistent player, batting at 6 or 7 he always hung around building partnerships and adding much needed runs to the tally. As a part time bowler Deano always kept it tight putting pressure on the opposition's batsmen. Not the fastest runner in the side, Deano made sure he made it up by some power hitting and classy strokes.
Alex (Tumor) Teuma: Tumor was playing only his second year of cricket after playing his first year in the 14D side. Alex has a lot of natural ability which he displayed with his knack for remaining not out constantly. He worked hard at training and it was very pleasing to see his fielding improve game by game. Hopefully next year Tumor makes a few more runs and takes some wickets with his left arm mediums.
John Watson: John, along with Fitzy, became a very consistent opening fast bowler. His most memorable spell was the 7-22 he claimed when he cleaned up St-Pats top order, including 6 bowled. John was the hardest working bowler all year at training, steaming in until the end of training and earned every wicket he claimed. John was up there as one of the fastest bowlers going around and when on song was almost unplayable. Top work John.
Jeremy Forshaw: Jeremy was a late starter with the side due to his time overseas but his top class fielding was an added bonus for the side. Jeremy owns the safest pair of hands going around and held on to some good catches during the season.
COACH - MATT SAMBUCO & BEN MARCIANTE
MANAGER - CRAIG RICE
16C TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - A1 MetalTech
AWARD WINNERS
BATSMAN: Ryan Emerson
BOWLER: Matthew Launt
MOST CONSISTENT: Scott Boyton
TEAM PLAYER: James Loughran
ALL ROUNDER: Anthony Crisafulli
THE TEAM: - Scott Boyton, Jason Brown, Mitch Cox, Anthony Crisafulli, Daniel Dwyer, Ryan Emerson, Matthew Fraser, Matt Launt, James Loughran, Russell Meyer, Bradley Price, Daniel Walsh
The boys were a formidable side all year and this was a result of the hard work they put in at training.
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After winning the first 6 games with an outright win in the 5th round the boys were being seen as outright premiers for the 16C's competition. In the next 4 rounds they lost their mojo. Bringing in a draw, 2 losses and a tie. The boys did come on top of the table being the premiers but by a close 2 points. After coming into the final without a win under their belts since round 6, they had their heads up high trying to do their best and win the game that needed to be won. Engadine faced Aquinas in the final with previously beating them in round 3 but not being able to finish the next game in round 7 as it was washed out.
The boys lost the toss and were told to put the pads on to bat. At the end of the innings Engadine were all out for 102 with Brad being not out 31, Russell with 16 and some scores from other players.
Engadine walked out onto the pitch blood thirsty for some wickets. They held their heads high and they had Aquinas 6 for 37. Then they lost it a little. The two batsmen from Aquinas scored in the 20's bringing the boys heads down. After a quick drinks break on the field, the boys brought back their enthusiasm for the game and got the 4 wickets required bringing a win under their belts for the most important game of the season. They got Aquinas all out for 95, bringing in a fingernail biting finish for all the parents. Great win boys.
They held strong with the bat, ball and out in the field. The most memorable game that saw a score that rarely happens in cricket was in round 10, where they had a tie with both scores seen as 10-129. The boys fought hard and tried their best to keep the other team from passing their score. When the boys got the final wicket, teams ran off the field hearing that Engadine won by 1 run. Turns out the scorers took a long time checking out the score. But in the end it was a tie.
Great season for all the boys finishing out Minor Premier Premiers. And thank you for all the parents bringing them to the game and thanks to our sponsors A1 Metaltech for bringing the boys drinks for each game.
Brad Price (c): A real great captains knock for Brad this year by making a solid 50 not out in round 6 and holding up our batting order in the final with a 31 not out. Great knock with the bat with a season total of 142 runs. Brad also had a solid season behind the stumps with 11 catches. Great season Brad with the gloves, bat and with Captain beside your name.
Anthony Crisafulli (vc): Standing beside Brad for the season being Vice Captain, Anthony came in handy opening with the bat making 186 runs for the season. He also came in handy with the ball, bringing sheer determination and intimidation to the batsmen to bring up 15 wickets for the season with a best of 6-35 in an innings. Anthony was also outstanding in the field, diving this way and that to stop the ball going to the boundary. Great season Anthony just keep it up for next year.
Scott Boyton: Scott was a formidable spinner of the ball, turning it both ways and putting in the pace ball every now and then which had the batsmen under all kinds of pressure. Scott picked up a wicket every time he was handed the ball. Great knock with the bat towards the end of the season where he stayed in convincingly. Great season Scott just keep bowling those 3rd balls which mainly got the wickets.
Jason Brown: Good first season Jason with consistency with the ball and efforts with the bat and out in the field. Jason's season brought out a good high score for his first season of 15 with the bat. Jason kept up his enthusiasm in the field and he got his first catch in the final. Great season Jason just keep watching the ball.
Mitch Cox: Mitch had a great season with the ball bringing in pace, swing and cut. Mitch had the batsmen just poking at the ball because they didn't know where the ball was going. Mitch had a good knock with the bat where he was able to stay in many a few times to get some runs for the team's total. Great season Mitch keep up the hard work.
Daniel Dwyer: Daniel performed some great work with the ball and the bat. Daniel had the chance to pick up a couple of wickets this season due to his work at training. He broke loose with the bat in the 10th round were he picked up a 20. Great season Dwyer just bring the catching from training to the game.
Ryan Emerson: Great season for Ryan who absolutely gave the bowlers a hard time bringing up three centuries and three half centuries with a high score of 118 not out. Ryan ended up with the devils numbers at the end of the season with a huge batting total of 666. Ryan was also a great fielder which brought out the baseball side of things where he was able to rip the ball over the stumps to the keeper. Ryan had 9 catches for the season and 2 run outs. Great season Ryan just keep watching the ball and keep up the big run scoring for next year.
Matt Fraser: Matt was a very consistent bowler who always tried his best with the ball. With Matt's accurate bowling he reaped with rewards picking up a handy 5 wickets in one game for only 9 little runs. Matt also showed that he could score some big scores with a season high score of 26. Matt only just missed out on getting a season total century scoring 98 runs. Matt was also good out in the field taking 6 catches including 1 in the final. Great season Matt just keep up the hard work.
Matt Launt: Matt was one of the main bowling line up bringing in some pace to keep the batsmen under control. Matt was forgotten in one game and the other team was starting to score some runs and then Matt was handed the ball and he took 2 wickets for 2 runs off 0.5 overs. Matt took the most wickets for the team taking 17 wickets. Matt was also explosive with the bat, but he wasn't putting bat to ball. But when he did it went a long way. Great season Matt keep your head up for next year.
James Loughran: James was a big hitter with the bat this season. He was unlucky not to get a half century with a 47. James also made more big scores with a 37, 24, and a 20 and a season total of 161 runs. James was also consistent with the ball, swinging it in to the batsmen keeping the ball on the stumps and taking a total of 13 wickets for the season. Great season James keep up the good work for next year.
Russell Meyer: After bowling spin the past few years Russell brought out of the closet a new and improved bowling style, extreme pace. He even grunted for a couple of the balls. Russell had the batsmen swinging at the ball basically when it was in the keeper's hand. Great end of season knock with the bat as well bringing up a great score of 16 in the final. Great season Russell keep up the good work.
Daniel Walsh: Congratulations on your 10th year Walsh. You brought it up with great attributes with the bat, ball and with your fielding. You shocked everyone with the bat, making a high score in the first round with a 17 and you kept making a consistent score down in bottom of the order. Your fielding also shined bringing a big 3 catches in one innings. Great season Walsh, just wished you brought it out in the earlier years.
COACH - DANIEL TENCH
MANAGER - MARGIE LAUNT
A2 TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - Engadine Family Tavern
AWARD WINNERS
- BATSMAN: Drew Lake
- BOWLER: Drew Lake
THE TEAM: - Colin Berry, Greg Brosens, Greg Heffernan, Glen Hickey, Andrew Kelly, Greg Knowles, Chris Lake. Drew Lake (Capt), Adam Logan, Ben Marciante, Chris Reeves, Matt Sambuco, Rob Smith, Will Wooster
Once again an enjoyable season was had by all, with everyone contributing in one way or another. The only disappointing thing during the season was our batting, with no one scoring more than 200 runs for the year. The semi final proved this with us getting rolled for 49. Better luck next year. Congratulations to Matt on the birth of your new born. Hope you can still run around next season.
It was a pleasure captaining you guys, I hope to see you all next year.
Batting Bowling
Runs Avg Runs Wkts Avg
1. Richard Bennison 74 14.80 0 0 -
2. Colin Berry 164 20.50 3 0 -
3. David Coady 144 24.00 6 0 -
4. Damien Collins 95 13.57 9 0 -
5. Andrew Herne 127 12.70 90 6 15.00
6 Glen Hickey 148 24.67 60 9 6.67
7. Andrew Kelly 26 5.20 0 2 0.00
8. Greg Knowles 126 31.50 144 14 10.29
9. Chris Lake 17 2.83 128 10 12.80
10. Drew Lake 184 18.40 204 23 8.87
11. Adam Logan 17 3.40 169 11 15.36
12. Matt Sambuco 79 13.17 161 13 12.38
13. Rob Smith 129 25.80 10 3 3.33
14. Will Wooster 78 11.14 30 0 -
CAPTAIN - DREW LAKE
B1 TEAM REPORT
AWARD WINNERS
- BATSMAN: Stewart Vella
- BOWLER: Joel Manns
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THE TEAM: - Nathan Alterator (capt), Joel Manns, Stewart Vella, Mark Mitchell, Matt Carroll, Paul Bremner, Steven Morriss, Paul Barnes, James Stone, Nathan Lewers, Andrew Jones, Adam Dow, Daniel Harkins, Mark Rice, Sean Garton
Well what an amazing season with an amazing bunch of young cricketers. Who would have thought that a team with a median age of 19 (yes I did the maths) would dominate the B1 competition, lose only one game throughout the season, become Minor Premiers and win the Final? Not many. Consistency was our biggest asset this year, as was our hunger to improve all aspects of our game both as a team and individuals. Most importantly, however, everyone in the team came to be great mates and we look forward to many more seasons together.
There were many highlights throughout the year - all of which we can look back at and laugh. Who can forget the Morriss/Racomelara duel, Sean getting out to the slowest bowler in the competition, Joel tonking the captain one bounce into the Anzac clubhouse, Bubbles' excuse for missing a game "I'm going to the Opera", Barnsey's all-too-regular 'Jazalenko's', Jonesy feeling a bit seedy half-way through the game at Oyster Bay, Stewy's massive century down against Taren Point and run-ins with Gimpy, Dowey's "I don't mean to be a tool, but I'm quick" comment in the middle, Warney's 'Bradman-esque' batting average and Paul's Grand Final breakfast?
Of the 12 rounds played, we won 10, lost 1 and drew one (due to the weather). We were bowled out for under 100 on only one occasion, allowed the opposition to pass 200 in only one game, had three separate century-makers, six bowlers who took 10 or more wickets and every single player took at least one catch. Our highest team total for the season was 296 (vs. Miranda) and our best bowling performance (vs. Miranda) saw the opposition bowled out for 60.
As Captain, I would like to thank everyone for their hard work throughout the year, especially Daniel Harkins who accepted the onerous role of Kit Manager (after Kenno's abysmal efforts) and all who made the effort to make training week in, week out.
Nathan (Nato) Alterator
184 runs H.S 39 Av: 16.72 3 overs B.B 1-2 6 catches (5 st.)
Captain of the side. Didn't have the best year with the bat, although consistently was able to get a start without going on with it. After an injury to Mark mid-season, Nato took hold of the gloves, snaring 6 catches and 5 stumpings in the last few games.
Paul (PE, PDH, Barnsey, Jazalenko) Barnes
458 runs H.S 122 Av: 57.25 8 overs B.B 1-15 6 catches (1 st.)
Super recruit! Coming to us from the Revesby area, Paul proved to be our most consistent batsman of the year, batting his team out of trouble on numerous occasions. His majestic 122 against Gymea in Round 6 was an innings to behold, combining power with poise and technique. Paul's amazing batting average of 57.25 included 1 century and 3 half-centuries. The most impressive aspect of Paul's batting was the lack of chances he provided to the opposition. Paul also earned the respect (and sometimes the ire) of his team-mates with his on-field 'Jazalenko' antics, and playing a game up until about 2 hours before his flight left for Nepal. Great season mate!
Paul (no-nickname) Bremner
19 runs H.S 6 Av: 9.5 39 overs 11 wickets B.B 4-44 6 catches
Paul lives and breathes cricket, and despite completing the HSC toward the start of the season, he was definitely one of our most committed players. Making the big jump up from C-grade, Paul held his own in only his second year of men's cricket, bowling first-change and picking up a handful of important wickets. Combining aggression with intelligence, Paul was able to contain even the freest scorers, and had one of the safest pairs of hands in the team. Not many chances coming Paul's way made it to the ground. Probably his best achievement of the year with the bat was the Grand Final coin toss, where he pipped Warney for the coveted #10 batting position. A great asset to this team.
Matt (Warney, S.K, Carool) Carroll
37 runs H.S 20* Av: 37 71.4 overs 23 wickets B.B 6-29 1 catch
Over the last three seasons, our incredible leg-spinner has picked up no fewer than 80 wickets. With an incredible ability to put the ball on the spot and tie batsmen down, there was no doubting that Warney was close to (if not the) best spinner in the comp. This year, his total of 23 wickets included 2 bowled, 14 caught (at his 'wicket' position of mid-wicket), 1 LBW and 6 stumpings - a 'keepers dream! Matt's fielding improved out of sight this year, to the point where he now possesses one of the most trusted pairs of hands in the team. Also, Matt only gave up his wicket once this season, leaving him with the enviable batting average of 37.00. His batting was always aggressive and entertaining, if not a little bit unorthodox and provided great amusement for his team-mates. Awesome season Warney!
Adam (Dowey, Mr. Ed) Dow
86 runs H.S 26 Av: 12.28 3 catches
Another new face in the team, Adam can be proud of his efforts this season, developing as a batsman and earning the respect of his team-mates. Throughout the year, Mr. Ed worked his way up the batting order, to the point where he was facing the new ball with Stone in the GF. Adam played some awesome cricket shots this season, but unfortunately was not able to go on with it, except for his great knock of 85 in the Australia Day match against the B2's. One of the best talkers on the field, Adam's humour was appreciated by the fielders (although perhaps not the batsmen), as was his intimidating gallop when running in to bowl. Also, without a doubt the team's fastest (self-proclaimed) runner between the wickets. Legend Dowey!
Sean (Garto) Garton
97 runs H.S 34 Av: 16.16 38 overs 7 wickets B.B 2-33 5 catches
Sean was without a doubt one of the quiet achievers of the team this year. An extremely talented cricketer, Sean has a great future in front of him, whether with bat, ball or in the field. As a spinner, Sean is able to turn the ball a long way, as indicated by the "ball-of-the-day" in the final which pitched outside leg and passed the batsman's off-stump. In this game, Sean took 2-10, including the wicket to win the game. He is also able to land the ball regularly in good areas, minimizing his bad balls. An excellent athlete, Sean also has a bullet arm from anywhere in the field. Can't wait to see how you go next season mate!
Daniel (Harko, Bourbons with Gaskell) Harkins
79 runs H.S 28 Av: 11.29 6 overs 2 wickets B.B 1-4 1 catch
Well, Daniel Harkins. Like Paul, Harko lives and breathes cricket and was a tremendous asset to the team this year. From the first training day, when Harko turned up with half of Kingsgrove Sports shop in the back of his car, we knew we were in for a great time. He started off the season with a bang, sharing in an awesome 10th-wicket partnership with Warney which won us the game and earned him his highest score, 28. Although he didn't score a mountain of runs this season, he is determined to succeed and without a doubt 2008/09 will be a big season for him. Harko's efforts as Kit Manager this year were very much appreciated, and we have begun recruiting for the next. Thanks for a great season mate!
Andrew (Jonesy) Jones
78 runs H.S 37 Av: 9.75 5 overs 1 wicket B.B 1-6 2 catches
Like Sean, Adam and Mark, Jonesy was another of our young'uns coming through this season and - injury-free - the season promised a lot. With the exception of a great knock of 37 towards the start of the year against runners-up Heathcote, we didn't see the best of Jonesy, despite his great ability as a cricketer. I'm sure he will be hugely determined to put a killer year on the board next season with us. He fit right into the team this year, and earned the respect of his team-mates with his 'never-say-die' attitude. He also wins the attendance award for training, I don't think he missed many at all! Bring on the A2's!
Joel (Mannsy, J) Manns
80 runs H.S 23 Av: 11.43 120.4 overs 27 wickets B.B 6-15 5 catches
With the new ball in his hands, Joel is a ferocious sight running in to bowl, and he had a lot of opening batsmen shaking in their boots and giving each other advice to "just try your best to see this bowler off". Joel is at his best when the pressure is on and his pace and swing were the catalysts for his (large) bag of wickets this year, knocking Warnie off the mantle he has sat on for the last two seasons (plus the rest). A fierce competitor, Mansie is safe anywhere in the field - who can forget his screamer at slip to win the GF? Joel is also a very powerful batsman, and when he can stay at the crease he will terrorise any attack. His six at Oyster Bay was huge, as was his tonking of yours truly from the Anzac nets, one bounce into the clubhouse. What a great season, one for the grand-kids.
Mark (Marion Jones) Mitchell
74 runs H.S 40 Av: 14.8 14 catches (1 st.)
Although his season was cut short by injury, Mark looked in the best form he has been in for a long time, both with the bat and with the gloves. Determined to place a high value on his wicket, Mark was not easy to dismiss, actually stepping up to open the batting in the game he did his knee. On that day, he was without doubt on track to score a century. He seemed to be a magnet for catches in the opening games, with his tally of 14 compiled in the first 7 rounds. We look forward to having Mark back and fighting fit for the coming season.
Steve Morriss (Iemma)
78 runs H.S 24 Av: 11.14 66.5 overs 13 wickets B.B 3-24 2 catches
Steve had a mixed year in 2007/08, capped off by his magnificent 55 in the GF to put the game in the Dragons' favour. A nippy new-ball bowler, Steve was capable of terrorizing batsmen with his accurate short balls and consistent swing. For this, he was rewarded with 13 wickets for the season, which would have been more had he not been sidelined with injury at the beginning of '08. His batting promised a lot throughout the season, although on occasions he sacrificed his wicket cheaply. His GF knock was the Steve we had been waiting to see all season, and he delivered with a combination of power and poise. Steve-o will be an important part of our team in the future.
Mark (Bubbles, Pup) Rice
84 runs H.S 40 Av: 28 33 overs 11 wickets B.B 4-18 5 catches
Despite only playing a few games due to Sutherland grade club commitments, Bubbles' can be proud of his efforts for this team. A naturally talented athlete, his 11 wickets for the season included the dismissal of some very talented top-order batsman and came at opportune times for his team. It is not easy playing Juniors in the morning followed immediately by mens, but Bubbles did it with ease. His batting was always entertaining and electric, although it would have been great to see him go on with the job he worked so hard to begin. His man-of-the-match bowling performance in the final was captivating, earning him 5 wickets for only 31 runs and showing the older lads how it is done. Well done Bubbles!
James (Stoner, Stonehenge) Stone
238 runs H.S 103 Av: 39.67 13 overs 3 wickets B.B 2-6 3 catches
Like some others, James had a mixed season this year, starting explosively before having to miss games due to the HSC and an overseas trip. His first two knocks of 103 and 85* were breath-taking and graceful, although upon his return the runs did not flow as freely as he would have liked. Some strange umpiring decisions did not help his cause either. A very smart cricketer, James can read the game well, and he also has a very safe pair of hands. Will be a very valuable commodity in the years ahead.
Stewart (Stewy) Vella
466 runs H.S 139 Av: 46.6 102 overs 17 wickets B.B 4-29 6 catches
After his mammoth 2006/07 season, Stew's 466 runs seem to pale in comparison. However, this is not entirely true. Stewy can be pleased with his efforts this season, winning the batting award for the second successive season. A naturally talented athlete, Stewart's strength and confidence help him to dominate almost any attack. Although many would say his 139 against Taren Point was his best innings, I would point to his 42 in the only game the team lost against Como. In this innings, Stewart demonstrated his intelligence by placing a high value on his wicket whilst others crumbled around him. He also showed tremendous restraint by picking up singles when the big shots were on offer. He also bowled incredibly well, with pace and accuracy, although was unlucky on a number of occasions. His 2-9 (13) against Taren Point included a phenomenal 9 maidens. Well done Stewy!
CAPTAIN - NATHAN ALTERATOR
B2 TEAM REPORT
AWARD WINNERS
- BATSMAN: Geoff Morriss
- BOWLER: Lee Bailey
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THE TEAM: - Wade Horsnell (capt), Stuart Slack, Lee Bailey, Spencer White, Jonathon Wright, Ryan Salakis, Simon Morriss, Geoff Morriss, Jeremy Vickers, Ben Vickers, Brett Adams, Beau Knowles, Greg Betts, Cameron Turner, Jeff Fiess, Tom Teuma
If you were to tell us at the start of the season that we would have won the premiership then we would have laughed considering we had 2 weddings and 2 bucks days to contend with as well as injuries and players with other commitments.
We never fielded the same 11 two matches in a row which showed the quality of depth that we had in our playing ranks; in fact in the final we had 5 players unavailable due to injury, work and of course a wedding. There were 7 debutants in the side this season Beau, Hubb, The Vickers brothers, Pecker, Cam and Simmo and all 7 played a major part in the success we had. In terms of on field success everyone played there part with some of the most outrageous cricket known to man and in fact known to woman as well.
There was Geoff ( I'm not a bad sort) Morriss with a brilliant 114 in round 2 and ended up with the most runs for the season with 330 something at an average of 54 and a bowling average of 10 with 14 wickets which was a huge effort for a kid with little ability.
Jeremy (Mr Quiet) Vickers made 62 in the same game and put on a stunning partnership with Mozz to take us to victory.
Spence obviously had a dry patch in all areas this season unfortunately not bringing up the 3 figures which he normally does, and then pays tribute to his beautiful wife Nicole for helping him out with, he got close on a couple of occasions but just couldn't quite finish the job.
Bailes had a bumper season with the ball taking 21 wickets at 14 and a well deserved hatrick in the final but not just that he worked his bottom off all season and finally got rid of that stutter in the final.
Simmo was another that played an integral part in our success opening the batting all season bar 1 or 2 games in which he turned up at drinks thinking he was twelfth man and well he should have been only making 22 in that game to contribute to the loss.
Peckers' season was one of inspiration clearly in the top 2 in the fielding department chased everything down and put his body on the line which saved us several runs. He didn't mind using his feet to stop a ball either. There was also one innings that stands out in my mind because I was in hospital after breaking my finger from bowling with a return of 0/34 from 2 overs and hearing that Pecker hit the winning runs at Gwawley against Illawong which may I add had a big influence on us ending up with the Minor Premiership.
I could mention so many other highlights and low lights that happened during the season but I would be here till next year typing. I do want to stress that the team's success this year was a complete team effort and every individual helped out the cause, the closeness of each individual stats reflects that.
The Final V Gymea at Heathcote 1.30pm start pitch a green top
Wado lost the toss and we were bowling which was actually a good one to lose with a slight breeze blowing and some clouds around. The skipper himself and Bailes opened the bowling as they had done through most of the year. In the blink of an eye it was 4/9 from 12 overs. Wade took the first 3 and Bails 1 to have them reeling.
Gymea steadied the ship slightly to be 5/47 at drinks with Bailes taking the 5th scalp right on the break. Wado had 4 wickets beside his name. If ever you wanted a captain's knock this was it we couldn't have asked for anymore from the skipper, well I suppose we could have taking 5 by drinks would have been the better scenario. Over number 3 after drinks the bowler L. Bailey - the result a HATRICK the score 8/51 what an effort and Joff 2 catches in that historical moment. Wado was just about out on his feet running into bowl at the end as we finally dismissed them for 78 with Wado 6/29 and Bailes 4/41.
We then had about 45 minutes to bat and it was like a 45 minute horror movie loosing 4 wickets to be 4/14 at stumps.
Day 2
Simmo and Bailes took to the centre in desperate need of a partnership otherwise our chances would have almost diminished. What a partnership it turned out to be with some of the most patient and sensible batting of their careers putting on 37 hard fought runs before Bails was on the receiving end of runout. The poor bugger fell to his knees thinking he had lost the match. It was 5/51 and Big Hubb came out to the crease and copped an appalling LBW decision that would have missed 4 sets of stumps and perhaps even going over the top. 6/51 with the skipper now on his way out to join Simmo at the crease who was looking solid. They both guided us to within 1 run when Wado was clean bowled trying to hit a six to win. Fiessa then accompanied Simmo and that was where it ended cruising home finishing 7/79 from 55 overs with Simmo 25 not out after opening the batting, what an effort. Man of the match was shared between Wado and Bailes after their super bowling performances.
Great year guys.
CAPTAIN - WADE HORSNELL
B5 TEAM REPORT
AWARD WINNERS
- BATSMAN:
Stuart Dibb - BOWLER:
Tim Russell - ALL ROUNDER: Tim Russell
THE TEAM: - Stuart Dibb (capt), Tim Russell, Stewart Lumsden, James Andrew, Chris Moreland, Dean Griffith, Troy Abbott, Blake Cole, Leighton Wright, Chris Jackson, Adam Turvey, Nathan Dibb, Sam Russell
To put our season in words, it would be best summed up as 'one of those years' or 'what could have been'. After the first three rounds, some of the boys we're asking whether it was possible to be re-graded as we had been smashed outright in 2 out of the 3 games. Things picked up after that, winning 2 games outright to leave us in the middle of the comp. By the end of the comp, we finished one point out of the top 3, and 7 points from the minor premiers. Another amazing stat is that we had not lost a game since November. Two washed out games and other teams having favourable results and claiming duty points might have been a reason in which why we missed out on a semi-final start.
Throughout the year we had some good victories, in which our bowling attack should take credit for 99% of them. Our batting at times was disgraceful and very scratchy. To highlight this, we never got past the 200 mark, and only got past 150 once. Our lack of batting form is probably the most likely reason as to why we didn't make it to the semis. Maybe our poor batting was due to lack of practice, no confidence or watching too much Twenty20 cricket - who knows?
Our best victories of the season in my opinion would have been against Miranda RSL (who eventually came 2nd) and Bangor (eventual premiers), both one-day matches. Against Miranda, we only had 8 players. The boys that played that game fielded brilliantly, all bowled well and built partnerships. Batting 2nd is tough in any one-dayer, but to do it after fielding for 40 overs, in hot weather, with only 8 players, and to win the game with the last wicket partnership putting on a good stand to guide us home was a morale boosting victory. Against Bangor, we batted first and saw most of our batting line-up make helpful contributions above 20, and bat out most of our overs. Then after Bangor reached 2/91, we took 8/15 to beat them, much to the dismay of the opposition's supporter's base.
If there was to be an Engadine B5 player of the year that would easily be Stewy Lumsden. He took 30 wickets for the season, including a career best 7-33 against St Pats in round 2. To take 30 wickets is an amazing achievement, but to do it in your first year bowling pace with a new ball is extraordinary. His batting was nothing to write home about, he'll be the first to say that, and he's got Skinner from Bangor Tav to thank for that, but his bowling well and truly made up for that.
Another special mention goes to Tim Russell and Chris Jackson. Timmy took 25 wickets, bowling at 1st change, and made over 200 runs batting at 4. He also achieved the feat of taking 10 wickets in a game, and achieved a career best 6-28 in another game. He also made two unbeaten half centuries. Jacko is a true team player. He started the season batting down the order, but soon moved up to open, hitting many good opening stands with Dibby. Unfortunately he couldn't crack that half-ton mark after getting close, but there's always next season. He bowled consistently with good away movement during the year for not much luck, and found his best bowling form in the one-dayers, bowling out his 9 overs off a short run up, giving up not many runs.
Tricky Troy Abbott, John West ambassador Adam Turvey, Blake 'Shoaib' Cole, Chris Moreland, Nate Dibb and Deano Griffith played the majority of games and could always be relied on turning up. We discovered during the year that Boaty boy had a rocket arm, Turkey can catch at Gully and Blake is our secret bowling weapon, finishing with our best bowling average. Moreland had his best year with the gloves and should hopefully legitimately receive the club keeping award, even though he missed out on plenty of catches when he wasn't there, and Nathan took the most catches for us in the field and can always be relied upon scoring a handful of runs at the end of an innings. Deano took a few wickets, but was more of a match winner with the bat, hitting 24 in a 45 run partnership, and being involved in a winning partnership of 36 to win a game, both against Loftus.
Unfortunately we didn't get to see much of Sam Russell and Jimmy Andrew throughout the season. Sam was out at Bathurst for uni and his knee didn't provide many favours to him, but proved he was valuably to our team by making runs and taking wickets every time he played. Jimmy went to WA to work, or so he says, the rumour is he got sent to a detention camp. Like Sammy, he proved he is valuable to the team, batting anywhere in the order and being our best fielder.
Kenny Hyde, Ben Gruggen and Dan McGrath were all late inclusions into the side at different stages. Kenny is always good to have around, providing many laughs and is always keen to have a game, especially always willing to let me know he was warming up to have a bowl. Benny joined 2nd round and got put in the deep end straight away by opening. He proved throughout the year that he is a good all-round player. Unfortunately for Benny he didn't get to use his new bat, but the word on the street is he has already started to train for next season with Dan. Dan was the 'one game' wonder. We signed him up on the Saturday morning with the association, and that afternoon the opposition was thinking it was Glenn, not Dan. He picked up 6-37. Even though he played one game during the year, he provided great support to the boys up at The Ridge against Miranda. Hope to see you three back again next season.
A special mention also goes out to Mitchell Dibb for filling in during the season. He took one catch which made him the happiest kid in the world, which is good to see. He was always keen as mustard to help out and have a bowl to the boys in the nets. Mum, don't worry about him hanging around the boys at cricket and learning new things. He would have eventually learnt about these from his school mates later on in high school. Also thanks to Matty Hobden for helping out during the year, and Jaryd Duncan from the B8's for playing one innings and hitting what turned out to be the winning runs.
Also during the year, if you read our match reports, it was a bit different each round. This was because all the boys took turns in writing one. It was good to see everyone have a go and provided everyone with a good laugh. Best report would be Blake Cole's effort. Worst, as decided by the team, Turkey, for writing it as good as a pre-schooler would have.
It has been good fun captaining you blokes for the past 2 seasons, and at times it has been frustrating! Timmy would agree with that as well from his time captaining. But overall, it's been good fun. The next person can come now and captain the side, with it being impossible for me to get to the club meetings and the captains meetings at Caringbah due to work. I hope the next captain can get more help from everyone in the team because it isn't an easy job, and it's made a lot harder when they have to chase up raffle tickets, chase up rego money, cleaning up everyone's rubbish after the game etc etc when it shouldn't be their job.
I hope to see everyone back again next season.
Dibby
B5 Stats
BATTING FIELDING
NAME GAMES INNINGS NOT
OUT TOTAL
RUNS H/S AVERAGE CATCHES
Adam Turvey 8 9 44 12 4.89 2
Ben Gruggen 5 7 76 27 10.86 3 (1 WK)
Blake Cole 10 11 2 53 17 5.89 3
Chris Jackson 10 12 226 45 18.83 2
Chris Moreland 8 11 126 31 11.45 16 WK - 23 byes
Dan McGrath 1
Dean Griffith 8 9 4 42 24 8.40 2
James Andrew 6 8 82 27 10.25 7 (3 WK)
Ken Hyde 6 7 43 24 6.14 3
Nathan Dibb 9 10 3 42 13 6.00 5
Sam Russell 5 5 2 110 41 36.67 1
Stewart Lumsden 10 11 148 47 13.45 2
Stuart Dibb 11 14 3 290 85 26.36 2
Tim Russell 9 12 2 220 64* 22.00 2
Troy Abbott 9 10 3 12 6 1.71
Jaryd Duncan (B8) 1 1 1 3 3* -
BOWLING
NAME OVERS MAIDENS WICKETS RUNS AVERAGE BEST
Stewart Lumsden 108.3 21 30 293 9.77 7 for 33
Tim Russell 84.2 24 25 251 10.04 6 for 28
Stuart Dibb 50.2 9 15 193 12.87 5 for 5
Chris Jackson 71 15 12 258 21.50 3 for 10
Dan McGrath 9 6 37 6.17 6 for 37
Blake Cole 14.5 1 5 46 9.20 2 for 15
Dean Griffith 26 1 5 117 23.40 2 for 13
Sam Russell 12 1 2 46 23.00 2 for 20
Ken Hyde 4 1 23 23.00 1 for 23
Nathan Dibb 2.4 1 26 26.00 1 for 6
Ben Gruggen 4 28 -
Adam Turvey 1 2 -
CAPTAIN - STUART DIBB
B7 TEAM REPORT
AWARD WINNERS
- BATSMAN:
Brennan James - BOWLER:
Mitchell Davis
THE TEAM: Mitchell Davis (capt), David McMillan, Dale Bates, Corey Davis, Mitchell Durie, Matthew Healey, Brennan James, Colin Kidd, Dane Logan, Mitchell Peacock, James Wood, Dean McMillan
Finished regular season in 3rd - 7 wins 2 losses 3 draws
The team this year was a culmination of players from various teams from last year as well as returning players from seasons passed and a new player to cricket.
We started the season in average form and were smashed in the 1st game. From there we regrouped and went on to lose only one more game throughout the regular season. We topped the table all season until some interesting results in round 14 cost us the minor premiership.
Possibly not the strongest batting team in the comp we made up for it with some devastating bowling and we were able to grab crucial wins after only scoring modest totals of less than 130 in a few games.
We made the semis and played Caringbah who we had beaten throughout the year, but on the day nerves got the best of us and we were rolled for 73. We had the opposition in early trouble and we were in with a good chance of victory until some decisions cost us the game. One in particular was the difference between the two teams and ultimately sealed our fate. A disappointing end to the season really as we were the best team in the comp and we should have gone on to win the grand final.
Throughout the season we didn't take ourselves too seriously and most Saturday afternoons were spent laughing at each other's expense. I believe this relaxed attitude pulled us together as a team and increased morale, which helped make the game more enjoyable, which is what it's all about.
My fondest memory of the season was that week in week out every player of the team showed that 'Dragon's spirit' and never gave in even when things were looking bad at the time.
I am proud to captain such a great bunch of young blokes, and am looking forward to next year.
Special mention to all the supporters that showed up each week. Not sure if they were there to watch us play or just enjoy the cold ones in the esky.
The Team:
Brennan 'CHURCH' James. L/H bat, favourite shot; the cut shot. Very talented opening bat who can play shots all round the ground. Very safe pair of hands in the field with a cannon where his right arm should be. Was a very reliable keeper for part of the season. Also a chirpy sledger. Winner of the 'Adam Gilchrist' award for wicket-keeper, opening batsman. Runs 305, top score 59, avg 27.73 Wickets 1, avg 20
Dane 'FLASH' Logan. R/H bat, favourite shot; the defensive leave outside off stump. Fantastic opening bat who has an awesome straight drive and excellent timer of the ball. Some would say he is boring to watch (mainly durie) but he has the perfect temperament to open. A solid fielder in any position and took some screamers in slips. Also put the gloves on for part of the season. Winner of the 'Inzaman Ul Haq' award because of his speed between the wickets. Runs 264, top score 101, avg 33 Wickets 5, avg 26.6
Dave 'D-MAC' McMillan. R/H bat, favourite shot; the twisting body leg glance. Batted mainly up the top of the order and was handy with the bat. He developed the most unusual leg glance I have ever seen. As for fielding he is a 'captain's nightmare' and to this day is still unable to take a catch off my bowling. However he made up for this with his talented one liners and was easily the best sledger going round. Winner of the 'Jeremy Vickers' award for excellence in the art of sledging. Runs 92, top score 33, avg 11.5 Wickets 0, avg 0
Mitchell 'PUP' Durie. R/H bat, favourite shot; the charging cross bat. Top order bat who shares his famous nickname with Michael Clarke, because of his talented batting style and ability to take wickets with his bowling. But mainly because he's got a hot girlfriend who comes to the games. Inventor of a new shot where you end up near the bowler's feet by the time he releases the ball. Handy fielder who doesn't enjoy running too much so usually fields in slips. Took a great catch at silly mid on in the semi. Winner of the 'Mark Vermeulen' award for constantly sledging his own team mates. Runs 178, top score 56, avg 25.43 Wickets 8, avg 23.13
Dale 'BATESY' Bates. R/H bat, favourite shot; the hungover pull shot. Extremely aggressive middle order batsman (when he decided he was sober enough to play) and excellent inswing bowler. He would often bowl around the wicket and aim the ball at point and it would some how move 6 foot in the air and end up crushing batsmen's toes. Highlight of the season was showing up late and severely hungover for the 2nd day of the semi, after a night out (this was mardi gras night) with some interesting scars. Winner of the 'Dougie Walters' award for never playing sober. Runs 101, top score 38, avg 16.83. Wickets 7, avg 25.57
Colin 'OOIE' Kidd. L/H bat, favourite shot; the off drive. Ooie is a talented left hander who batted mainly in the middle order. Able to field any where and was possibly the quietist player on the field. But made up for it with the largest amount of groupies at the games. He is also a very good scorer and could manipulate the books to read whatever you wanted. Took a screamer of a catch at mid off when we played at Corea street. Often found at theLogan's place but wasn't there to see Dane!!!!! Winner of the 'Paul Adams' award for bowling left armers where no one knows where they will end up or which way they will spin. Runs 62, top score 24*, avg 12.4 Wickets 4, avg 11.
James 'JAMIE' Wood. R/H bat, favourite shot; the cut shot. Jamie returned to cricket after a spell off for a few years and looked like he hadn't stopped playing the game. Started the season off with only being able to play the cut shot but developed into a handy middle order batter. Had the ability to hit some big 6's. Excellent fast ground fieldsman with a great arm and took some good catches during the year. Most notably a diving catch at backward square leg in the wet at sutho. Winner of the 'Damien Martyn' award for only playing the cut shot or drive. Runs 107, top score 27*, avg 15.29. Wickets 0, avg 0
Corey 'CORZA' Davis. R/H bat, favourite shot; the forward defensive. Corza was our opening bowler and bowled with some good pace. He bowled with a great outswinger and developed a good in swinger later on in the season. Very unlucky not to take more wickets in the season as he was too fast and moved the ball too much to take the edge on most occasions. Batted down the order and had a very save pair of 'crocodile' hands. Took a magnificent mark at deep fine leg and a wonderful direct hit runout. Most famous for his excellent portrayal of Peter Griffin. Winner of the 'Andre Nel' award for showing aggression at every opportunity possible. Runs 65, top score 22, avg 8.13. Wickets 21, avg 15.9
Dean 'DECK DOG' McMillan. L/H bat, favourite shot; the flatbat pull shot to long on. Deckie was the youngest player in the team but slotted in well as our so called part timer. Yet another talented left hand bat who batted in the upper middle order. Unlucky not to have scored more runs than he did. The only way to draw him out of his crease was to put a 'big mac' or 'meat pie' on a good length. Possibly one of the fastest outfielders I have ever seen. And somehow ended up with the best bowling average. Winner of the 'Matthew Hayden' award for his aggressive left hand batting and the charging pull shot. Runs 138, top score 35, avg 17.25. Wickets 1, avg 8
Mitchell 'RANGA' Peacock. R/H bat, favourite shot; the cross bat. Rangas 1st year of cricket was a solid one. He took a wicket with his 1st ever ball and scored a fantastic 56 at boystown to help us win the game. The fact that he was elevated up the order from 10 to 3 that day so he could leave early had nothing to do with it. Very good fielder who was quick with good hands and a strong arm. Cemented his place as our square leg fieldsman. Winner of the 'Ronald McDonald' award for wearing red hair like no other. Runs 71, top score 56, avg 14.2 Wickets 1, avg 16.
Matthew 'HEALS' Healey. Maybe a R/H bat???, favourite shot; jaggermeister or johnnie walker. Heals made a comeback after spending a few years away from cricket. His bowling was excellent and picked up a few yards of extra pace as the year went on. He could always be relied on, to take wickets and had a freakish knack of taking wickets with his first delivery. He would always put in 110% into his bowling. However his batting was a different story. Very handy fielder and good on the cans after the game. Winner of the 'Chris Martin tailender' award for being able to bowl well but unable to bat to save his life. Runs 18, top score 14, avg 6 Wickets 19, avg 12.21
Mick 'DALY' Daly. R/H bat, favourite shot; cow corner. Possibly the most attacking batsman to ever play the modern game. However just to prove me wrong he did play a block shot to the 1st ball he faced for the season. After that he failed to play one again. Perhaps not the best slips fielder (probably the grease on his hands from midnight pizza at sutho the night before) or the quickest between wickets, but he made up for this with his exceptional power hitting. Hit the biggest six of the season hitting the fence on the full at the straight boundary at Woolooware oval in the semi. However he scored more runs after a session at whittos than on the pitch. Also a handy leg spinner and another one who was good on the cans. Winner of the 'Mark Cosgrove' award for eating and drinking copious amounts and being unable to shed 5kilos at the start of the season. Runs 186, top score 60*, avg 37.2. Wickets 6, avg 20.5
Mitchell 'MAD' Davis. R/H bat, favourite shot; any shot that was in the air. Captain and formed one half of the Davis brothers opening bowling partnership and wearer of the dirtiest whites. Able to 'throw' them down at a good pace with good bounce. Possibly the captain to make the most field changes in the history of the game. Also known for his fielding at stupidly close locations to the bat and his ability to sledge back at Durie. Also quite good on the cans. Winner of the 'Most Overthrows' award for going for run outs and sending the ball flying to the boundary. Runs 100, top score 37, avg 10. Wickets 35, avg 9.34
CAPTAIN - MITCHELL DAVIS
B8 TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - A1 MetalTech
AWARD WINNERS
- BATSMAN:
Jaryd Duncan - BOWLER:
Ian Mitchell
)
THE TEAM : Allan Lofthouse (capt), Paul Dixon, Sam Dixon, Bill Ziegler (vcapt), Reece Penington, Ian Mitchell, Tim Martin, Matt Russell, Jaryd Duncan, Peter Duncan, Jordan Duncan, Ryan Cummings, Jon Rout, Paul Marsh, Brad Young, Tim Hodgson (and a "big" thank you to Ryan Emerson from the 16Cs for helping out in a couple of games).
The team would also like to thank our Manager and Senior Scorer Judy Lofthouse and our junior scorer Katie Lofthouse for all their help and support throughout the season and our sponsor A1 Metaltech for the shirts and support.
The Semi Final:- vs Illawong at Corea St
We lost the toss and bowled. The Dragons were all pumped and ready to go. Illawong were 4 wickets down (4-31) inside 10 very tight overs with the movement and bounce causing consternation to the batsmen. However not claiming a wicket for a further 10 overs, they went from 5-65 to be rolled for 97, all inside 29 overs. Wickets to Jon (5-30), Ian (3-22), Paul D (1-18) and Jaryd (1-1).
The batting began slowly to be 2-36 at stumps on day 1. Matt & Paul D consolidated the innings on day 2 and with the first innings lead in the bag at 45 overs we continued on to be 8-140 at the 60 overs. Matt (43), Paul D (28), Ian (18no), Jordan (15), and Jaryd (11) were the main scorers.
Illawong needing an outright to progress put us back into the field and after a 16 over stint with the bat, declared at 5-98. The Dragons needed to survive for about 80 minutes. We were 5-61 at stumps and won outright with the final beckoning. Jordan (21no) and Jaryd (14no) were the notable scorers, with Jon (2-24), Ian (2-39) and Bill (1-4) the wicket takers in the second dig. Catches went to wicket keeper Brad Young (2), Sam (1) and Paul M in the first innings and Jaryd wicket keeper (1), Sam (1), Jordan (1) and Tim M (1). A great effort team.
The Final:- vs St Patrick's No 2 at Sutherland 2
Back at our favourite ground and to quote Katie, quoting Elmer Fudd of Warner Bros fame "be very very quiet, we're hunting Wabbitts" (with reference to the St Pats twins). Bill won the toss and batted. At 4-65 at drinks we were in dire straits. However Jordan (36) and Jaryd (19) settled the ship and pushed past the 100 in the 45th over. Jaryd and Ian (36) along with the tail managed to see the 60 overs with 9-151 on board - slow but competitive.
On day 2 we were on the back foot with 27 on the score after only 3 overs due to their big hitter/openers. But we got him in the 6th and things settled, with the bowlers gaining the ascendancy as wickets fell regularly. Sam broke their backs in the 19th over with a 3 wicket maiden and the Dragons were in with a big chance. It was that close that their captain was claiming victory with 14 runs needed off 14 overs only to be told by the author that the "game ain't over 'til the fat lady sings". He also forgot that there were only 2 wickets left and they were playing the Dragons! A big LBW decision and a glorious run out by "sub" Tim Hodgson dashed his grand prediction and left them stunned and apart from a few choice profanities, quite speechless.
Wicket takers were Sam (4-13), Ian (2-36 off a massive "Herculean" 18 overs), Bill (2-22), Paul D (1-18) with catches to Jaryd, Paul M, Matt, Sam and keeper Brad who bagged 2. A spectacular double for the team - back to back Premierships. YEE HA!!!
Katie says "Run rabbit, run rabbit, run,run,run. Don't give the farmer his fun, fun, fun. He'll get by without his rabbit pie. So run rabbit, run, run, run"
Judy says "I can't stand these close games my heart can't stand the strain"
Peter says "S-t that was close" while our sponsor says "You bloody beauty!!"
The Season
2007/08 began with the team hoping for the same success as the previous season with a back up premiership albeit in a higher grade. The team took 2 games to get into stride with a victory over the eventual minor premiers, St Pats 2. However in the first round of 7 games, that was our only victory and we were languishing on the bottom of the table. We were written off by certain people who were saying "no hope". These people don't know the B8 Dragons team and they took the comments personally and decided the opposition weren't all that good. One of the players wanted to quote him "they can stick their newspaper report where the sun doesn't shine".
The B8s proceeded to win all of the 2nd round games that were played to secure a very creditable 3rd place and the semi berth, which was duly put away with an outright victory. On to the final and once again the boys of the mighty B8s rose to the occasion with a massive victory to once again bring glory to the Dragons club. Congratulations to the whole team and thanks to all of the people (you know who you are) who gave us support throughout the season. Winners are grinners and losers can please themselves. I don't know who wrote that little ditty, but I think it is most appropriate for this team of all round good guys.
Thanks go to Bill Ziegler who filled in as captain when needed. There were only 2 players to achieve the magic "200" runs for the season with Jaryd Duncan (249 - plus 3no in B5s) just pipping Matt Russell (248) as top scorer and unfortunately Ian Mitchell (19 wickets in the regular season with a further 5 in the semi and 2 in the final to make 26 valuable wickets all up) just failing to reach the required 20 for the "bowling award". Also Jon Rout with 16 wickets (7 in the semi) pushed Ian all the way in the bowling to finish with 23 wickets for the season. Best catches were Jaryd 11 (12 with a semi catch) and Brad Young 6 plus 2 stumpings (plus 2 in the semi and 2 in the final for a total of 12 dismissals all up).
There were many creditable efforts with bat and ball that saw the Dragons to success in 2007/08 and it is hoped that all can return in 08/09 (the 50th Anniversary) for a go at, as Katie calls it "A Big 3 peat"!!
CAPTAIN - ALLAN LOFTHOUSE (once again a very happy skipper)
C1 TEAM REPORT
Sponsored by - KFC Engadine
AWARD WINNERS
- BATSMAN:
Peter O'Reilly - BOWLER:
Nabeel Chaudhry
)
THE TEAM : Rob Knight (capt), Peter O'Reilly, Michael Smith, Jason O'Reilly, Ricky Adams, Nabeel Chaudhry, Ben Latham, Brent Woodley, Matthew Hoff, Alex Sambuco, Christian Haynes, Nathan Loder, John Watson, Darren Mexson, Ben Dwarshuis, Joe D'Imperio
A great season by all the boys, unfortunately falling short at the last hurdle. We started the season with many of the boys coming straight up from the U/16's, with a few of the old fellas to mix youth with experience.
There were many highs and lows during the season. Below are a few for each of the fellas.
Rob Knight (c): 24 wickets for me. Not many runs. Choked in the Final like most others Should be sacked next year!
Michael Smith (vc): A good all-round season by the Cougar. Scored 240 runs for the season including a memorable 151 in the last round. The 151 included 18 sixes and 4 fours. To add to this he took 14 wickets and 8 catches to end up with some good stats. Cougs managed his second duck in a row in finals. Hope we make it next year so you can look for the hatty Cougs.
Christian Haynes: 10 wickets for Christian this year including a 5fa and a few runs saw him have an all right start to his mens career Didn't set the world on fire but definitely improved with a new bowling action during the off-season. With some more work Haynesy will be a strong force next year.
Alex Sambuco: This year Slugger did exactly what he does every year. Swing. No-one knows whether it will be duck on the scoreboard or duck on the sidelines. But its fun to watch all the same. Another Duck boy in the final. Great asset to the team though.
Ben Latham: Ben was one of our rocks up the top of the batting order. Averaging around 20 with just under 200 runs, he had a good season. Top scored by a long way in the final. He was the only one not to choke with the bat. Great hands and a loud motivator, Ben had a very successful first year in mens.
Brent Woodley: Brent is a quiet kid who is hard to get a word out of on the field. 266 runs for the season including his first hundred and many great saves behind the stumps, Brent was one of our big guns this year. If he works a bit on his social skills. Maybe just saying something on the field rather than his constant encouragement to the incoming batsmen. He will be a valued member of the cordon!
Peter O'Reilly: The old fella had an awesome season this year. 354 runs was a top effort This included a century in the first match of the season, proudly dedicated to his late brother, David. When someone was on top of us. I threw Pete the ball. 4 overs and 68 runs later he would usually get them caught on the boundary. Well done young man.
Matthew Hoff: A good young cricketer. Apparently a smart kid but as thick as two short planks!!! No one will forget when he got a chance to keep in the final and yelling out to the sideline "Mum, can you bring out my box!!!" Hoffy batted well this year with about 140odd runs including a 50 and has a safe set of hands when he's awake.
Nabeel Chaudhry: Not a bad cricketer. Ended up pipping the captain by 1 wicket to claim 25. Then came the final.. 13 overs 2 maidens 7 wickets for 16 runs. A phenomenal bowling performance in a final. Batted terribly this year scraped in about a hundred runs Nabeel made his bollywood debut this year starring as the 'non-striker' in the multi-million dollar film 'Victory' look out for it. I'm sure it's the first of many films for Nabs.
Tim Mall: A late inclusion in our team and a big pick up he was. With 11 wickets at 10 and a batting average of 43 He was an important signing. Dunno about the hair but What are you going for .its not metro. It's not a Pakistani traditional doo? Surely its not cool in the DJ scene I just cant work it out. Anyway. Next!
Darren Mexsom: Mex struggled a bit this year with injury which definitely affected his bowling. The big improvement for Mex was with the bat proving himself to be very important lower down in the order. Top Score was 35 in a 191 run partnership with cougs in the last round. Got a scar over his eye late in the season during our extensive pre-game training regime Proves his dedication that will see him playing up to the C1 level for many years.
We had plenty of fill ins during the year including Ben Dwarshuis who scored 160 runs at 80.00 from his three digs. We also had John Watson, Ricky Adams, Jackson Mall, Mark Varley from the UK, Joe D'Imperio, Ryan Marlow and Nick Batty. Your help was appreciated fellas and it would have cost the club a fortune if we won the comp.
Thanks also goes to Ian Latham who turned up each week to score. And also to put heaps on the captain.
See you all next year boys.
CAPTAIN - ROB KNIGHT
C2 TEAM REPORT
AWARD WINNERS
- BATSMAN:
Paul Waddell - BOWLER:
Paul Waddell - ALL ROUNDER:
Paul Waddell
THE TEAM:- Paul Waddell (capt), Cameron Beck, Dean Fenner, Ryan Mutch, Jason Gilmore, Kurt Mitchell, Kristian White, Julien Breen, Andrew Gorman, Peter Wagener, Mark Dykstra, Graham Price, Daniel Tench
I guess we all thought things were going to look good for the year, when the team racked up nearly 300 in the first game. Perhaps it could have been rusty bowlers on a smallish ground, NEVER. Put it down to our superior batting skills with all looking forward to the new season. No matter how everyone performed, there was always support and encouragement from within the team. There were a number of new guys playing senior cricket for the first time and with a season under the belt they should all kick on with improvement over the next few seasons. Now that they realize, it ain't that intimidating.
It should be said that we did end up coming in 4th. Under the circumstances of the team make up, with so many young up and comers to senior cricket. I think we should all be proud of the effort. Anyway the same old story is simply that catches win matches. Even though there was the odd sensational catch taken, sadly too many were falling through hands onto the ground. If just half of them had been taken, then who knows, we may have made the finals. Then again, would our batting have stood up to the challenge?
The end of season stats tell the whole picture. With the bowling getting shared around as we had three take 20+ wickets for the year. Kurt Mitchell (22) Daniel Tench (20) with Paul (Wal) Waddell 27. Unfortunately the batting side of things fell a bit short of supporting the bowlers. As only one person posted 200+ runs (took 25 years to do it) Wal. (Should retire, but won't) Graham Price would have done it as well. Instead, he chose to go to the Clipsal 500 v8 supercars and miss the last game - stranded on 197 runs. Another five passed 100 runs with no one getting 150.
Finishing off with some highlights from this past season. Unluckiest award of the year goes to Julien Breen. Suffers broken toe to bowling machine early in season. Comes back from that only to snap ankle ligaments and a chipped bone late in the year from walking backwards 5 meters. Well done Jules, great man to have around. Thanks for drinking with Graham and myself. Can't forget his catch at Jannali (parallel to the ground). Andrew Gorman failing to score any runs at Nth Caringbah. Kurt Mitchell with his great 7-26. Kristen White's cameo at Loftus. Cameron Beck never failing to show up at every game with-out doughnuts. The team enjoyed them.
A special mention must go to Ross Gilmore for his much appreciated effort in scoring for us every week. My biggest thanks. Hope to see all back for another shot at the title. Been fun.
CAPTAIN - PAUL WADDELL
2007/08 Season
During the 07/08 season, Engadine Dragons won our 11th Junior Club Championship with the 10A, 14A, 16C, B1, B2 and B8 teams becoming 2007-08 Premiers with commiserations to the 12A, 16A, and C1 sides for finishing runners-up. Click for details:
Junior Teams | Senior Teams | Awards | Committee | End of Season Reports | Match Reports |
Finals Scorecards | Representative Players
