Hello everyone, and welcome to this week’s “Top Six” newsletter, as we head into the last week of the season
1. Senior Prizegiving
A further reminder to senior cricketers that we round out the season on Saturday night by celebrating successes at our senior prize-giving.
Free entry, finger food served about 7.00pm, prize-giving about 7.15pm, and a speech from this man at some stage:
See you all there!
2. Thanks to Graham Dowling and John Thompson
As the season comes to an end, two legends of BWCUCC end their formal ties with the club this weekend.
Graham Dowling
Graham Dowling is standing down as Club Patron, after 60 years as a leading BWU player and administrator. Graham is widely known for his achievements as firstly a cricketer with BWU, Canterbury and New Zealand, and his further service as CEO of NZ Cricket and as an International Test Referee. Graham will also be remembered by club members for being one of the leaders of the visionary 1970’s move to Burnside, and the bringing together of three clubs – Burnside, West Christchurch and University.
John Thompson
John has been a club member since 1958. As well as being a long-term player, John has been a committee member, Vice-President and Chairman on several occasions, and has carried out a multitude of various roles. Latterly John has been a very active committee member and, as Grounds Convenor, the man behind our most important physical asset, our pitches and grounds. He is now standing down from this position and from our committee. John is also very well known in Canterbury Cricket and New Zealand Cricket circles, having managed a number of representative sides and carried out other administrative roles.
Graham and John are Life Members of the club and of course will continue to follow our progress with interest. We thank them for their immense contribution over the years.
3. Good wins for Junior Premiers, 2As, Mariners and DDTs; Premiers have the edge over Sydenham
Let’s start with the Junior Premiers this week. As coach Richard Hartshorn writes, it was a good week: The vagaries of the finals draw mean that the Junior Premier Team played the same Marist-Harewood side for the second week in a row. I am pleased to say that the somewhat controversial one run loss last week was erased by a big win. We bowled first and dismissed M-H for 142. The wickets were shared, but the notable feature was that Alex Jenkins took five catches in the innings – two as wicket-keeper in the first twenty overs and three in the outfield in the remainder of the innings. The batting performance was strong, as we passed their score four down in only the 21st over of 40. Riley Hunter (34) contributed well at the start, and then Jacob and Todd Hartshorn combined in an unbroken stand of 75 for the fifth wicket to win the game. Jacob finished on 52 n.o., Todd 15 n.o.
In the morning grades, our Premers had an interesting day against Sydenham. The visitors batted first and scored 146, with Matt Farrant’s 4/30 continuing his excellent run. Harry Wilson took 3/23 and then, along with Scott Inglis, performed a late order rescue act to see BWU to a small first innings lead. Sydenham had lost two second innings wickets by stumps.
Our 2As had a big innings win against Sydenham and are therefore still have a faint chance of winning the grade title. Individual scores are unavailable.
The 2Bs continue their two day match against Heathcote on Saturday – more about that next week.
The Presidents Foxes played their semi-final of the end-of-season top four competition, but unfortunately had a close loss to St Albans. Martyin Conway (30), Dave Robertson (39) and Jared Croft (46) lead the team to 170, but the opposition won by five wickets with a ball to spare.
The Cannons has a loss to Merivale-Papanui in the 3B Top Six competition. Chasing 208/7 (Phil Jellyman 3/29), the Cannons were all out for 113.
In the 3B Bottom Eight grade, the Mariners maintained their competition lead with a 6 wicket win in the local derby against the Brawlers. Set 120 to win by the Brawlers (Mike Vorster 55, Ren Watene 5/20), the Mariners got there comfortably with the Jacques brothers (James 47, Greg 28) and Ollie Brierton (39*) featuring.
The Diamond Dubai Diamonds have set up what is effectively a grade final this weekend against the Riccarton Hogs, after another good win, against the Heathcote Cavaliers. BWU scored 118/8 (Sam Kennedy 55, Tim Stevens 20, Alex Truesdale 21), and held the opposition to 99/8 (Nick Tinning 2/18, Brook Skates 2/14).
Sam Kennedy, DDTs skipper and top scorer
4. Mike Vorster continues move up Al Brown leaderboard
A virtually unchanged Al Brown leaderboard this week, with the one mover being Mike Vorster of the 3B Brawlers. Mike is now up to fourth, due a series of consistent batting performances over the past few weeks.
Rob Gillespie is still in first place, followed by Matt Farrant. See the full leaderboard and a top ten summary here on our website.
5. Three Junior Premiers, Two Brawlers and a Dubai Diamond Trader make the Honours Board
All up, six players have their names on the Honours Board this week – three Juniors and three Seniors. See who they are and what they did here on our website.
6. Did you know that……
On Sunday New Zealand plays it’s most important One Day International ever at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. But did you know that, unbelievably, the last time we played a test match there was the Boxing Day test of 1987?
That was this match, which ended in a very tense draw. It is remembered still for the Australian number 11 Mike Whitney playing out a maiden from the great Richard Hadlee. Watch that here.
Before that, the match had two moments of real controversy. Firstly, there was this “catch” by Australian wicketkeeper Greg Dyer off Andrew Jones. Then, just before Whitney faced up to Hadlee, there was this LBW appeal by Danny Morrison against Craig McDermott, who is incidentally the current Australian fast bowling coach.
Danny Morrison – close call v Australia
Have a great cricketing weekend. Go the Black Caps!
Regards
Burnside Cricket