Hat trick for Stephenson!

A Grade

This week saw the A-Grade boys make the trip across the bridge to face the old enemy in Wonthaggi.
Despite two months of no rain the turf pitch was not ready for play, so the game was played at McMahon Reserve, a ground that the Island haven’t won at for over a decade.
After winning the toss the Island decided to have a bat and openers Jarrod Black and Brodie Johnston didn’t disappoint with the two running well between the wickets until Johnston was dismissed by a good caught and bowled for 17 with the score on 38.
Eli Richards came to the crease and played some nice shots before being dismissed for 20 bringing Shiran Rathnayake to the middle.
Black and Rathnayake batted superbly putting on 75 runs for the third wicket until Black who by this stage was completely out of petrol was stumped after a fantastic 72 off 105 balls.
A run a ball 37 from Rathnayake and some late power hitting from Greg Selby featuring two big bombs saw the Sharks reach 7 for 177 at the end of their allotted 40 overs.
Despite a strong batting innings, the Island knew they would have to bowl and field well to defend their total against a strong Wonthaggi side.
After a promising spell up the hill on Thursday night captain Max Royal decided to take the new rock with Simon Kirton and the two bowled well without luck with the Sharks grassing a few catchable chances.
Geoff Odgers came on and got the big breakthrough of Koby Bran with the score at 1 for 53.
At the drinks break Wonthaggi were in the box seat with the score at 1 for 74.
Straight after the break the Sharks started with a maiden followed by a wicket maiden bowled by Charith Keerthisinghe who was magnificent as always and finished with 4 for 29 off 8 overs.
Charith and Shiran were able to build pressure with the ball from both ends and with some good fielding the Island was able to wrestle back some control in the match and started taking wickets at regular intervals.
Zac Brown came back into the team this week and was asked to do a big job bowling some clutch overs from the short end of the ground and did a brilliant job.
He got the big wicket of Ryan Thomas and finished with 3 for 27 off his 6 overs.
The Island were able to force errors from the Wonthaggi batsmen and ended up taking the tenth Wonthaggi wicket in the 38th over resulting in a fantastic 22 run win for the Sharks away from home.
Next week its Nereena at home with a 12pm start.
Go Sharks.

B Grade

B Grade took on Koonwarra in a semi-final rematch from last year and controlled the game from start to finish to reverse the result from that game.
Winning the toss Koonwarra batted and with their A team having a bye, they opened up with one of their A Grade bats who carried his bat making an unbeaten 108 helping Koonwarra to 3/176.
Matty Wright bowled a great opening spell finishing with 1/25 off his 8 overs.
Josh Excell was good with 7/0/19 and stand in skipper Clint Wilson was his usual frugal self with 8/0/17.
It was going to be a tough chase and we needed to bat well from the start but unfortunately not much went right for the second week in a row and we could only manage 8/93 off our 40 overs. Wilson was our best with 27 not out and Henry Shawcross chimed in with 18.
A big away game against Nerrena next week and the B Grade boys need to knuckle down with a big week on the track

C1 Cricket

Phillip Islands C1 team played Nerrena this week at Nerrena with a few changes at selection and few more under16’s playing.
Island’s skipper won the toss and elected to bat.
Opening up with the experienced O’Brien and young Beaumont, they made a steady start before losing Beaumont in the eighth over leaving the Island 1/18.
Liam Keating joined O’Brien at the crease, but O’Brien was out the next over for 18 leaving the Island at 2/20 after nine overs.
Parry joined Keating, to start building a partnership before Parry was out caught with score sitting on 53.
A couple of quick wickets to Nerrena had the Island at 5/81 but the main stay was Keating holding the innings together as wicket fell around him.
When the skipper fell the Island had slipped to 6/115 from 32 overs.
Young joined Keating at the crease, Keating started to up the scoring, hitting anything short to the fence, before he fell in the 37th over going for quick runs.
He made a brilliant 93 and the Island ended up 9/172 off their 40 overs.
It was the Island’s turn to take the field defending 172.
Prashant and Parsons opened the bowling, looking to bowl tight and grab some quick wickets. Parsons got the first Nerrena wicket in his first over and soon had two more wickets in his third over leaving Nerrena 3/14 off six overs and on the back foot. 
Nerrena looked to settle after the good start that was made by the Island bowlers.
The openers were replaced by Tim Niven and Zac Walker. Niven bowled well without luck keeping the ball full and Walker, once he got his radar right, bowled well to pick up two wickets to have Nerrena 5/58 off 18 Overs.
With the Island on top, Nerrena was trying to turn over the strike with quick singles.
They tried once to offend and with a great piece of fielding and a direct hit for a runout to Michael Cleary had them at 6/67 after 20 overs.
Nerrena started to build a small partnership until Young had his first wicket and soon after his second, leaving Nerrena 8/109.
Young Heath Womersley came on to bowl with Nerrena trying to hit their way out of trouble. Womersley picked up his first wicket in senior cricket bowling well and tandem with Young who then picked up his third wicket to have Nerrena all out for 140.

C2 Cricket

Phillip Islands C2 cricketers played out a thrilling one run victory and was mainly due to some fine catching by the team’s pinup boy Dan Stephenson.
The expat kiwi took three fine catches to get his team over the line.
It all started with a poor batting effort from the Islanders.
Thanks to Carl Muscat 25 and Darcy Johnston a much needed and finely executed 46 gave the Kilcunda Bass boys a 120-run chase.
We started well with two quick wickets, but the opposition dug in and started to get on top until Tarryn Allen took another great catch in the covers.
He is really starting to become an elite fielder with several fantastic catches this season.
Again, the opposition got on top but enter Stephenson and after he held on to three catches it came down to a run a ball with not many overs left.
The Killy Bass guys tried but fell short by one run.
A good game of cricket and played in a good spirit.
Darcy was man of the match with two wickets to add to his runs.
Steve Birchall bowled well for his 2/21.
Skipper Johnston chipped in for 3/24 and Tarryn and Pete Francis one each.
Not to mention Dave Kenters fine over at the end.
A match winning over says Dave!

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