2nd Grade vs Sutherland - Round 5 - 2011/12

Clichés abound as the reserve graders assembled at Glenn McGrath Oval to get their season back on track

Sent in on a hard, green track the Stags top order kept substitute scorer Jamie ‘best calves in Sydney Grade Scoring’ Soper busy with nary a delivery resulting in an effortless dot. Rather, a swift mix of 4s, 6s and Ws had both Captains searching their pockets for the remnants of their pre-match plans. For the Stags, ‘Mirrors’ Liddle (19 off 15; 3x 4s) and ‘Who is Tuccia?’ Avendano (26 off 16; 3x 4s, 2x 6s) looked very much the part before each succumbing to one indulgent stroke too many, falling just as swiftly as they’d risen.

Jesse Alderson publically declares her support for Blair in a way only Gen Y can - on Facebook!

At 3/72 off ten overs spectators could be forgiven for thinking that participants were double booked for the first-grade T20 that afternoon, however sanity (of sorts) began to prevail with ‘senior vice-captain’ Garratt (20 off 32; 3x 4s) combining with ‘Jesse’ Lindsay (66 off 82; 9x 4s) for the most profitable partnership of the innings. Lindsay was also central to the most profitable off-field partnership of the innings (and the interval) … I’m not sure what Jesse’s adding to Blair’s weet-bix, but it’s paying dividends on-field, and backed up with her feverish online support it’s plain to see that this is a pair to be reckoned with.

Just as normality neared restoration, the Stags lost four wickets in the space of 19 runs, and with 20 overs remaining, batting out the overs became priority number one.

The other half (Blair Lindsay) continues to impress with the willow

‘Gus Logie’ Weston (21 off 32; 2x 4s) again played some capable strokes before falling, leaving the determined pair of ‘Junior’ Thornborough (21 off 47; 3x 4s) and ‘Don’t bowl on my pads’ Campbell (12* off 39) to demonstrate to the top order what it means to put a high price on your wicket. This partnership was crucial in keeping the Sharks frustrated in the field, all the while creeping the score higher, until the innings closed at 205 in the 48th over. While consensus had par in the 230- 240 range, the belief in the Gordon shed was that our’s could be stretched to make do, with each and every run to prove vital.

With a disciplined ‘wolf pack’ mentality the key with the ball, the return leg started to plan for the Stags, stifling the aggressive Sharks top order and claiming two early wickets. Continuing on from his leadership with the blade, ‘Igor’ Campbell (10-1-3-18) set the standard early with the ball, rarely bowling a bad ball and baffling many a willow wielder with his subtly crafted variations. While several partnerships developed slowly for the home side, the Stags scrapped desperately for every run and the consistent build-up of pressure ensured wickets were never far off the horizon. This excellent period was rudely interrupted by three dropped catches, but when the Stags finally decided to hold onto the Sharks major scorer the scales tipped slightly in Gordon’s favour with 52 runs required in eight overs with four wickets in hand.

Continued tight bowling from ‘Benji’ Soper (10-1-2-36), ‘Richtoresque’ Garratt (9-0-2-42) and ‘Rapid’ Avendano (10-0-1-48) saw three wickets fall quickly before a stubborn last wicket stand kept the Sharks in the hunt still needing a run a ball to get across the line.

Ben Garratt cuts during his 20

With pressure peaking, the fielding benchmark was raised by the ever-youthful Thornborough – to go with his two very tidy catches behind the sticks – and after a Captain killing no-ball wicket to ‘Sweeney’ Soper, the relief at ‘Angry Kong’ Durie (8.5-1-2-42) hitting the base of the stumps to end the match was super sweet.

To be back in the winner’s circle so soon against a strong opponent is particularly pleasing, as was the eagerness exhibited to stand up and fight for the points regardless of the circumstance. Cricket is a funny (and cruel) game… just ask anyone playing in that 4th-grade game! You never, never know.

That said, room for improvement certainly remains for the second-graders, with five bats dismissed between 19 and 26, making it hard to build the required match-winning partnerships of 80+ … two run outs certainly doesn’t help this cause.

Justin Avendano goes aerial

While the fielding was at times outstanding, dropped catches and no-balls left us needing to create 15 chances in order to take 10 wickets. Improvement in these areas will ensure we enjoy the song more often than not – though perhaps not always in as superb acoustic surrounds – and perhaps then George and Manly will learn the words. And Happy Birthday Chad.