THE WGCA’s Twenty20 Kookaburra Cup will be run and won this Sunday when the semi-finals and grand final take place at PAKENHAM’s Toomuc Reserve. GEMBROOK and UPPER BEACONSFIELD have already booked their semi-final places, with last night’s quarter-finals between DEVON MEADOWS and CARDINIA, and KOOWEERUP and NNG/MARYKNOLL deciding the final two teams vying for the WGCA’s biggest prize in the shortest form of the game. If DEVON MEADOWS did get through last night, expect to see former international DARREN PATTINSON in action for the Panthers on Sunday. The semi-final action will commence at 11am on ovals 1 and 2, with the grand final showdown expected to start about 2pm on oval 2.
CONGRATULATIONS go out to the PAKENHAM UPPER/TOOMUC ladies team on winning its first match of the season recently against YARRA VALLEY. The Yabbiettes, as we’re going to call them, have had a tough time of it this season, even going as far as having to forfeit two matches prior to Christmas. But that was all forgotten in round 12, the Yabbiettes making 5/83 in reply to YARRA VALLEY’s 3/79 to take out their Twenty20 contest. Senior club president Vicky Downes has led the way with both bat and ball this season while Cassandra Ager and Selena Caruana have offered valuable support.
PAKENHAM president Phil Anning was the proudest man in town on Saturday night, beating his chest about his latest innovation to the local game … the Zing Bails! Every time the bails went off, so did Phil as he watched the LED lights flash as they came out of the grooves. The bails really did stand out and became a humorous side-light as dark descended on the day/night contest between the Lions and MERINDA PARK at Toomuc Reserve.
WHILE the day/nighters are a great concept, there’s no doubt that it is going to be impossible to replicate the clear seeing conditions that a day game provides. PAKENHAM did a great job of hosting the game, but having a white ball come out of a white sight-screen at the Princes Highway end of the ground wasn’t ideal, ask Russell Lehman, who lost one and was trapped lbw. Some MERINDA PARK bowlers also wore white vests which added a little bit to the confusion. But, all in all, the night was a huge success with a great atmosphere and a crowd that would top even a grand final … and it will only get bigger and better.
KOOWEERUP champion all-rounder Matt Davey squirmed a bit on Saturday when the Gazette asked him who he would pick first if he had a choice between the Demons’ two great openers of the last decade, Chris ‘Tubsy’ O’Hara and Michael ‘Doofy’ Giles. “If I had to pick someone to bat for my life, it would have to be Tubsy, but it’s impossible to pick because Doofy’s been so consistent over the years as well.” Alright Matt, we’re going to let you off and score this one a draw!
CRICKET Snicks is normally a pure cricket page but we thought it worth highlighting a pretty significant event taking place at PAKENHAM’s Toomuc Reserve this Friday 23 January. Starting at 4pm, the RICHMOND Football Club will have a twilight training session at the ground, with a free kids’ clinic, autograph and photo opportunities, activities and amusements, and food and drink stands making it a must for the kids over the school holidays. See richmondfc.com.au to register for the clinic and for more details.
IT will be interesting to see where KOOWEERUP’s last home game for the season – against EMERALD in round 13 – is played as renovations to the surface at Denham’s Road are complete and the ground ready for use. The Demons have been through the ringer this season, missing out on vital bar sales and atmosphere, having played most of their home games at the Kooweerup High School. If the Demons retain their current placing of second on the ladder they will also host a semi-final … so let’s hope they can get on their spiritual home and finish the season on a high.
APOLOGIES to fans of our Beer o’clock column, as our next victim … sorry, interviewee … Steve ‘Brutus’ Dalgleish, was double-booked on the weekend at a rather major engagement. Brutus was very apologetic, but we understand that the wedding of his daughter is probably a tad more important than sitting down to a few frothies with a local journo. We’ll do our best to get him this weekend for next week’s edition.
EITHER someone was asleep at the switch putting the CLYDE Sub-District results in or the Cougars really did take 104 wickets in their four-wicket win over PAKENHAM. According to the MyCricket website on Monday morning, Damasara Menuwara (28), Nathan Powell (27), Shane Jack (25) and Kane Avard (24) were in elite touch snaring about two and a half games worth of wickets each. Casual Saturday that!
DANDENONG Women’s seconds captain Carin Eastburn is flying through the runs this season – after knocking in her 500th run this season over the weekend. The Berwick-based dasher knocked in the milestone runs in a 19 not out against MELTON in the Lions first Twenty20 match on Sunday. With three centuries before Christmas and potentially eight-to-10 games remaining, there could be many more milestones yet to celebrate.
This is a public service announcement for DEVON MEADOWS E Grader Dean Lewis. There is this stick-like object inside your car which prevents the wheels from spinning while the car is parked. Some have been known to call it a “hand-brake”. Lewis forgot to implement the handbrake’s legendary stopping power while playing against NYORA on Saturday and instead relied upon one of the upright support beams at Glover Reserve to act as an ersatz brake for his ute. At least his 4/18 will cushion the pain of the panel-beater’s bill. His car wasn’t the only thing on a roll as the Panthers’ thirds have won three on the trot.
While on the subject, we talked about DEVON MEADOWS’ rain-pain last week in Cricket Snicks and it didn’t get better for the Panthers as they cancelled their Family Day (Family Night?) that was meant to be held last Tuesday with their Twenty20. Fingers crossed it doesn’t rain this Tuesday night for the rescheduled entertainment against CARDINIA.
CASEY-SOUTH MELBOURNE has been in top notch form recently after snaring three wins out of four to snap a 10-game losing streak. The Swans have knocked off CAMBERWELL, ESSENDON and GEELONG to gain some momentum heading into the last part of the year. The wins have taken the Swans off the bottom of the White Ball ladder to give the faithful something to cheer about at Casey Fields.
Some of CASEY-SOUTH MELBOURNE’S success has to be put on the returning TASMANIA TIGERS first class cricketer Clive Rose as the former Jack Ryder Medallist has knocked in 50, 46 and 29 not out as well as snaring six wickets with his left arm orthodox spinners. With the MELBOURNE STARS not utilising Rose much this season, it has allowed the versatile all-rounder to return to club cricket and make an impact.
Congratulations to KOOWEERUP rising star Adam McMaster, who made his Victorian Premier Cricket first XI debut for DANDENONG on Sunday. Called up to the Twenty20 outfit, McMaster stormed in to bowl 2/19 off his three overs before a well-measured 13 not out helped guide the Panthers to victory over PRAHRAN. First, but definitely not the last time, we’ll see him at in the first XI.
