Round 1 of the 2020/21 season has come and gone. Pre-season has passed us by. COVID restrictions have… well they’re still there. In an age where bowling in a hat is completely 100% ok, and hi5’s are only safe indoors, we can all feel grateful that we are mostly unaffected at the moment here in Perth, and able to continue doing the things we love…
….watching Rob Richards make runs.
1st Grade
Wanneroo 4/221 (Richards 91, Del Borrello 74) def. Melville 8/217 (KR Smith 3/36, K Millar 2/53).
The ones boys looked to get their season off to a good start, hosting Melville at Kingsway. New club captain and shoo-in to be listed as an all-rounder in Fantasy Kyle Millar won the toss and chose to bowl. The decision worked with Caiden ‘Slug’ Eaton getting us off to a great start with an early wicket, soon followed by debutant Jordan Slattery who took his first A grade wicket, leaving Melville at 2-25. The Storm put a few partnerships together but we were able to take wickets quite consistently throughout the innings, restricting them to 8-217 off their 50 overs.
Kelvin Smith (get him in your Team) and Rob Richards (get him in your Team) got us off to a good start with the bat putting on 51. We were sitting precariously at 2-72 when Anthony ‘Tony’ Del Borello walked to the crease, putting on 114 with Richards in a match winning partnership. Richo batted superbly and was dismissed on 91 while Delba was eventually dismissed on 74. This partnership set up a great win for the boys, chasing Melville’s 217 with 2 overs to spare. A great start to the season for the boys which we hope to build and improve upon.
2nd Grade
Melville 194 (O’Day 3/18, Stumpers 3/37) def. Wanneroo 178 (Varsani 40, Stumpers 27*)
The 2’s made the long walk out to Kingsway 2 to face Melville on Saturday. Daniel “Sads” Sadik started the season on a high note, winning the toss and inserting the opposition. Leigh “camel” Millar and Matthew “PC” Dzodzos gave us a steady start, manufacturing many plays and misses without capturing an edge. Hayden “Sticks” Stumpers was brought into the attack and immediately struck with his maiden hat-trick in grade cricket. It was nearly 4 in 5 balls with the number 5 knicking off without being given. The lower order for Melville offered some resistance before one Michael O’Day took 3fa on debut and a Matthew Dzodzos run-out helped restrict Melville to 194.
The Wanneroo openers made a steady start before a 12 year old fast bowler bounced out Jordan King. After Mitch Slattery was deemed to be not far enough past the crease line on a quick single, Wanneroo was in trouble at 3/40. Kealey Farrant (on debut) and O’Day put on a small partnership before Kealey copped a Jaffa of a full toss and fed it to deep mid-wicket. Aryan Varsani was the pick of the batsman, making it look easy for 40 off 45 balls. After he was stumped down the leg side, Wanneroo lost regular wickets and, even with some lower order hitting from Jennings and Stumpers, were eventually bowled out for 178, 16 runs short of victory.
3rd Grade / 4th Grade
No Game