 2nd grade report vs Parramatta
I came here for the sun!!
As the very ordinary weather continued many of the Gordon second team were dreading another washed out weekend to force yet another one day game. However day one, although partly washed out, was a slow but very successful day for the young stags team.
(Matt Jones shows his hooking style against Parramatta)
The toss was won by the home side, Parramatta, and on what looked like a good deck with perfect bowling conditions. I think it was a good toss to lose for the Stags and it proved to be the case.
Julian Stephenson and Gareth Wright did all the damage on the first day taking five and two wickets respectively. With Parramatta 3 down in the first hour with catches in the slips from Kieran Jones and Elliot Richtor, the scoring rate slowed to what would be the pace for the rest of the innings, about 2.5 runs an over. Unfortunately the rain came down and our momentum was broken with a couple of hours in the sheds.
 The clouds cleared and allowed the onslaught to continue in the afternoon one minute before tea. Another wicket fell soon after we re-started play which brought about the longest standing partnership of their innings. Fortunately the batsmen were not adding significantly to the total, and were content to pat the ball back to the bowler.
(Jules Stephenson during his spell against Parra)
The bowlers Nick Cheadle and Jim Gatting, a very useful spell from Nick Medcalf, good fielding and concentration prevented them from making the most of this middle period while the two quickies were having a blow.
The return of the fast bowlers brought about three wickets in quick succession and the end of day one saw the home side on 7 for 143 after 63 overs
After a week without training, the start of day two was a painful one of waiting till one thirty to begin a very interesting days cricket. The Parramatta innings was wrapped up in 8 overs with two caught & bowleds and a caught behind. Gareth Wright taking a low one which would probably be waist height to most of us and Jules putting out his right paw and catching an absolute flier to end the innings, leaving Jules with 6 and Gareth with 4.
 The start of the stags reply was dramatic with Gatting falling first for naught to what can only be called catching practice short mid-wicket and followed by Jack Ritchie lbw and Kieran Jones, caught behind. With the captain coming down with a bout of food poisoning, Eliot Richtor and Matt Jones were promoted up the order.
(A classic Elliot Richtor drive)
A solid start from both batsmen put the pressure on the Eels and with the odd mix up in the running between the wickets, a few lusty blows from Jonesy to some short bowling and stylish leg glances and cuts from Elliot, both reached their fifties in a timely fashion.
Unfortunately for Elliot he was the last wicket of the day to fall for 58, leaving 15 for Harry Evans and Matt Jones to finish off. Harry looked in good touch playing some nice cut shots to the boundary and Matt Jones fittingly placed the ball for a single leaving him on 68 not out.
The song was sung with great passion and pride for a job well done on a day when actions spoke louder than words!
Jim Gatting | 
