CRICKET SNICKS
It’s time to grab your favourite coffee, crack open the biscuit tin and catch up on the local sporting news from around the traps.
-From what we’re hearing on the rumour mill, Presidents from some CCCA clubs have called a Presidents Meeting to discuss some issues that have risen throughout the course of the 2022/23 cricket season. But some of the presidents may be putting romance above their cricket clubs, because the February 14 date that has been put forward by the league is not convenient for some because it falls on Valentine’s Day! C’mon boy’s, it’s a Tuesday, put the romance on hold until later in the week!
-Let’s hope CRICKET has learned a valuable lesson from its FOOTBALL counterparts as some local leagues begin the transition from MY CRICKET to the PLAYHQ platform. Football leagues and clubs had a hell of a time adjusting to the new management platform, with some blaming a lack of transported information to PLAYHQ for the Player Points debacle that swept through AFL GIPPSLAND last year. MY CRICKET has its deficiencies, but let’s hope the history of competitions isn’t lost during the transition process to PLAYHQ. If not managed properly, we can see this being one almighty mess.
-Props to PARKFIELD president David Swierzbiolek and SPRINGVALE DISTRICTS president Sean Francis for their work in increasing sport participation in the Greater Dandenong region. Swierzbiolek has been a key figure in fostering a family-friendly culture and increasing female cricket participation, and Francis has increased the number of people around the Dees from both a footy and netball perspective. Their work saw the pair named joint-sportspeople of the year in that municipality. Head to the Dandenong Journal to find out more.
-The Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) has copped a bad rap in recent times, mainly for the failure of the league to field a Country Week team this year. But let’s give credit where credit is due, the CCCA’s rejigged T20 season was a huge success, with the split of Premier and District Division teams giving a nice new feel to the competition. CARDINIA and CRANBOURNE MEADOWS won their respective divisions at Pakenham on Sunday…but the other big winner is PAKENHAM player Jack Anning, who put a power of thought into making the Kookaburra Cup a success. Being an administrator is tough, but Anning is showing all the right signs of being a very good one in the future.
-While on the Anning family, the humour of PAKENHAM president Phil Anning couldn’t be dampened as host at the Kookaburra Cup on Sunday. Despite ‘Mitsu’ still hurting, after his Lions were rolled for just 81 by CARLISLE PARK on Saturday…he could still find a bright side. “If we played MERINDA PARK, we would have won by 58 runs.” Anning’s line was certainly said tongue in cheek, and not meant anyway disrespectful to the Cobras, who were bowled out for just 23 by KOOWEERUP in Premier Division on Saturday.
-Something you don’t see every day: a Glenn Bundy medium-pacer kept low on the second-last ball of the 37th over in BEACONSFIELD’s batting innings against DOVETON. It went through everyone and everything except ‘keeper Ricky Johnson’s helmet, which was sitting a couple of metres behind him. Lachie Ramage and Michael Dunstan scampered through for a bye but it appeared the strange occurrence alluded the umpires, for five penalty runs weren’t added to the total. Lucky it proved insignificant in a big Tigers win!
-Even with a broken left-hand, CARDINIA skipper Jake Prosser was trying his best to have an impact during the Kookaburra Cup grand final between the Bulls and KOOWEERUP on Saturday. Prosser was walking the boundary rope like an expectant parent, nervous but excited, as he quietly gave guidance to his players. Kooweerup skipper Michael Giles was all over it, pointing out Prosser’s influence to the umpires at a drink break. We don’t think he was breaking any rules, but it was just funny to see how engrossed Prosser was in the game.
-The CCCA had a special guest present the Kookaburra Cup to CARDINIA on Sunday, with Dandenong local and Victorian player Hayleigh Brennan representing Kookaburra, the naming rights sponsor of the tournament. But in welcoming Brennan, CCCA President Rob Hansen said Brennan had played with the Melbourne Renegades. Her team is in Melbourne Rob, but it’s the MELBOURNE STARS, not the Renegades. Brennan shook her head and smiled…no long-term damage done with the major sponsor!
-It may have been beaten outright, but you have to admire the consistency of the MERINDA PARK A Grade team against KOOWEERUP in round 12. After being bowled out for 88, the Cobras were put back in after Paul Bright (61) and Cody Miller (49) declared the Demons’ innings at 4/123. Yep, you guessed it, the Cobras were rolled for 88 again, with the Dees claiming outright victory by 10 wickets a short time later.
-There may be another sneaky controversy developing in the CCCA, with a player from one club questioning the integrity of CARDINIA’s D Grade victory over EMERALD in round 11. The Bulls certainly shared the ball around that day, bowling 10 bowlers, with one spell allegedly coming from a player listed as 12th man. The CCCA has been made aware of it, and it might be nothing, but it will be interesting to see what transpires over the next week or so.
-It was good to see some members of the DANDENONG WEST Cricket Club get down to watch both of BERWICK’s t20 games at Shepley Oval on Sunday when the Bears won the premiership. Those from Dandy West were there to see one of their own, leggie Riley Siwes, go at it for the Bears. They would’ve walked away pretty pleased with Siwes’ performance, too. He claimed 1/13 off three in the grand final after 1/20 off four in the semi.
-On DANDY WEST, if you’re not a regular reader of the Turf 3 report, you wouldn’t realise how dominant Nuwan Kulasekara has been in the competition – but you can certainly imagine a former international player rocking up to Dandenong District cricket and taking the mickey. He took it to another level on the weekend, claiming 5/3 off his five overs, four of which were maidens. Spare a thought for Silverton turning up having to face someone of that calibre! He was twice on a hattrick and consigned Silverton to 6/15 after nine overs. A nod to the man’s character, though, he bowled only the five overs to share the fun around as Dandenong West bowled Silverton out for 38.
-UPPER BEACONSFIELD will be ruing their bowling performance in CCCA F Grade, sending down a whopping 64 extras against MERINDA PARK – 27 wides, 17 no-balls, 10 wides and 10 leg-byes. Opening bowler Lucas Shipway had what could be described as a mixed bag with the ball, returning tidy figures of 14-2-2-46, but also sent down 12 wides and three no-balls.
-Frisbee was the past time of choice for the BERWICK boys as they played the waiting game in DDCA Turf 1 at Arch Brown Reserve. Brad James looked the most capable with the flying disc, while some of his chargers tried their hand with some of the equipment used to transport the covers. PARKMORE, meanwhile, stayed cosy in their changerooms while the umpires held the fate of the game in their hands.
-The TOORADIN community will gather at the sports club on Tuesday 14 February for the first ever Ben Proctor Memorial T20 game between the cricket club and football club. Those who knew Ben are encouraged to share a drink, a laugh and a memory on Tuesday, with all proceeds from the event to go towards BeyondBlue. A link to make further donations will be added to the cricket club’s Facebook page.
-Some footy news. Overlooked DANDENONG STINGRAYS prospect Mitch Szybkowski, a product of Beaconsfield, was let go by Essendon last week. The ‘Rays 2022 captain had been training with the Bombers in the hope of winning a supplemental selection period (SSP) list spot, but was unsuccessful in his quest. Since being let go, there’s whispers that he’s going to be given some time to impress with Melbourne’s AFL team before the opportunity to win a list spot closes on 15 February. If he’s unsuccessful, he’s expected to sign on with VFL club Frankston, which has seen four players drafted since November 2021.
-Speaking of the ‘Rays, their competition has had a name change. The under-18s pathways competition, which has for several seasons been sponsored by NAB, will now be called the Coates Talent League, with the boys and girls seasons to run concurrently for the first time ever in 2023.
-Some news out of DOVETON: playing-coach Michael Cardamone will go up to Palmerston and play a late-season NTFL match. The DOVES hope it is the beginning of a sustained relationship between the clubs with the Magpies able to supply players to the Doves throughout the season. Another player is expected to make the trip up to the Territory with Cardamone. Could we see Palmerston’s Eddie Betts, Travis Varcoe or Neville Jetta line up in Doves colours in the future?
-In West Gippsland, rumours of a move from NAR NAR GOON are incorrect for star forward Dermott Yawney, who will remain at Spencer Street this season. Rumours of Yawney moving to TARWIN for a big dollar deal have proved incorrect. Congratulations to TOORADIN-DALMORE young gun James Trezise, who recently signed with RICHMOND in the VFL. The exciting left-footer is enjoying his time at Punt Road, rubbing shoulders with Dustin Martin and the like in Match-Sim. And, if rumours are correct (hopefully more accurate than the Yawney talk) the reigning champs in the WGFNC might be about to announce a huge signing. We’ll follow it up and let you all know shortly.
