 3rd Grade Annual Report
After our 3rd Grade predecessors were unfortunately beaten in the grand final last season, it was always going to be quite an effort to emulate their success. However, we entered the season full of optimism and an initial team with a good balance of youth and experience.
Pic blasts one through point
The season commenced with an away trip to Penrith and we came away with a bonus point win against a side which would eventually make the semi finals. Kieran Jones (73) and new recruit Sam Pearce (51) batted superbly, each dispatching loose and good balls into and over the fence. A score of 238 was achieved, but all out with 3 overs to spare was our first lesson of the season. Penrith were cruising along at 2/108, until Dan Mahaffey (4/42) ripped through the top order and swung the game towards Gordon. Dan showed the importance of bowling straight and reaped the rewards. Leggie Nick Cheadle (2/46) and offie Ed Howitt (3/15) cleaned up the crumbs and victory was ours. A good start!!
Another away fixture against the Lions of Fairfield Liverpool saw Howitt win the toss and elect to bat in this Saturday/Sunday game. However at 4/76, the Stags were in a spot of bother and it took a superb innings from keeper Ian Higgins (116no) and a destructive display from our Pom, Jim Gatting (80), to move Gordon back in control. Higgins remained not out and a score of 308 was posted. We probably would have liked 30 more given the position the 110 run partnership had placed us in, but nonetheless a good score to have on the board. As in the first game, Gordon were under the pump and the hosts were 3/208 and scoring at a rate of knots. But, we were given a sniff with 2 quick wickets and then hung in when Fairfield snailed to 6/262. Gordon were the underdogs at this stage, but great outfield catching from Nick Cheadle, experienced bowling from Howitt (4/51) and superb ground fielding saw us win by 17 runs. A brilliant victory!! The first two rounds showed if you hang in a game and continue with the effort, the rewards will come. Undefeated after 2 rounds!!
We then came across a negative North Sydney, or maybe a negative leader. A team whose captain had seemingly decided he was going to try and draw the game by sending us in on a road at Chatswood Oval. We slaughtered the Bears attack, and declared after 73 overs at 7/360. Kieran Jones (100), Jim Gatting (47), Ian Higgins (49) and a brutal ‘86 ball’ 100 not out from Nick Cheadle reflected a dominant display. Unfortunately, even with Dylan Connell in our ranks, we were unable to bowl North Sydney out and they finished 7 down with no intent at all on chasing the target. A few crucial dropped catches hurt us and we were left to rue a game with a team against whom other teams were sure to get 6 points. Still undefeated though, but nil points for a draw as good as a loss.
A one-dayer followed against an impressive Northern Districts outfit. N.D’s batted first and amassed 238 at Killara. Pick of the bowlers was Matt Michael (3/30) in his first of 2 cameo appearances for 3rd grade. A scintillating start from Anthony Sherman (42) and Sam Pearce (35) saw Gordon reach 1/70 at a run a ball. But both soon fell and it was only a brilliant solo effort from Cameron Eccles (68) that ensured Gordon reached a tick over 200. Lessons learnt here were trying not to lose wickets in clusters and consolidate, especially when both set batsmen were dismissed. We were in control but panicked and the opposition took advantage and were victorious quite comfortably in the end.
The next game saw us meet the lowly UNSW and after amassing 7/332 and having the students 3/14 overnight, the start of our rainy summer prevented any play on the second day. A more than likely victory nipped in the bud by the weather. Matt Michael (100no), Steve Colley (65) and Cameron Eccles (72) were the main destroyers of an inexperienced attack.
The following game we were up against the eventual premiers Campbelltown at home. We won the toss and scrambled 9/218, with Jones (49) Cheadle (48) and Harry Turner (28) the main contributors. Score on the board and again we knew we would have to work hard to defend our total, given the small boundaries at Killara. The young Ghosts cruised to 2/117, but given their inexperience we knew a wicket or two would put them under pressure. Enter Anthony Sherman, who ran through their middle order and effectively won us the game taking 5/36. Pic bowled stump to stump, as he always does, and though two wickets were taken by ‘6 balls’, his experience shone through.
After round 7 was washed out, we played Parramatta on a dry wicket, but saturated outfield. We bowled and fielded well in difficult conditions and restricted Parramatta to 206 after 65 overs (agreed declaration was 60 overs, but opposition requested 5 extra overs. No wonder we won Spirit of Cricket!!). The captain took 5/75, including his 400th wicket, but was overshadowed by Nick Cheadle who managed a sneaky hat-trick toward the end of the Parramatta innings. Gordon’s chase never really got going, with any potential partnerships terminated at inopportune times. Higgins (42), Harry Turner (41) and Howitt (36) all got those starts which should be turned into 70’s/80’s. We fell 28 runs short, but should have really not played and full credit to both umpires who came to the game with an open mind.
The New Year brought a comprehensive victory over St George, with outright points nearly achieved. Having won the toss on a wicket which had a bit of grass on it and a slow outfield, we managed a very respectable 177(72overs). Sam Pearce (33) and Blair Lindsay (26) saw Gordon race to 62, but from the time they both fell the remainder of the innings was hard work. Steve Colley (47), batting down the list, batted superbly and was the prime reason we achieved a defendable total. At stumps, after 5 overs, we had Saints 3/7, with Dan Mahaffey (5/34) the destroyer taking all 3 wickets. The next Saturday we managed bowl the opposition out, if taking 55 overs, for a paltry and 77 and the follow on was enforced. We managed to have the opposition 7/64 in 2nd innings but time ran out. Turner and Campbell were not too happy about the late finish as they were meant to be at the ‘concert to end all concerts’ 3 hours earlier. They took 4 of the 7 wickets…I rest my case.
 The next two games against Wests (8/187) and Randwick Petersham (5/252) had the 2nd day washed out. In both, Gordon bowled and were unable to dismiss either team by stumps. Dropped catches against Wests proved costly and we were unlucky to come across an ex 1st grade player against Randy-Petes who churned out a big hundred.
James "JC" Campbell claimed a huge number of scalps this season
The final two games saw Gordon with an outside chance of making the semi finals. We would need an outright…but history was against us as Howitt had never won outright in his 17 seasons with the Stags. We had first innings points after day 1 against Blacktown, with Dan Mahaffey (5/34) and Nick Medcalf (3/52) doing the damage with the ball and Jack Hammond (51) and Steve Colley (46no) scoring the majority of runs in our small chase. Gordon declared overnight but the 2nd day did not produce the same demolition as the first and as such we could only walk away with first innings points. Mahaffey ended up with 9 wickets for the match in another superb from performance.
The last round against Manly saw a revamped 3rd grade side, taking into account 2nd and 4th grade were in the hunt for the semis. We were sent in on a strange wicket and lost 2 early wickets, before Jones (31) and Colley (28) steadied the ship. Another quick loss of 3 wickets saw us 5/66, but a superb partnership between Nick Medcalf (56) and Brett Marvell (31) ensured we reached a more than respectable 190 off our fifty overs. A great bowling performance from all our bowlers, especially those who stepped up from the lower grades (Dan Lake, Shenal Siriwardhane and Charlie Turner) enabled us to win by 29 runs. Special mention should be made of Matt Kelly (who also made 2 cameo appearances), who took 3 catches and a run out. A great victory to end the season!!
The season was an enjoyable and successful on many fronts. 3rd grade saw the emergence of some very good young cricketers and players who are capable of playing up a grade or two. Steve Colley will continue to improve and be an integral part of higher grades in the coming years. When he finds his niche in the batting order and continues to develop his offies, Gordon will be the beneficiary of his talent. Dan Mahaffey was undoubtedly our best bowler this season and his figures reflected this. He reaped the rewards of bowling straight, with the ability to move the ball in the air and off the seam on occasions. A guy who trains particularly hard and,with more improvement with fielding and batting , will contribute to Gordon’s success in whatever grade he plays. Harry Turner showed in his few games in 3’s he has the temperament and technique to play at the higher level. We will see much more of Harry in 3rd grade next season, hopefully as a genuine all rounder. Ian Higgins was a revelation with the bat this season and his keeping continues to improve. This was undoubtedly the reward of a great work ethic during the first 2/3 of the season. 3rd grade only had the pleasure of Kieran Jones for the start and end of the season, but in this time he played some superb innings. A brilliant team player, a great help to the captain with some much appreciated ideas and a person who also worked hard to achieve good results. Nick Cheadle came to us straight out of school and showed enormous potential as an allrounder. Needs to continue to work on and develop his leggies (practice, practice, practice!!) and his batting was a revelation this season. Sam Pearce, another WA recruit, is a talented top order batsman who looked the goods each time he ventured to the crease. A big score didn’t come Sam’s way last season but with just a little more training (work commitments unfortunately didn’t help last season) I am sure we will witness some big innings from Sam next season. Cameron Eccles joined us from Scone and showed himself to be a class player. Cam has a wonderful array of shots and with some fine tuning will be an excellent player. Another who needs to continue to work on his fielding. The veteran Anthony Sherman showed his class on a few, maybe not enough, occasions last season. He is a very good player when he gets going and another who bowled straight and was rewarded. More time at the crease will see Gordon in very strong positions after a very short time!! The players above represented the core of 3rd grade throughout the season and there were quite few other players who put their hand up at various times during the season as players of the future.
There are many people to thank for helping make a cricket season both enjoyable and ensuring games are actually played. To the many persons who helped put down and take off covers during the week, at night and early in mornings. Many of your efforts made sure we played cricket and for that I, and the boys, are very grateful. Thank you to Ed Howitt Senior, who acted as scorer and manager and performed both with his usual humour, skill and encouragement. Special thanks to Mick Falk, whose coaching and assistance at training is always most valued. Thank you to our general and cricket committee for your tireless efforts both during pre season and actual season.
Congratulations and well done also to 4th grade who made the semis only to fall at the first hurdle to the eventual premiers. I am sure we will see many of these players grace the higher grades in years to come
Finally, congratulations to 1st grade on making the grand final. Nicho, Zeddy and the boys…you took the club on a great ride and played an incredibly high quality of cricket throughout the whole series. It was a joy to watch you guys play and witness the spirit of the team.
Ed Howitt | 
