CACC home > Previous > Winter 2001 > Match Reports 3th grade

Round 1 vs Troopers Allstars
It was a somewhat familiar story this Saturday against the Troopers Allstars, as the ECC again managed to turn very promising starts with the ball and the bat into disappointing finishes. Losing the toss (twice now - Mike is not calling well), ECC was asked to field first. After a slow and steady opening partnership against tight bowling from Dave and Simon, Simon make the opening breakthrough - sending a middle stump flying backwards. This turned into a double breakthrough for the Flying Frog as Tim B held a fine catch at slip. Troopers then knuckled down but their run rate was kept under four per over through a typically hostile spell from Tim B and some accurate bowling from Phil. Mike then tried rotating the bowlers at one end while Phil tied down the other. James Hislop bowled a couple of overs' worth of fizzing spin, then Mike shamlessly reversed the 'tragically underbowled' tag by having a bowl himself. The value of keeping the run rate down was quickly shown, as batsmen frustrated by the pervious overs began to take risks to get the score moving. First Mike, then Phil got thorugh, and off stumps at each end were levelled. This resulted in a short flurry of wickets, with Mike winning a couple of LBW decisions to lead the bowling figures with 3-12 from 4 overs. Tim Wallace then came on, and had the misfortune of seeing a catch go down of only his second ball - not the first time the 'roo had been enriched that innings. After that, the Troopers dug in, and runs began to flow. The Troopers' skipper compiled an excellent 53, and was largely responsible for lifting the Troopers from 6-76 to a final total of 8-152. This score could have been even higher had Tim B and Dave not chipped in with some late wickets. We felt this was a gettable total, but probably about 20 or 30 more than we really should have been chasing.

When we batted, the difference between 3rd and 4th grade became clearer. The bowling was tight, and Tim S and Mike were both prevented making from the quick start of the previous week. Both wound up departing cheaply, Tim caught behind for 3 and Mike playing a lame drive to be caught at cover for 4. Coming together at 2/19, Tim Bondin and Dave King steadied the ship, and then Tim began to get the score really moving along - greeting the first change bowler by taking 14 off the one over (including a big six onto Robertson Rd). Tim retired at 40, bringing Phil in to join Dave. Unfortunately, on 4 he became another LBW victim and James Hislop strode out to impose himself on the game. This he did, majestically striking a six which had Paul Kelly's windows in some danger. At 3-88 after 22 overs, and with an in-form Tim Bondin in the closet, ECC were looking very good indeed, but it turned out to be the beginning of the end. After a very patient and responsible 22 Dave was bowled by a deceptive in-swinger, and ECC began to collapse in spectacular fashion. In the final wash-up, we went from 3-88 to all out for 96, with the one bowler taking 4-3 (ouch!). Tim B top scored for ECC with a belligerent 42, while Dave (22) and James (10) also contributed. Tim Wallace was the last man standing, and had the honour of taking the bowling all to himself for a couple of overs of 'last man carries'.

All in all, a sad result, but one from which we demonstrated that we can compete at the 3rd division level. Now we need to turn the good starts into equally strong finishes. Our time is definitely coming....
Mike Harvey

Round 2 vs Manly Breakers
Saturday's match was quite a struggle, but in the end ECC went down by two wickets to the Manly Breakers. We won the toss (first time Mike has called it right this winter) and batted on a fine day. Greg and Mike put on a solid opening stand, and we had the satisfaction of seeing Greg retire on 40 before a wicket had fallen. Dave joined Mike, and the two of them kept the new scoreboard ticking over at just on five per over. With the total on 90, Mike departed (courtesy of an over-ambitious call for a second run) for 25. Tim Bondin came in and he and Dave patiently worked the ball around and added 39 more to the score before Tim fell trying to lift the scoring rate. He had just hammered a majestic six, and was stumped going down the track to try it again. Tim Simons looked right at home in the number 5 spot - his rapid-fire 20 included two fours and an overthrown five (showing the value of pressuring the fielders). With ECC really trying to push the rate up, wickets began to fall more regularly. Dave was bowled for 31, then Tim S and Phil both fell to run-outs in the search for quick singles. With only a couple of overs to go, and Greg padded-up and ready to come back, the tail did the right thing and threw the bat around. John hit a four and a couple of twos before being bowled, and Natan took a single off the first ball he had faced in coimpetitive cricket, before skying an attempted pull shot and being caught behind. Greg only had time to add one to his 40, and Meng added to his collection of 'not out noughts'. 7 for 177 off our 35 overs was a good all-round effort, and had a few more things run our way in the last ten overs, we could perhaps have been closer to 200. However it was a score we all felt we could defend.

Manly's innings began in a very similar pattern to the ECC - with the openers playing contrasting roles. J.Monin dug in and worked the singles, and J.Barbaroux scored freely. They kept ahead of the asking rate until Dave picked up Monin LBW for 7. Barbaroux had given the ECC a couple of chances - a very close shout for LBW from Greg, and a great diving attempt at a gully catch by Dave. Neither paid off, and he safely retired on 40. Phil struck next, picking up W.Flew caught behind by John for 19. He also pulled off an unusual run-out - dropping a caught and bowled chance on to the bowlers' end stumps with the runner well out of his ground. At the other end, C.Sweet was really punishing the bowling, hitting two big sixes and racing quickly to his 40. P.Sweet also got in on the action, driving well down the ground and effectively holding the second half of the innings together. Greg and Phil took wickets late in the innings, to give ECC a chance, but Manly had kept well ahead of the run rate. We got them down to their last two batsmen, but they had plenty of balls to spare and took the winning runs with two wickets and eighteen balls in hand. For ECC, Phil (2-28) and Greg (2-31) shared the bowling honours. Dave (1-37) was the other wicket taker. In the final analysis, our bowling and fielding did let us down a bit (the 'roo was enriched a few times today), but Manly did bat very well and really controlled the second half of the game. We had a bit of bad luck, too, with a couple of catches not quite going to hand (one just over Tim Simons' head and another bouncing just in front of Greg at slip) and a couple of close appeals turned down. If these had run our way, it might have been a different story. Cricket - the ultimate game of 'what if....'.
Mike Harvey

Round 3 vs Randwick Blues
On a crisp June morning, ECC lined up against the Randwick Blues in what was to become one of the most exciting and closely fought games of the season so far. Predicted to finish the comp dead last, and after failing to notch up point in their first two outings, the ECC boys were under pressure to record a win. In a move variously described as "inspired", "courageous" and "stupid", Dave King, skippering the ECC for the first time, sent the opposition in, confident his bowlers could rise to the occasion. When the Randwick opener B. Gasper (1) was back in the pavilion in only the second over, it looked like he might be right. But, thanks to an initially circumspect yet increasingly confident innings from M. Johar (51), which included some sparkling cover drives, and some big hitting by E. Beydon (36), the Randwick Blues crept up toward the 150 mark. There was some excellent support from S. Pack (10), T. Hunt (12) and M. Turner (11), but thanks to some inspired fielding (3 run outs) and a good line and length from the part time bowlers, ECC dismissed Randwick for a total of 143. Jeremy Holland (3-19, 6.4 overs), Tim Bondin (0-16, 6 overs) and Tim Simons (2-16, 4 overs) repaying their captain's faith in spades.

Chasing what appeared to be a reasonable total in the conditions, ECC quickly seemed poised to romp home. After a brisk and entertaining start from openers Greg Duffy (18) and Mike Harvey (24), the Randwick boys were wayward and looked to have no answers. But, like all good sides, they fought back strongly, dismissing the #3 Tim Bondin for 11 and the ECC captain for 4. At 4-95, the game was evenly poised. If not for the solid return to form of middle order batsman Phil Harvey (24), the collapse may have continued. Instead, he and Tim Simons (18) steadied the ship, until still needing 20 runs for victory, once again the wickets started tumbling. When calamity, in the form of a one-handed screamer from E. Beydoun at mid-on, had Phil on his way back, we needed 11 with 2 wickets in hand. With the side still needing 7, John Harvey found himself the last man in. If he felt the pressure, he didn't show it. 60 years of experience has produced a patient man, and, with overs to spare, "the rock" touched the ball around for singles before passing the Randwick score with a fine late cut for 4 through a vacant slip. Some challenging pace from M. Turner (2-40, 7 overs) and excellent tight bowling from T. Hunt (1-10, 7 overs) and E. Beydoun (2-18, 6 overs) pushed ECC all the way, but in the end, a team effort got the Enigma over the line and off the bottom of the table.
Dave King

Round 4 vs Waverley Wombats

Round 5 vs Marrickville RSL B

Round 6 vs Kurrajong Hotel A

Round 7 vs Drumoyne RSL
Mike lost the toss (again) and ECC took the field for the last time this winter. The Drummoyne openers looked aggressive eraly, and scored freely in the first eight overs. A double bowling change did the trick. In Phil's first over, Hehin (15) slashed a catch to Tim Simons at point. Then Dave was brought on, to bowl legspin. In his first over, the aggressive Cottingham (35) smashed a brutal drive straight to Greg, who managed to cling on to the catch. After these two quick wickets, Billings (39) and Cameron (40) settled in and built the foundations of a very big score indeed. The bowlers were switched around to no avail, until a limping Cameron had retired and Dave came back on with his spinners. He quickly had Stapleton stumped, then bowled Morales. At the other end, Jacob was bowling tightly, and was rewarded with the very timely wicket of Billings for 39. Gradually Drummoyne were reeled back, with Tim Simons chipping in with the wicket of Marr for 18, before Dave's last over brought two wickets in two balls. First Hudecek (12) was another stumping victim, then the retired Cameron came back with a runner but skied a catch to Tim S first ball to leave for an excellent 40. Dave's figures after seven overs of challenging legspin were 5 for 31 - the best ECC bowling figures of the season. Mike decided to take the last over himself, with one wicket left to fall. He finished with the slightly frenetic figures of one for six - off just two balls. Drummoyne had been bowled out for 192, a gettable score, and less than it looked like they might make at the halfway point.

ECC started it's innings very shakily indeed. First Simon Mac, in the unusual position of opener (due to the need for an early departure) latched on to a pull shot, but hit it straight to square leg. 1 for 2. Then in real setback, we lost one of our trump batsmen when Greg Duffy (4) edged a catch to first slip. 2 for 12. Mike and Phil came together, and thanks to some wayward bowling (including a couple of wides that went for 4), took the score up to 50 after 9 overs. When Mike (7) fell LBW, trying to clip pace bowler Livas off his pads, it was up to Phil and Dave - so often the 'engine room' of the ECC batting line-up - to set up the chase with a 50 partnership. First Phil, then Dave, made the magic 40, and retired, while the rest of the batting line-up chipped away at the total. But wickets were beginning to fall with worrying regularity. Tim Simons realised his ambition of making it to double figures, but got no further - skying a catch off the spin of Billings. Jeremy never really got going, and was quickly out caught behind off Livas. John came in and looked very solid early, playing the spinner with more assurance than any of the other ECC bats. When Dave retired, John took over the role of agressor, while Jacob lent solid support for a few overs. When Jacob was bowled by Stapleton, the score was 6 for 135. ECC needed 58 runs from just under 10 overs, with the wickets of John, Phil and Dave still intact. A very even macth indeed!

With the fall of Jacob's wicket, Phil came back and looked to play himself back in before really lifting the tempo. But when only 1 run was scored from each of the 25th and 26th overs, the asking rate jumped well above 6 and the skipper was starting to get nervous. Then Phil and John decided it was time to go for it. Overs 27 and 28 went for 10 and 12, as both batsmen started to find the boundary. Phil was driving beautifully down the ground, and John's pull shot was reaping rewards. But Drummoyne rallied again, and kept the bowling tight. With 4 overs to go, 30 were needed. Phil and John took 6 from each of the next two overs and the equation was 18 off 12 balls. The second last over began with a dot ball, then a single, then a dot ball. 17 off 9, and it was looking harder and harder. Phil, however, had other ideas, and the next ball went sailing over the mid-wicket boundary. Kieth signals four, but then realises it's gone for six. 11 needed off 8. Dot ball. 11 off 7, and Phil and John look to scramble a quick single off the last ball of the over, so Phil can keep the strike. John is run out at the bowler's end for a brilliant 36, but the strike is turned over, with Dave coming to the crease.

11 needed off 6 balls. First ball - Phil swings, but misses. No run. 11 off 5. The Phil connects, and Dave scampers madly to complete two. 9 off 4. Phil drives again down the ground, but high in the air. Mid on runs around, but can't hold the catch. Two taken again, and it's 7 off 3 needed. The next one is pitched up, and Phil launches a straight drive down the ground. Dave flies between the wickets and takes two. Suddenly there's an overthrow, and they run a third. The back-up fielder fumbles, and Phil yells for a fourth run. Dave dives for the crease, but is run out by inches. Three scored, and only one wicket left. Dave finishes with 40, not having faced a ball since coming back. But his speed between the wickets has been crucial. Phil now needs 4 off two. Second last ball, and he clips away another two - bringing his own score to 72. So it comes down to the last ball. Two to win, one to tie. Phil swings, misses, but Dave is already running. A bye ties it up, with arms, bats, flailing everywhere. There's another overthrow, and the batsmen scramble desperately to make the winning run. ECC have taken out what feels like the match of the season by 1 wicket. Phil and Dave share the honours with both the best bowling figures (5-31) and the highest score (72*) of the season. A fitting prelude to a team barbie, and end of season celebrations. ECC have finished fifth in third grade, missing out on a semi-finals spot by two points. Given we were predicted to come eighth, we can hold our heads high. Well done to all the ECC lads!
Mike Harvey