2008-09 - University of New South Wales Cricket Club

UNSW Cricket Club Annual ReportAW Green Shield ReportAW GREEN SHIELD REPORTThe 2008‐2009 AW Green Shield team was fortunate to once again have the wisdom and skills ofWarren Smith as coach for the season. The young men were ready for challenging series duringwhich they were to learn some hard lessons.The season started with a tough game against a strong Parramatta side at Old Kings. We lost the toss,which unfortunately became a trend, and found ourselves in the field. The opening batsmen amassed126 runs before a wicket fell but then another 4 wickets fell quickly thanks mainly to Ben Scott (2‐29)and Mitch Jones (2‐31) but no further wickets fell before the end ogf the innings at 212. This was not avery large total to chase but the psychological barrier of 200 runs had been breached and our playerswere unable to maintain their wickets. Ben Scott (30) was the best performer with Daniel Ferrara (28).The second game saw the team on home soil at the Village Green and once again after an unsuccessfultoss, the team all donned their gold strip to chase leather. A solid start of 55 by Penrith and then acouple of useful partnerships with one big hitter falling just short of a century saw them post aformidable 266. This was always going to be a very tall order to chase down a total of that size. Afteran early loss, James Deacon (52) combined with Ben Scott (46) to get the team to 4‐111 but once againplayers did not cherish their wickets enough and despite a useful contribution by Matt Edwards (34)the end of the innings came smack on 200. Hopefully hard lessons were being learned.Another chance at home against Mosman in the third game gave the team the opportunity to showtheir skills. Starting in the field after another unsuccessful toss, early wickets were not forthcomingwhich saw Mosman breach the 200 barrier again posting a total of 203 all out. Best figures were ChrisCharlwood (2‐57) but 4 run outs (Tom Gallop with 2 of them) showed the players did were not givingup. Wickets fell to quickly in the chase to see the baby bees at 4‐45 but a recovery led by team captainScott Gray (71) and backed up by Steve Smith (36) edged us closer to the target. Once again thoughthe mental toughness to chase let the team down with the final wicket falling just 24 runs short butwith another 8 overs to go. A waste of opportunity that would have put the side back on track in thecompetition.The fourth game saw the team on the road for a trip to Fairfield Oval to play Fairfield‐Liverpool onone of the hottest days in living memory. The scorer had a thermometer stuck to the pole of his beachumbrella to record the agony being felt by all but I don’t suppose a beach umbrella gets used muchout there. It was tough going for our bowlers as the heart arrived early and stayed. No earlybreakthroughs gave the opposition a solid start but they were left floundering by the wiles of youngspinner Daniel Altman (4‐29) and the quick gloves of Scott Gray with a couple of very neatstumpings to be all out for 199. Surely the 200 barrier was in our favour this time. The heat continuedto rise and proved to be too much for our players to spend any significant amount of time in themiddle. Oliver Yee (30) and Tom Gallop (25) stayed for a while but to be all out for 139 in the 42 ndover really was a surrender. At the end of the day we were glad to be getting into the air conditionedcars for the journey home, delayed a little while when the Fairfield manager collapsed. He was OKafter a while. It helped that we had several doctors and nurses as parents of our team members andthanks to those that were able to help.After four straight losses there was no real prospect of the team making the semis but the next gamewas to be at Waverley against Eastern Suburbs and as everyone in the sport knows, a local derby isalways the special game to win. The toss losing streak was finally broken which saw our openingbatsmen padded up in the morning for a change. It was obviously to their liking with James Deacon(67) and Daniel Ferrara (55) amassing 130 for the opening partnership. Tom Gallop (31) playingagainst his former team knocked the ball around the ground and James Hamilton (26no) let loosetowards the end of the innings which saw the team post 7‐249. Easts were never in with a chance asUni fielded brilliantly with Scott Gray (2 stumpings, 1 catch) and James Hamilton (3 catches) leadingthe way. James (2‐6) capped off a magnificent man of the match performance and Daniel Altman (3‐Season 2008/2009 Page 73