This week, we saw the First XI and Second XI in action, with the other teams having a week off due to the spring break. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get their first wins of the season this week after a good fight from both teams. The bowling and fielding were really positive, however a cluster of wickets lost at the wrong time from our batting innings' made it hard to score the runs needed. Both sides are very young, full of great talent and we will only get better every week as the season goes on.
First XI
Winning the toss, First XI captain Serge Moussi elected to bat on what was a magnificent batting pitch at Myrtle Park. Will Spratt was back into the side this week with
no school cricket and opened the batting with new recruit Madhur Ghai. Both were looking very solid at the crease building a nice partnership before both edging to the wicketkeeper in the space of a few balls. David Howsam went departing soon after, before the middle order of the batting innings helped stabilise the team to a final total of 143 off 40 overs. An impressive knock from Aaron Ivak hitting 25 runs-not-out from just 26 balls helped the Saints in the last few overs of the innings. Going into the innings break, the team had the gut feeling that they were 10-20 runs short from a very defendable score but had plenty of faith in their bowling attack to get the job done and defend the target.
The Saints started their bowling innings on a positive note, with tight lines and quick pace from the opening bowlers Jonah Dillon and Max Murphy. Murphy finished the innings as the leading wicket taker, taking 2/33 off eight overs. On what was a tough deck for bowlers, Joel Watts managed to make it look hard for the top order batters taking 1/13 off six overs and was the most economical bowler of the innings. A run out and stumping helped the Saints gain momentum and get back into the game, but with wickets in hand, Ashwood were able to chase down the 143 target with just two overs remaining.
Second XI
Winning the toss, Second XI replacement captain John Auchterlonie who is covering injured captain Glenn Sanguinetti, won the toss and elected to field. John Collopy was at his best once again opening the bowling and taking 2/15 off eight overs. Liam Walsh, Trent Sanguinetti, Thomas Torresi, Christian Zini and new recruit Claude Bisinella all contributed with the ball taking a wicket each. Despite no wickets in his bowling spell, Connor Burns took four catches in the field with his reliable safe hands.
After a strong bowling innings, the Second XI had a target of 141 to chase. Edinburgh came out firing taking early wickets and dismissing the top four batters for a combined score of 18 runs. Thomas Torresi, after a tough week with the bat last week, was sent in when the score was 3/15. He was the standout player for the Saints ending up undefeated on 33 runs-not-out. Captain John Auchterlonie came in to bat at number seven and also made a handy 29 runs before getting run out. With others making single digit scores, the team total was a disappointing 95 runs, as they lost by 45 runs.
MATCH RESULTS
1XI vs Ashwood
LOST BY 5 WICKETS
· O. Watts (58 runs, 1 ST, RO & C)
· A. Ivak (25* runs, 1 RO & C)
2XI vs Edinburgh
LOST BY 45 runs
· J. Collopy (2/15)
· T. Torresi (33* runs)
Other News
On Sunday morning, the club was shattered to hear that clubman Mick Barclay passed away overnight. It was made even starker by the fact he was at the First XI game watching over Myrtle from the bar. His favourite position not because of the view but because it meant he got to see everyone, speak with everyone, engage with everyone. No one gave more to cricket, to the Barnies and the Saints, than Mick. The club wouldn’t exist without him. The Best Clubman Award was renamed The Mick Barclay last year and he got to present it to the first winner. Next week players, supporters, parents and juniors will all be celebrating the life of Mick Barclay. Black arm bands will be worn across all games in honour of Mick’s life and his legacy at this great club.
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