The 2025/26 cricket season got underway last weekend and one of the highlights from Kilsyth Cricket Club’s perspective was the brilliant century scored by Captain Coach Andy Solomons (103 not out), who led the First XI to victory against neighbouring Mooroolbark in a one-day season opener. On Sunday, the Women’s First XI also had a good win playing St Andrews with Captain Ashleigh Katoa (87) and Sharon Sheals (47), sharing a record third wicket partnership of 155. In the other men’s grades, Sanjeev Rana scored 51 for the Second XI, and Mark Unternahrer was the Third XI’s top scorer with 74. The best bowling performances were produced by Brodie Goodwin, 4/27 off seven overs for the Fifth XI, Fourth XI Captain Greg Gommers, who captured 3/13 off 5.3 overs, and Women’s First XI bowler Courtney Anderson, 3/25 off her six overs.
The Barkers First XI won the toss at Alan Smith Oval, Pinks Reserve and elected to bat. After a steady start, Aden Higgins was caught behind for 12 by Will Beard off the bowling of new player Sagar Ahir, who took his first wicket for Kilsyth with the fourth ball of his first over, and Mooroolbark were now 1/16 off 6.4 overs. Opening bowler Kamal Kuruppu then captured the second wicket, caught by Andy Solomons at slip, to see the Barkers 2/28 off 9.4 overs. It became 3/39 off 14 overs when Jaylan Ross was caught at point off the bowling of Andy Solomons for 11. Jonathon Mummery and Andy Keane then added 33 for the fourth wicket before Mummery was well caught at cover by Mackenzie Scott-Thomas from the second ball bowled by spinner and new recruit, Lahiru Randeepa. Mummery had batted well to score 29 off 39 balls, including three fours and one six, and at that stage, Mooroolbark were 4/72 after 21.2 overs. In the 26th over, the fifth wicket fell with the score on 90, when Solomons’ throw to keeper Will Beard found Lachlan Crawford short of his ground, run out for 10. Randeepa captured his second wicket in the 34th over when Keane was caught by Sagar Ahir for 25 off 44 balls to see Mooroolbark slump to 6/118. With 6.4 overs remaining, the Barkers set about lifting the run rate and a seventh wicket partnership of 55 between Hayden Daniell and Mark Ross took the score to 173 when Daniell was bowled by Solomons for 48 off 38 balls, including three sixes and one four. In the end, Mooroolbark reached 8/184cc off their allotted 40 overs with Mark Ross remaining unbeaten on 22 not out off 21 balls. The wicket takers for Kilsyth were Solomons, 2/31 off 7 overs, Lahiru Randeepa 2/35 off seven overs, Kamal Kuruppu 2/36 off eight overs, and Sagar Ahir 1/36 off eight overs. The bowlers were well supported in the field by the whole Kilsyth team, who put in a very good fielding performance.
After the tea break, Kilsyth set about chasing down the target of 185 with young openers Will Beard and Jack Childs. Unfortunately, Will was run out with the score on 12 in the seventh over following a good throw from Jaylan Ross to keeper Mummery. However, a 63-run second-wicket partnership between Jack Childs and Captain Andy Solomons got the Redbacks back on track. Jack was out for 25 to a brilliant one-handed catch by Jaylan Ross off the bowling of Aden Higgins and Kilsyth were now 2/75 off 15 overs. It was soon 3/79 after 17 overs when Higgins picked up another wicket, clean bowled, in his next over. From there, Pasan Ganegoda and Solomons steered the team to victory with an unbroken 108-run fourth wicket partnership. Ganegoda finished on 42 not out off 63 balls, and Solomons hit the winning boundary to bring up his first century for Kilsyth CC. His scintillating 103 not out off 79 balls included 12 fours and three sixes. The wicket taker for Mooroolbark was Aden Higgins, who took 2/35 off his five overs. Opening bowler Cheyne Van Koll was impressive, yielding only 20 runs off his eight overs. Overall, it was an excellent start by Kilsyth’s First XI and the Club extends a special welcome and congratulations to new recruits and First XI Debutants, Sagar Ahir, Chris Pahi and Lahiru Randeepa, as well as to First XI Debutant Dylan Smith, who started at the Club as a junior and has worked his way up through the ranks.
The Second XI played Eastfield First XI at Benson Oval, Eastfield. Kilsyth lost the toss and were sent in to bat. The Redbacks were eventually dismissed for a competitive 187 off 37 overs. The highlight of the innings was a third-wicket partnership of 79 between Sanjeev Rana and Daniel Caton, with Rana scoring a total of 51 off 52 balls, including eight fours and one six, and Caton 35 off 58 balls. The best of the other batsmen were Max Wills, who was run out for 25 off 36 balls, and Aiden Morris, who hit 20 off 23 balls, including three sixes. The multiple wicket takers for Eastfield were Matthew Barnard with 3/43 off eight overs, and Sascha Kelly 2/28 off five overs. Eastfield replied with 3/188 off 29.5 overs with Sascha Kelly finishing on 86* off 81 balls (7 fours and 5 sixes), and opener Will Boote 71 off 74 balls (5 fours and 5 sixes). Boote and Kelly shared a match-winning second-wicket partnership of 123. The best of Kilsyth’s bowlers were Captain Justin Smith, 2/20 off three overs, and Max Wills 1/18 off four overs.
The Third XI were at home on Roy Baldwin Oval, Pinks Reserve against the Hoddles Creek First XI. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat. After being 1/0 they eventually compiled 7/206cc off their allotted 40 overs, aided by a second-wicket partnership of 92 between Gus Vukman and Oscar Lyons. Vukman played a solid innings of 42 off 91 balls (5 fours and 1 six), while Lyons made 41 off 58 balls (5 fours). Others to bat well were Bradley Cole-Sinclair 31 off 28 balls, and Max Blunt 33* off 34 balls. Wicket takers for Kilsyth were opening bowler Matthew Burgess, 3/43 off eight overs, Mark Unternahrer 2/26 off eight overs, and Matthew Harper 2/24 off four overs. Unfortunately, Kilsyth lost early wickets to be 2/18 in the run chase and in the end finished on 7/176cc after 40 overs. The top scorer was Unternahrer with a bright 74 off 79 balls (11 fours and 1 six), whilst Robert Hutchings 22 off 49 balls, Matthew Burgess 21 off 24 balls, and Matthew Harper 18 off 31 balls, made solid contributions with the bat. Special congratulations to Matthew Burgess, who passed the 3000 senior runs milestone for Kilsyth CC during his innings on Saturday
The Fourth XI had a tight match against South Warrandyte’s Third XI that went down to the final over. Kilsyth won the toss and elected to bat, eventually compiling a competitive 9/169cc off their allotted 36 overs. Openers Ben Nicoll and Captain Greg Gommers got the team off to a good start, putting on 43 for the first wicket before Gommers was out for 15 off 31 balls in the 11th over. Nicoll went on to top score with a fine 42 off 52 balls (6 fours). Others to do well with the bat were Trent Potter, 23 off 24 balls, Tyron Paspa 19 off 34 balls, Michael Sturt 16 off 18 balls, and Peter van Gent 15 off 12 balls. Key wicket takers for South Warrandyte were Oliver Peterson, 3/33 off six overs, Michael Apeness 2/8 off two overs, and Lachlan McMahon 2/32 off seven overs. After being 3/53 in the 12th over, the Hawks steadied with a fourth wicket partnership of 68 and reached the target with three balls to spare and three wickets in hand, finishing on 7/171. Kushan Madugalle was the chief run scorer with a splendid 59 off 66 balls (7 fours and 1 six), and he was well supported by Oliver Peterson with 27, and Michael Apeness 24 not out (9 fours and 1 six). For Kilsyth, Greg Gommers was the standout bowler with 3/13 off 5.3 overs. Congratulations to women’s Captain Ashleigh Katoa, who played her first men’s match on Saturday, in her 50th game for the Club.
The Fifth XI had a tough match against the Seville Burras Third XI at Elizabeth Bridge Reserve, Kilsyth. Seville won the toss and elected to bat, compiling 6/222cc off their allotted 36 overs. Riley Hamilton 37, Dax Munro 35*, Josh McKenna 26 (2 fours and 1 six), and Jack Darwall 22*, did well with the willow whilst extras totalled 35. As mentioned above, Brodie Goodwin took the bowling honours with 4/27 off seven overs. Avanthi Jayawickrema, playing her first men’s match, took 1/13 off three overs. The target proved too much for the Redbacks, who finished on 7/143cc off 36 overs. Kilsyth’s top scorers were Shaun Goodwin 30, Michael Panozzo 28 not out, Will Pilbeam-Walker 19, and Pat Moilanen 18. Riley Hamilton was the best of Seville’s bowlers with 3/9 off four overs.
The women’s team, promoted to B Grade this season, played against St Andrews on the Middle Oval at J.W. Manson Reserve, Wantirna. Kilsyth won the toss and elected to bat on an overcast Sunday. The Redbacks lost an early wicket in the third over to be 1/3 (bowled by Wren Wiliams). It was 2/29 in the seventh over when Belinda Hutchings was adjudged lbw for 14, off the bowling of Ada Scholten. Playing her 50th game for the women, Captain Ashleigh Katoa then joined Sharon Sheals and they put on a women’s record third-wicket partnership of 155, which came to an end on the second last ball of the innings when Katoa, attempting a big hit, was bowled by Gemma Blundell. Katoa had scored a brilliant 87 off 101 balls and struck 11 boundaries. On the last ball of the final 36th over, Sheals was unfortunately run out after she had made an impressive 47 off 83 balls. It was Sheals’ highest score for the Kilsyth women’s team. So, Kilsyth finished on 4/184cc off their allotted 36 overs. The wicket takers for St Andrews were Gemma Blundell 1/21 off seven overs, Wren Williams 1/23 off six overs, and Ada Sholten 1/19 off three overs.
Following the tea break, St Andrews set about the run chase and at drinks after 18 overs were 0/73 with Maya Kelaita on 26 not out, and Kate Taylor 34 not out. After drinks, they took the score on to 82, when Taylor was nicely caught at midwicket by Ashleigh Katoa off the bowling of Courtney Anderson for a well compiled 40 of 62 balls. Courtney also took the second wicket on 111, when keeper Sharon Sheals stumped Maya Kelaita for a fine 41 of 71 balls. The Saints were attempting to increase the run rate but lost a third wicket when Nisansala Hettiarachchi snared a brilliant red-hot catch at point, again off the bowling of Anderson, and the score was now 3/119 after 28.3 overs. Katoa, who had been bowling a good line and length, then picked up the fourth wicket with the score on 122 (caught by Rhiley Unternahrer at cover). After 36 overs, St Andrews had compiled 4/151cc with Andrea Cummings 28 not out of 46 balls, and Ada Scholten 12 not out off 19 balls. Thus, Kilsyth had a good win by 32 runs. The best of the bowlers for the Redbacks were Anderson, who took 3/25 off six overs, Katoa 1/13 off a tidy six overs, new recruit Serena Gibbs, who bowled with good pace, 0/22 off seven overs, and Rhiley Unternahrer 0/22 off six overs. Congratulations to Women’s First XI Debutants Serena Gibbs and Monique Maassen, who both played their first game for the Club.
The Under 16s scored 8/145cc off 25 overs to record a good win over Chirnside Park 8/101cc. Kilsyth’s best batsmen were Will Beard, who scored 39 not out off 31 balls (six fours), Rhys Kearney 32 off 26 balls (six fours), and Max Wills 24 retired not out off 25 balls (two fours). The multiple wicket takers for the Redbacks were Will Beard with 3/7 off three overs, and Ronak Mehra 2/8 off three overs.
The Under 14s score of 6/110cc fell short of Forest Hill/Eastfield, who totalled 4/151cc on Roy Baldwin Oval. Zion Solomons, following in his father’s footsteps, scored 27 retired not out off 25 balls (three fours). In the bowling, Ryder Pahi took 1/8 off two overs, Luca Wassnig 1/11 off two overs, Oliver Gilham 1/16 off two overs and Angus Bright 1/20 off three overs.
The U12s start their season next Friday evening.
