 It’s great to be Gordon down old Chatswood way
Come along and watch Gordon first grade this weekend play a semi final against Randwick Petersham
(Matt Nicholson let's one go against Sydney Uni)
Players, supporters and sponsors,
For the first time in many years Gordon DCC 1st Grade team are playing a semi-final at Chatswood Oval this coming Sat & Sun 29 & 30 March. Play is from 10.30 am to 5.30 pm both days with a lunch break at 12.30 pm and tea at 3.10 pm.
This will be a keenly contested match with Matt Nicholson, Beau Casson, Craig Simmons and all the Gordon team up against Randwick-Petersham including Simon Katich, Nathan Hauritz, Burt Cockley, and Usman Khawaja, all current NSW contracted players.
 It is a great testament to Sydney grade cricket that we can have 8 players with first class experience and 3 with Test match experience playing in a grade semi final. This follows last week when Gordon defeated Sydney University who also contained 4 first class cricketers including one past and one present Test player.
(Nathan Hauritz and Simon Katich in action for NSW)
This weekend the Gordon team will have the task of matching skills against a player of Simon Katich’s experience and current form having just come off the highest scoring season in the history of Australian first class cricket with 1506 runs and a score of 149 not out in last weekend’s qualifying semi final.
The Randwick Petersham batting also includes Usman Kwawaja who scored 85 in his recent debut for NSW against Tasmania. Usman is the highest run scorer in Sydney grade cricket so far this season with 1132 runs at 62.89.
Randwick Petersham are well covered in their bowling with express fast bowler Burt Cockley who also debuted for NSW against Tasmania in late February and has 34 wickets in grade this season. They also have the very experienced Nathan Hauritz as their main spinner who has a Test match and 8 One day internationals against his name.
 Not to be outdone, Gordon also have four players with first class experience led by our skipper Matt Nicholson who has just retired from NSW representation that has been part of 115 first class matches and an imposing total of 395 wickets.
(Craig Simmons and Beau Casson in unison earlier this season)
Beau Casson, who has really made his mark with both the ball and bat toward the end of this season and finished the Pura Cup season with 29 wickets will be keen to get as many overs as he can. Beau is among a number of spinners who will be eagerly awaiting the announcement of the Australian touring team for the West Indies.
Our other current contracted player is none other than Craig Simmons who has scored 844 runs so far this season at an average of 42. Craig is only 20 runs from surpassing the GDCC club record of 864 runs that Craig himself set last season to go past the long standing previous record set by Charlie Macartney. Craig scored an excellent 113 against a Sydney Uni attack led by Stuart Clark and will be keen to get us off to a good start.
 Also showing great form for Gordon has been our leg spinner Brendan McDonald who is currently running 6th in the Sydney grade wicket takers list with a very impressive 41 wickets at 22.98. Brendan has shown how hard work can bring dividends and his performances must also be turning some heads within the NSW selector ranks. His line and length has been of a first class standard and he will test the Randwick Petersham batsman on the weekend. Brendan also attended a spinner’s session with Shane Warne two weeks ago as part of the Cricket Australia program of developing our spinners.
(Brendan McDonald)
So everyone is welcome to come down to Chatswood and either catch up with some old friends or make some new ones.
This is your chance to support your team in their quest to move on to the Final.
See you at Chatswood. Go the Stags!! | 
