6 days Ago
St George first grade cricketers travelled to Chatswood Oval on Saturday to take on the tough Gordon outfit. or signup to continue reading Losing the toss was not a good start and the bowlers found the batsman hard to trouble. However, they stuck to their task, restricting the home team to 9/264 when a score closer to 300 was a strong possibility.
Peter Francis again led the attack with 5/40 from his ten overs. The chase started disastrously losing wickets on the last ball of the first over and first ball of the third. Yes, a hat trick was on, but fortunately avoided.
Three more wickets had the premiers in trouble at 5/71 before 127 run partnership between all rounder, Luke Bartier and wicketkeeper, Tom Van Tempest, restored some order. Bartier's dismissal for 78 and then another wicket disrupted the chase with pressure now on the tail at 7/216. Van Tempest continued to take up the fight before being adjudged LBW in the 48th over after a brilliant 91.
Two more wickets in the next over saw the Saints agonisingly close but 12 runs short and I'm sure reflecting on the 21 wides and no balls delivered in the Gordon innings. Second grade had yet another thriller at Hurstville Oval, this time coming out on top, after a super over finish. Young opener Tom Forrester was the batting pillar with 74no off 53 as Saints put together a competitive 154.
Gordon chased hard, needing 7 off the last over to win but the Saints held firm to force the super over where Gordon lost three wickets to the spin of Sahil Pathania and scored only 4 runs. Only two deliveries were required for the St George win. Third and Fourth grade both suffered losses in their T20 contests, 4 th grade going down in the last over, while 5 th grade mastered their opponents.
The final round before the Christmas break will see all teams take on Hawkesbury with 1s, 4s and 5s travelling to Richmond while 2s and 3s will be hoping for success at Olds Park. First Grade will be without Kurtis Patterson, Blake Nikitaras and Moises Henriques, who will play in the BBL T20 Sydney Smash between the Sixers and the Thunder. Hopefully the three locals will shine.
Patterson has also been in stellar form for NSW, including 167no in the last match victory over Western Australia..
