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2004/2005 Report - B8 Grade
I was lucky enough to be handed a team of talented young cricketers, a bunch of lads who tasted premiership success, a couple of grades lower, the season before. I can still remember the time when I was the youngest player in senior or "men's cricket" as it was known then. Now here I was with a team whose average age was half that of mine!
The season was a bit disjointed (interrupted by different team members for important exams, camps and overseas trips) and this resulted in a roller-coaster of form, for both the team and individuals. When we played well, we were excellent. When we played poorly, we looked very ordinary. It's important, that as a team and from a personal viewpoint, that we learn from these events, and remember how great it feels when we win by playing hard but fair, and on the other side of the coin, how empty the emotion is when we lose.
There were certainly more high points than low ones throughout the season, yet we really did underachieve. We should have won the competition, and perhaps we were a bit too relaxed, or tended to rely too much on others, without taking the initiative and belief in ones ability to turn things around. Our semi final loss to Parra Golf was only by four runs, but it may as well have been two hundred and four. Thankfully Bar Bars murdered them in the Grand Final and deep down they did deserve the title.
We won more games than we lost, and for half the season we were on top of the table. We also had our share of close games; thankfully most of the ones that went down to the wire fell in our favour. Two of the most memorable ones included our first round win on 1st innings to Hills Barbarians (by 3 runs), even though we eventually lost outright it was a great game of cricket. It was also the infamous day that I called back one of their batsmen (who had been given out caught behind, but missed the ball my miles). I must admit, I've never done that before, and it was a spur of the moment decision I took after quickly talking to some of the guys. Yes, that decision could have cost us the points, but I have always placed a lot of weight on sportsmanship, and felt I had to lead by example. The other tight game was against Wenty Leagues. We were dismissed for only 56, yet our attitude in the field was first class, and we subsequently rolled them for 50, in the 39th over! We walked the walk and talked the talk that day, and Wenty got it into their heads that they might lose. Will bowled superbly, taking 6/6 off 10.4 overs, with the veteran taking 3/3 off eight overs. Their negativity cost them the game. The infamous 19th February thunderstorms cost us an outright, with the opposition left to lick ice-creams instead of their wounds!
There were some outstanding individual performances throughout the year, and I will mention these under the team player entries. Some of the fine batting partnerships included the following:
1st wicket - McLoughlin/Jerome 81 v Parra Golf
2nd wicket - Wilkins/Freeman - 71 v Kellyville
4th wicket - Dooley/Bridgwood - 97 v Kellyville
4th wicket - Dooley/Freeman - 83 v Pendle Hill
4th wicket - Dooley/Freeman - 57 v Kellyville
4th wicket - Dooley/Freeman - 52 v Greystanes
5th wicket - Meakins/Gardiner - 64 v Parra Golf
7th wicket - Cartwright/Dooley - 81 v Greystanes
David Banks - It was a season of mixed fortunes for the Captain. He didn't bowl for the first half of the season, and was then drafted into the mix against Kellyville (we were very short in the bowling stocks) and ended up taking 7/35 off a marathon 18 overs. Ended up with 14 wickets @ 11.07 to again beat Adam! Did not take a catch all season, but Greg is quick to remind me that I dropped a few. Hit a few sixes, and had a top score of 23. So upset after the semi final loss (not to mention his 40th the following week) that the mullet got the chop!
Sam Freeman - Sam did a great job as Vice Captain and took the reins when the skipper was out of town (or overseas) and performed with distinction. Scored 302 runs @ 21.57 with a top score of 44, but by Sam's standards it was an average year. He always looks great as a batsman, until he gets out! Sam also took 2/73 bowling his leggies against Kellyville, and was always in the game with his fielding. Thanks for your support Sam.
Patrick Barclay - Pat ended up playing about half the season, and always brought with him a great attitude and heaps of enthusiasm. He is a fine fieldsman, who always backs up his team-mates. Should never field near Greg, as their attention sometimes wonders. Highlights for the year for Pat included his 4/23 v Greystanes and his top score of 20.
Joel Bridgwood - Joel was our #1 wicket-keeper, and one of the best I've been next to in the slips. He took some unbelievable snares throughout the season (8 in total), including a couple of screamers that would have been comfortable catches for me at first slip. What a shark! Joel made a number of positive suggestions to me throughout the season, and it is obvious he has a fine cricket brain, and will make a fine captain in the years ahead. Scored 108 runs @ 13.50 with a top score of 33.
Will Cartwright - I was told at the beginning of the season that this tall, lanky lad wasn't much of a bowler. He was the standout improver of the summer, as Will developed into a focused strike bowler, who put the ball on the spot, and in a hurry. Sadly, he also throws the ball very hard! Will took 17 wickets @ 7.65 and an economy rate of under two runs per over. His spell of 6/6 v Wenty Leagues was top shelf stuff, off 10.4 overs. I also remember will hitting a massive six against the team that ultimately won the comp.
Ben Dooley - Ben is one of the finest and most naturally gifted young cricketers I have had the pleasure of playing with or against. When he was on song bowling I feared for my life at slip, and I really enjoyed the sole time I spent batting with Ben, going blow for blow hitting sixes! He makes it all look so easy, and is the true cricketing all rounder. In the first game, against Pendle Hill, Ben took the unbelievable figures of 5/0 off six overs, mostly bowled He also later took 5/13 v Greystanes & 5/24 v Parra Golf. He took some amazing catches (yet never off the skipper's bowling!) and one particular caught and bowled was miraculous, as Ben took the ball centimetres off the ground, one handed, with his fingers pointing down. His batting reminded me of Greg Chappell, and be backed this with over fifty scores of 145, 103 not out, 65 and 64 not out, to finish with 511 runs @ 73.00. Sadly the truth is, when Ben fired, the team fired, and when he as away or made a rare failure, the team struggled.
Matthew Hardy - Matt is another up and coming all rounder. Everything he does on the cricket pitch is done with a lot of heart and soul, and he is outstanding in the field. I see lots of runs and wickets for Matt next season. Matt's best bowling figures were 5/12 v Greystanes and also later top scored with 39. He really batted well in the semi final, and really took it upon himself to see us home. Sadly that didn't happen, but without his innings we would have lost by a really wide margin. Matt somehow also was one of the winners of the Senior Double Wicket Comp held at Charles McLaughlin (despite him not being there for the final, work that out!) It was great having you as part of the team Matt.
Tim Gardiner - Tim is a classy, focussed cricketer who I wished played more games with us. He is very team oriented with a tremendous attitude that will see him succeed in life, both on and off the cricket field. A superb fieldsman and all-rounder, Tim's highlights saw him take 6/13 v Pendle Hill (and overall 12 wickets at the misally average of 4.83) and a match-winning and mature 54 not out with the bat against Parra Golf.
Greg McLoughlin - Most catches for the season (13) plus most catches in an innings (and not as a 'keeper) - he took 4 v Wenty Leagues as a boundary rider, taking three off the skipper's bowling and one other. With one of the harder chances, Greg was a picture of concentration (we didn't think he would catch it) and whilst the ball was in the air, Sam screams out "if you drop this Greg I'll kill you". Such was the motivation and incentive with the team. Greg invented ways of getting out this season, yet looks really solid as an opener. Pure concentration and self-belief is the only thing stopping Greg from achieving higher scores. Greg finished with 155 runs @ 11.92, top scoring with 55. He enjoys being reminded that his skipper had a better batting average! As a bowler, Greg is a good soccer player.
Adam Meakins - Adam had a fairly quite year and often didn't get to the bowling crease often enough because the openers had generally cleaned up the opposition. Adam came into his own in overcast conditions, where he could really swing the ball. In the first round again Hills Babas, Adam took 5/35 in the first innings and 4/31 in the second. His 26 against Parra Golf (and subsequent 64 run partnership with Tim Gardiner) helped us win that game.
Jared Mohr - Jared always seemed to contribute something every game, a partnership-breaking wicket, some extra runs, a great catch or just saving runs in the field. His best bowling was 3/19 v Greystanes and he batted superbly against Wenty Leagues to compile a mature 26. He is another great team player, who doesn't mind a chat (or a bit of a sledge) on the field, and is always there to chat to (and/or assist) the incoming batsmen…even offering to take guard for them!
Keith Morrison - Keith was a great team-man, and I've never seen a guy cover so much ground in the field! An enthusiastic bowler, who has that killer instinct, Keith does have to learn to build up pressure, without trying to take a wicket every ball. He played all the games and I was happy to have Keith as part of the team. His bowling highlight was taking 3/15 v Wenty Leagues, yet he was very unlucky not to pick up a bag of wickets in other games. He looked the part as a batsman (i.e. he had some good gear!) and I well remember has storm trooping 11 against Kellyville.
Andrew Wilkins - Sadly Wilko's season-ending knee injury had implications with our batting strength and stability at the top of the order. Andrew is a fine, determined batsman with immense concentration. He carried his bat against Hills Babas (40 n.o.) and also scored another 40 in the same match. We was also a great supporter of the team, turning up to games to see how we were faring. Get the leg ready for next season Wilko.
Thanks also to the following guys who helped us out during the season, often at short notice, when we were a player or two down. Charuka Abheywickrama, Hilton Byrne, Jared "The Phantom" Coulbourne, Troy "Troy Boy??" Higginbotham, John "Is that my phone ringing" Jerome, Peter "I'm not bowling again" McLoughlin, Keith "I'm a better cricketer than my brother Adam" Meakins, Matthew Murphy, Simon Smith, James Thomson, Peter "The Rock" Touzel and Matthew Wooding.
I wish to finish off by thanking Peter McLoughlin, who was of enormous support and assistance to me throughout the season. Basically, behind the scenes, he ran the administrative side of the team, due to my work commitments at home and speaking engagements in the USA. Peter is a great clubman and is always willing to assist, despite his overloaded work schedule. I have enormous respect for Peter and value our friendship.
I also wish to also thank Jason Currey, Bob Dokter and Malcolm Currey for the support and friendship they have shown me, and to Michael Homsy, who wished to be named in this report, who didn't even play in our team, but planted himself on our table for the Trivia Night where he provided great entertainment for my parents!
Best wishes for next season, bring it on!
Individual Awards
Ben Dooley - 145 vs Greystanes - 29/1/05
Ben Dooley - 103 no vs Pendle Hill Colts - 18/9/04
David Banks - 7/35 vs Kellyville - 22/1/05
Batting Award - Ben Dooley
Bowling Award - Ben Dooley
Fielding Award - Matthew Hardy
| B8 GRADE - STATISTICS 2004/2005 | ||||||
| BATTING | ||||||
| Player | Innings | N.O. | H.S. | Runs | Average | Catches |
| Ben Dooley | 10 | 3 | 145 | 511 | 73.00 | 4 |
| Sam Freeman | 14 | 0 | 44 | 302 | 21.57 | 9 |
| Andrew Wilkins | 5 | 1 | 44 | 162 | 40.50 | 3 |
| Greg Mcloughlin | 13 | 0 | 55 | 155 | 11.92 | 13 |
| Matthew Hardy | 8 | 1 | 39 | 121 | 17.29 | 8 |
| David Banks | 10 | 1 | 23 | 11 | 1.22 | 0 |
| Joel Bridgewood | 10 | 2 | 33 | 108 | 13.50 | 8 |
| John Jerome | 4 | 0 | 34 | 81 | 20.25 | 2 |
| Jared Mohr | 10 | 2 | 26 | 72 | 9.00 | 4 |
| Tim Gardner | 2 | 1 | 54* | 71 | 71.00 | 2 |
| Adam Meakins | 10 | 0 | 26 | 68 | 6.80 | 1 |
| Will Cartwright | 10 | 1 | 13 | 45 | 5.00 | 0 |
| Matthew Wooding | 6 | 1 | 10 | 39 | 7.80 | 1 |
| Troy Higginbotham | 2 | 0 | 30 | 37 | 18.50 | 0 |
| Patrick Barclay | 5 | 0 | 20 | 30 | 6.00 | 2 |
| Keith Morrison | 11 | 4 | 11 | 23 | 3.29 | 4 |
| James Thomson | 1 | 1 | 14* | 14 | 14.00 | 0 |
| Simon Smith | 1 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 11.00 | 0 |
| Charuka Abheywickrama | 1 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 11.00 | 0 |
| Peter Touzel | 1 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 6.00 | 0 |
| Hilton Byrne | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1.67 | 1 |
| Keith Meakins | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2.50 | 0 |
| Jared Coulbourne | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3.00 | 0 |
| Matthew Murphy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 |
| BOWLING | |||||
| Player | Overs | Maidens | Wickets | Runs | Average |
| Ben Dooley | 107 | 31 | 31 | 243 | 7.84 |
| Will Cartwright | 75 | 30 | 17 | 130 | 7.65 |
| Matthew Hardy | 76 | 18 | 16 | 210 | 13.13 |
| David Banks | 51 | 12 | 14 | 155 | 11.07 |
| Adam Meakins | 52.2 | 6 | 13 | 229 | 17.62 |
| Keith Morrison | 67 | 4 | 13 | 282 | 21.69 |
| Tim Gardner | 19.4 | 1 | 12 | 58 | 4.83 |
| Jared Mohr | 49 | 8 | 11 | 194 | 17.64 |
| Patrick Barclay | 9 | 1 | 4 | 25 | 6.25 |
| Sam Freeman | 13.1 | 2 | 3 | 84 | 28.00 |
| Jared Coulbourne | 6 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 22.00 |
| Simon Smith | 3 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 23.00 |
| Andrew Wilkins | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - |
| John Jerome | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - |
| Troy Higginbotham | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | - |
| Greg McLoughlin | 3 | 1 | 0 | 26 | - |