The Colts have come from 4th position after the premiership rounds and a loss in the quarter final to win both their semi-final and final and take out the 2018-2019 Metropolitan Cup. This is the second Colts premiership in 3 years.    

Austyn Nugent and his team mates at the final

Having played last week at Chatswood, the Colts were able to play the final at Howell Oval and experience two first grade grounds in two weeks. This in itself was a great experience for this very young side and continues to confirm the exceptional value of the Colts team and how integral it is to the success of the club.

The final was played over the weekend against Penrith who have been a wonderful opponent for our Colts side over many seasons with the ledger about even. The start was delayed after early rain with the wicket not available unit 1.40pm and winning the toss Gordon decided to send in the Penrith team. 

While our bowling was tight, the Penrith bats started to get on top after two wickets to Cam Hewitt and Sam Braham and at 2 for 128 off 48 overs we were in need of wickets. 

Sam Braham at Howell

As the day came to a close our strong pressure started to bear fruit with three more wickets, another one to Sam and one each to Jayden Gray and Nathan Sequeira. At stumps Penrith were 5 for 151 off 64 overs and the match was evenly poised but too many more runs would prove difficult to chase with the strong Penrith bowling.

The honours for the day had gone to Sam Braham and, while he hadn’t taken any wickets, Callum Bladen was very unlucky and had kept control of the scoring rate. Overall the bowling had been excellent with the Penrith bats not being able to take full advantage of the fast Howell Oval outfield  

Nathan Sequeira leading the players from the field.

Due to the rain delay the second day was able to start at 10am with 100 overs allotted for the day. Early wickets and we would be on top.

Again the bowlers didn’t disappoint with this time Nathan Sequeira taking three wickets and Rohan Watson chipping in with one. Including the night before Nathan had taken 4 for 3 off 4 overs of almost unplayable fast bowling due to a great combination of accuracy and pace. The Penrtih team had been bowled out for 162, but this was a final and with runs on the board, Penrith were still confident.

Our batting started promisingly until Cam Hewitt was out for a well-made 26 with the score at 38. With Jaiden Gray coming in at No. 3, he continued with Nick Astridge to keep the score board ticking over. Unfortunately, as so often can be the case, we lost a wicket in the last over before lunch with Nick out stumped for 20. The first hour after lunch was also not helpful to our cause with Riley Behlevanas, skipper Austyn Nugent 4 and Lachie Donaldson losing their wickets and with Nathan Sequeira coming in at No. 7 to join Jaiden we were 5 for 95 and desperately in need of a partnership. 

Jaiden Gray during his fine 74 not out

This was when the call for heart defibrillators was made by club legend Tony Wilson as another close finish was on the cards. Whether they arrived or not, they weren’t needed as Jaiden continued his fine innings to pass 50 and supported by Nathan the target was getting closer and at 5 for 143 at tea, a wicket just before a break had not eventuated.

The game wasn’t over as Penrith threw everything at our bats after tea but they survived to take the score to 5 for 164 and a brilliant win with Jaiden 74 not out and Nathan 25 not out. This had been a defining innings for Jaiden who held the team together with some fine stroke play and unrelenting defence. 

While there were heroes in the final, the final series and in fact the whole season had provided an excellent overall team performance, including some excellent leadership in the second half of the season by Austyn Nugent.

A big thank you also to all the parents who supported this team throughout the season and the finals series to help bring home the trophy. 

Congratulations to everyone involved and we looks forward to this fine group of young men to move into the grade teams in the years ahead. There is a lot to look forward to.

The victorious Colts team

Scores 

Penrith all-out 162 in 73.1 overs – Callum Bladen 0-33 off 14 overs; Sam Braham 2-31 off 14; 
Nathan Sequeira 4-22 off 15 overs with 7 maidens; Kartik Khetarpaul 0-14 off 6; Rohan Watson 1-28 off 12.1;Cam Hewitt 1-12 off 6; Jaiden Gray 1-4 off 3; Conor Clift 0-5 off 3. Defeated by Gordon 5-164 off 64 overs – Nick Astridge 20; Cam Hewitt 25; Jaiden Gray 74no; Nathan Sequiera 25 not out, Riley Behlevanas 5; Austyn Nugent 4; Lachie Donaldson 2.

The ninth Gordon District Cricket Club Charity Golf Day and Dinner has a new venue this year with the reconstruction of the Killara Golf Club and will be held at the picturesque Avondale Golf Club.  As usual the day will include lunch, golf, dinner, drinks and an auction.

Special Guests: The Grade Cricketers

 

The Grade Cricketers - Sam Perry, Rob Edwards and Ian Higgins

Cost & Special Hole sponsorship 

Costs for the day are $270 for lunch, golf, drinks and dinner, $140 for lunch and golf only and $150 for dinner and drinks only.

As a special offer for Corporate Guests, you can again purchase a hole sponsorship for $1,800 (including GST) which includes display of your banner on putting green and at dinner, a poster on a hole, one page of marketing material with the official booklet, exposure on GDCC website, and 4 players for golf and dinner.

It is easy to book, just to GDCC Golf Day Booking. 

We are pleased to announce that an allocation of funds from our auction items will this year go to the Chappell Foundation. The Chappell Foundation aims to raise funds for frontline organisations who are working to provide refuge, nourishment and a better future for homeless youth. Your support will help the youth of Australia get back on their feet. www.thechappellfoundation.com 

Get a group together now for golf and dinner (or just dinner) and enjoy the comradery of the supporters and players of the Gordon District Cricket Club. It is a must not miss event. 

If you would like to download a four-page flyer for the event just click here Golf Day Event Flyer

EVENT DETAILS

DATE: Wednesday May 22, 2019
EVENT: Shambles or Ambrose Format (you choose)
TIMING: 10.00am Registration open
10.30am Brunch
11.30am Shotgun Start
6:00pm Pre-dinner Drinks and Golf event presentation
6.30pm Dinner with special guests The Grade Cricketers and Charity Auction

Geoff Hickman

President 

Gordon District Cricket Club

The Club has lost a loyal servant with the passing on Tuesday of Andrew McElroy. Andy was a very accurate medium-pace bowler who could consistently swing the ball, as well as being a more than handy lower order bat. He began his career with Gordon in the 1972-73 season, taking 29 wickets in 4ths and 5ths, topping the 4th Grade averages. In the 1974-75 season, when all Grades reached the semifinals and Gordon won the Club Championship by a long way, Andy was a member of the 4th Grade side – the only Grade team to go on and win the Competition. His contribution was a fantastic 43 wickets at an average of only 13.02. In the Final, against a very strong St George side, he took 6-40 and 5-37 – a wonderful performance!

Allen Walsh, the skipper of the victorious team, wrote, “Andy McElroy, furious at being run out for a ‘duck’, was in a hostile mood with the ball and bowled for a ‘duck’ the St George century-maker of the previous week’s Semi-Final.

…St George resumed the second day at 1 for 13, lost an early wicket and saw their captain Fraser (with some 700 runs and 70 wickets to his credit for the season) out for a ‘duck’ – caught behind – off Andy.

…We crowded the batsmen after lunch and were rewarded in the very first over. Both Andy and Hilton (Chapman) kept the ball up on the damp pitch and their remaining batsmen had little answer to our attack. They were all out for 101. Andy had 6 magnificent wickets to his credit and Hilton 2.”

In the same season, Gordon also won the Poidevin-Gray Shield (the last time the Club has won it!). While Andy’s contributions opportunities were limited through the season, he shared in a most important lower order partnership in the final which proved vital to the victory. 

In the following seasons, Andy continued to perform strongly. He took 36 wickets in 1975-76, 37 in 1979-80 and, in 1982-83, won the W.A.Oldfield Award for All Round Performances when, in the Premiership winning 3rd Grade team, he took 35 wickets at 18.7 as well as scoring 293 runs at 32.5 (with two half centuries). In the Annual Report, skipper Warwick Murray wrote, “A fine all-round effort and one which was an inspiration to his team-mates. Well played, Andy!”

Perhaps his crowning achievement however, came in the 1985-86 season. Andy was made captain of the 3rd Grade side and did what all captains should do – he led them through an undefeated season and a Premiership win! In retrospect, perhaps the Club should have handed him the reins much earlier. Andy captained the team in his normal quiet, firm manner, making important contributions when necessary. Sadly, he retired at the end of that season, but what a captaincy record! Taking part in four Premiership wins for the Club is a wonderful effort achieved by very few.

He sits at Number 13 in the Gordon All Grades Bowling, having taken 453 wickets at the excellent average of only 16.65.

Andy was always interested in how the Club was progressing and invariably dropped in to Chatswood Oval for a look at 1st Grade. In fact, he was aiming at getting down to the final round this season against Sutherland (“Might even have a beer or 2”) but unfortunately, he was too ill to attend.

If you were looking for the best way to describe Andy’s role on the cricket field it would be “Team Player”. He was a quiet achiever. He was a completely unselfish player who made runs or took wickets when they were really needed. Several of his former team-mates have recently commented that he was good to have in the side because he could always be relied upon to make a positive contribution.

To his wife and family, the Club sends its most sincere condolences.

Following is an excerpt from an article by Dr Daniel Frogan, the legendary Australian sporting identity (coach and psychologist extraordinaire) and historian who has been researching the many and varied pathways taken by Test cricketers all around the world on their way to the highest levels of their sport. 

Sydney Grade/Premier cricket has been wonderfully strong for over a hundred years.  Goodness knows how many Australian players have, at some stage, played at Chatswood or Manly or Coogee or Pratten or Bankstown or Waitara (Mark Taylor) etc etc.

Mason Crane in action for Gordon

There has been a massive amount of publicity about how Steve Smith and David Warner are playing Premier Cricket this season which is fantastic.  A couple of years ago, the ABC Saturday sports program crossed to Chatswood Oval a number of times in the afternoon when Michael Clarke used a grade game between Gordon and Western Suburbs to prove his fitness for the 2015 World Cup.  It was the biggest crowd at Chatswood for a cricket match for many years.

But let's go back a few years to when there was no interstate limited overs competition and T20 was a brand of anti-pimple cream. One would oppose first class players frequently. If there wasn't a Shield game, THEY ALL PLAYED! Second XI or Colts games were played midweek and players were back for the next Saturday. 

Tony Greig, Mike Gatting and Geoff Boycott

Back when the Gordon side contained Phil Emery, Adam Gilchrist, Mark O'Neill, Richard Stobo, the Bankstown team had Steve and Mark Waugh, Steve Small and Wayne Holdsworth, One such game was played in 1991and there was a Shield game on the second weekend. After week one, Bankstown had dismissed Gordon and passed their total, with Steve Small having belted the Stags bowlers to all parts. However, come week two and the Bulldogs were a completely different side (Gordon also lost Emery and O’Neill).  Gordon scored an adequate number of runs in their second innings and then rolled Bankstown for a memorable outright victory. (It was in this innings that Richard Stobo uttered his immortal comment to Waugh III, as recalled by Steve Waugh in his autobiography, page 673).

Ten years before that era, when playing Northern District, one often played the NSW opening bowlers, Steve Bernard and Mark Clews.  Even before that, a St George lineup which included Warren Saunders, Brian Booth, John Rogers, Jack Wilson, Kerry O'Keefe (and others) was something to be feared but also presented a great opportunity to test oneself. 

Andrew Strauss, Nasser Hussain and Shoaib Akhtar

The only overseas Test players since the 60s to play for Gordon have been Scott Styris, Danny Flynn (both New Zealand) and Mason Crane (England).

In fact, since the 60s, over seventy Test players from other countries have graced the Sydney Grade scene.  Some of them were at the beginning of illustrious careers, some in the middle and some at the end.  Many of them have had a great effect on the competition.  Tony Greig and Mike Gatting, for example, had massive seasons and both won the Sydney Morning Herald Player of the Year Awards (in 1975-76 and 1979-80 respectively).  Geoff Boycott scored 1200 runs one season (remember, no Limited Over or T20 games back then!).  Some players used their experience here as an opportunity to broaden their cricketing horizons and went on to bigger and better things.

Mike Gatting even took 55 wickets.  And you didn’t even know he bowled!  Several others players who went on to become English captains, like Andrew Strauss and Nasser Hussain, continued to develop their skills in Sydney.

West Indian star, Alvin Kallicharran, in his only game against Gordon, on a wet Manly Oval wicket, was dismissed for a duck.  Gordon players were impressed by the manner in which he took the umpire’s somewhat dubious decision.  Apparently, once in the safety of the dressing room, his demeanour changed somewhat.

Alvin Kallicharran

In 2001, the “Rawalpindi Express”, Shoaib Akhtar, got off the plane and drove straight to Mosman Oval to confront the Gordon opening batsmen, Damon Livermore and Peter Crocker (who put on 88 for the first wicket).  I think they were very glad he was a bit weary after a long flight.

Following is a list of the overseas Test players who have played in the Sydney First Grade competition since 1960.  (No doubt there are more)

Overseas Test players in Sydney Grade/ NSW Premier Cricket (1960 to present) 

ENGLAND