Except for A grade that started up again after the break last weekend the rest of the Seniors kicked off this Saturday with another 1 day game and what a day – very hot and humid.

Team performances
+ Like the last weekend before the Christmas/New Year break we won 7 out of 11 games – a good performance
+ A1 started off very well but in keeping ARL to 60 runs in the first 20 overs but in the next 20 they scored 150 to knock up runs. We struggled in the 2nd innings to 139.
+ B2 Blue made a big impact on Castle Hill having them at 7/36 in around 25 overs. However after a few missed chances they got away to 126 in the next 15 overs. An amazing 29 runs off the last over was the highlight (for them). Read on to find out more about who stared from us in this last over performance. Despite coping with a slow outfield and batting second after the heat we won convincingly.
+ In the same match, Craig Hutchinson took 1/12 from 10 overs!
+ In a thriller, C3 were out for 149 but Castle Hill managed 156 chasing – our star number 11 bat (usually) Josh Lovell top scoring with 52
+ D1 showed why they are leading the comp. After struggling to 72, they rolled Normanhurst for 43 with Scott Jobson (4/15) and Justin Patterson (4/10) starring.
+ In B1 – great to see a return to the winners list. Mark Taylor continues his rich vain of form with 50 and Tony Ford making his Christmas comeback got 48. Tony is one of our most distinguished players – being named in the combined Association side of the decade in 2001.

Team standings
A1 = 4th
A2 3rd
B1 1st
B2 Blue 1st
B2 red 4th
C1 2nd
C2 Blue 1st
C2 Red 6th (9 off the pace)
C3 6th (3 off the pace)
D1 1st
D2 4th

After 10 Rounds we now have 9 of our 11 teams in the top 4 – a fantastic performance.

The Cub Championship has not been updated but we should still be leading.

Personal achievements
+ Matt Rae (A2) in scoring 44* took his career aggregate to 2,000 runs – putting him in the top run scorers of al time. Well done Matt.
+ Alistair Rayment wrote his name into Club immortality with his 4/15 against St Ives. Alistair now has 150 wickets placing him into the top 40 bowlers of all time. Well done Alistair.
+ Andrew Mills scored his 1,000th career run against Castle Hill – well done Andrew.
+ Tony Hadley (Club Superstar who has been keeping out of the news recently) put up the most amazing individual performance of the Round. Playing for B2 Blue, Tony bowled the last over and had 29 runs taken off it – 4 sixers, 4 four and of course a wide just to give them an extra ball. This is the 2nd highest number of runs ever scored off an over against a WPHC player in 57 years. The record is held by Chris Bedwell with 30 in 2000/01. Chris Thomas in A1 had 26 scored against him in 2002.

Watch this space
+ Roger Friend still needs 12 for his 1,000 runs
+ Andrew Fiedler scored 27* on the weekend but needs 17 more for his 3,000 runs – placing him in the top 21 run scorers of all time. He aims up against our Blue’s team next weekend.

The drought continues
Our century performances continue to slow down to reflect the dry conditions. After scoring a record 18 last season we have only scored 3 so far – approaching a record at the other end of the scale!

Communicator of the week
B2 Blues star Eric Junkkari! After dismissing the Castle Hill opener – caught at mid-off from a slow full-toss Eric had a lovely chat to the batsman after he was dismissed (while he was walking off the field), telling him that exactly the same thing happened to him the match before. As expected, the 2 way discussion was not lengthy.

Sensitivity Award
Tony Hadley again. After keeping a low profile since his now famous early season performances.

After Big Martin Boon bowled his heart out for 3 overs, Boony left the field for a drink and a bit of dry reaching. Booney put on a few kilos after the Christmas break and is now a slim 127 Kilo’s. With total disdain, Tony, at first slip commented that Martin ‘is not fit’. Tony is the man who ran out Martin in a senseless run out earlier in the year. Good to see you back in form Tony!

Posted by Ross Anderson on January 11, 2004 05:57 AM