Last weekend Kilsyth Cricket Club’s top four men’s teams, together with the Under 16s and Under 12-3s, played one-day matches. The remainder of the teams did not play due to the weekend bordering Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.
The highlight of the round was the sparkling century by First XI opener Jack Childs, who scored 101* off 125 balls (11 fours) against Bayswater Park.
Michael Sturt had a good all-round game for the Third XI, making 41* with the bat, and taking 4/22 with the ball. Half-centuries were scored by Anthony Cook, 66 (Third XI), and Greg Gommers, 50 (Fourth XI).
It was also a weekend for milestones, with the Third XI’s Matthew Burgess playing his 300th senior game for the Club, the Second XI’s Danel Caton taking his 100th senior wicket, and his teammate Jake Powell reaching the 2000 senior runs milestone.
The First XI were at home against the undefeated top of the ladder Bayswater Park in the Wilkins Cup competition. Kilsyth won the toss and elected to bat. However, the Redbacks got off to a bad start, losing 3/11 in the first six overs. All three wickets fell to opening bowler Devon Gabriel-Brown. Jack Childs and Pasan Ganegoda set about rescuing the situation, and at drinks, had taken the score to 3/88 after 20 overs. Eventually, they added a valuable 99 for the fourth wicket when Ganegoda, who scored 40 off 56 balls (six fours), was bowled by Justin Laughlin in his first over, and Kilsyth were now 4/110 after 25 overs. Jack Childs and Chris Pahi then shared a brisk fifth-wicket partnership of 82 to see Kilsyth reach 5/192 after 38.1 overs. Pahi made 35 off 39 balls. New batsman, Isuru Numesh, took a single off the first ball he faced to give the strike to Jack Childs, who was on 93 not out with 10 balls remaining. Childs scored a single off the fourth ball to go to 94. Then two more singles off the next two balls saw Childs on 95 and facing at the start of the final over (score 5/196). He cut the first ball for four to go to 99. He played the next ball to short midwicket and the bowler followed through, fielded the ball and attempted a run out with a throw to the bowler’s end, where Umesh was backing up. However, the resultant overthrow enabled Childs to take a single and complete a well-deserved century. In the end, Kilsyth finished on 5/207cc after 40 overs with Jack Childs on 101* and Umesh 5*.
It was a great effort considering the Redbacks were 3/11 early in the innings. For Bayswater Park, Devon Gabriel-Brown was the outstanding bowler with 4/34 off 8 overs (2 maidens), whilst Justin Laughlin took 1/33 off 5 overs.
After the tea break, Sharks’ opening batsman Spencer Petrie took 14 off the third over (2 fours and 1 six) and was looking threatening. However, Kilsyth Captain Coach Andy Solomons had Petrie caught by Mackenzie Scott-Thomas in the fifth over, and Bayswater Park were 1/22. The score progressed to 37 after nine overs when opening bowler Isuru Umesh came back for a second spell and produced a double-wicket maiden. At drinks, Bayswater Park were 3/70 after 20 overs. Captain Troy Gstrein and James Court took the score to 3/158 in a magnificent fourth wicket partnership of 121. Then, left arm quick Nawan Sampath, playing his first game for the season, broke the partnership when he bowled Court for a well-made 51 off 67 balls (3 fours). In the next over, Solomons bowled Gstrein for an impressive 74 off 88 balls (8 fours and 1 six), and Kilsyth were fighting back. The score was now 5/158 after 34.1 overs. The sixth wicket fell on 178 in the 37th over, and by the end of the 39th had reached 6/192. In a tense final over, the Sharks scored nine runs off the first four balls and needed seven runs off the last two balls to win. However, with only two runs coming off the last two balls, Kilsyth held on to win by four runs in a great game of cricket. Jack Zilinskas finished on 23* off 19 balls (2 fours), and Devon Gabriel-Brown 9* off 10 balls. The wicket takers for Kilsyth were Isuru Umesh, 3/55 off eight overs (1 maiden), Andy Solomons 2/28 off eight overs (2 maidens), and Nawan Sampath 1/34 off eight overs. In the field, Mackenzie Scott-Thomas took two catches and Sagar Ahir one.
The Second XI played Croydon Ranges at Silcock Reserve, Number 2 Oval. Croydon Ranges won the toss and at drinks were cruising at 3/125 off 19.3 overs. Spinner Justin Smith claimed the third wicket in his second over, well caught by Matthew Young. Ranges batted well to compile 8/210cc off their 40 allotted overs. Captain Michael Hendley was the standout batsman with 82 off 90 balls (11 fours), whilst Harrison Low scored 29 off 24 balls (3 fours and 1 six). Kilsyth’s Daniel Caton captured 3/26 off eight overs, and Justin Smith took 2/47 from his eight overs. After the tea break, Kilsyth set about the run chase but lost regular wickets to be 5/73 after 20 overs and were eventually bundled out for 120 in 35.3 overs. Max Wills was the best of the batsmen with 39 off 55 balls (eight fours). The multiple wicket takers for Croydon Ranges were Daniel Woodrow, 3/18 off 8 overs (4 maidens), Harrison Low 2/14 off 5 overs (2 maidens), and Angus Younger 2/35 off 7 overs (1 maiden).
The Third XI played at home on Roy Baldwin Oval against Ainslie Park. After losing an early wicket with the score on five, Kilsyth recovered to be 2/112 after 20 overs. However, in the first over after drinks, Anthony Cook was dismissed for a quick-fire 66 off 65 balls (12 fours and 1 six). Kilsyth’s batsmen continued to look for runs, and in the 40th and last over, Michael Sturt, who had been promoted from the Fourths, hit three consecutive sixes to lift the Redbacks to 7/214cc. Sturt finished on an entertaining 41* off 45 balls (3 fours and 3 sixes). Others to do well with the willow were Kasun Ekanayake, 34 off 38 balls (5 fours), and Andrew Woolhouse 25 off 33 balls (3 fours). For Ainslie, Xavier Walles captured 3/26 off 8 overs (3 maidens), Trent Sier 2/24 from 8 overs, and Jack Simpson 2/32 off 8 overs (1 maiden).
In the run chase, Ainslie Park were 1/89 off 20 overs with Trent Sier out for 32 off 48 balls (5 fours), caught by Kasun Ekanayake off the bowling of Matthew Smith. When the score had reached 1/112 off 26 overs, Ainslie looked like they might chase down the target of 215. However, in the 27th over, spinner Matthew Harper bowled a double-wicket maiden, and the game changed. One of the wickets to fall was that of opener Marcus Allan, who had scored 43 off 83 balls (4 fours). Kilsyth’s Matthew Harper, 2/34 off seven overs (1 maiden), and Michael Sturt 4/22 off six overs, restricted Ainslie to 8/173cc off their 40 overs. The other wicket takers were Matthew Smith 1/21 off eight overs (2 maidens), and Matthew Burgess 1/27 off five overs (1 maiden). The win kept Kilsyth’s Third XI in fourth place on the ladder after the first five rounds.
The Fourth XI journeyed to Gruyere Recreation Reserve to play Mount Evelyn’s Third XI. Kilsyth won the toss and batted first, amassing a competitive 7/193c off their 36 overs. Co-Captain Greg Gommers top-scored with 50 off 78 balls (seven fours and one six), Pieter Van Gent hit 37 off 45 balls (seven fours), and Jordan Relf 41* off 33 balls (3 fours and 3 sixes). In reply, Mount Evelyn proved too good, scoring 2/197 from 28 overs. The top scorers were Cambell Finch, 56 off 70 balls (7 fours), Kadyn Newport 50 off 78 balls (6 fours and 1 six), and Jamie Shaw 39* off 24 balls (4 fours and 2 sixes). Michael Panozzo and Louis Potter were Kilsyth’s wicket takers.
On Saturday morning, the Under 16-3 team played Knox City Tigers on Alan Smith Oval at Pinks Reserve. Kilsyth won the toss and decided to bat in the 25 overs per side match. The Redacks were soon 1/0 but then Rys Kearney 27*, Max Wills 26*, and Luke Childs 19*, all retired after facing 25 balls each. Kilsyth lost two wickets on 98 but then Tait Harper, 37 retired not out (6 fours), and Hayden Monds 17 not out (1 four), helped lift the Redbacks to 3/155cc off their allotted 25 overs. For Knox City, Yumeth Ganegama took 2/23 off 4 overs, and Dulina Walisjundara 1/8 off 2 overs (1 maiden). Knox City replied with 7/97cc, giving Kilsyth a comfortable win. Knox City’s Co-Captain, Kimiren Chetty, retired not out on 17 (2 fours), and Leon Koutsampasis scored 20 off 18 balls. Kilsyth’s bowling was very good, and three bowlers had identical figures of 2/11: Tait Harper (from 3 overs), Isaac Coppens (4 overs, 1 maiden), and Louis Potter (2 overs). Opening bowler Max Wills was the other wicket taker with 1/10 off 4 overs (2 maidens). Kilsyth wicket keeper and Captain Will Beard was involved in 4 dismissals (2 catches and 2 stumpings). The win enabled the U16 team to retain top spot on the ladder after 4 rounds.
On Friday evening the Under 12-3 team travelled to Queen’s Park Healesville to play against Healesville, who won the toss and elected to bat. However, they lost early wickets to be 3/11 and eventually compiled 7/68 (all out) after 21.2 overs. Kilsyth had seven single wicket takers and Reggie Morcombe was top scorer for the Bloods with 15* off 22 balls (2 fours). The match ended with Kilsyth on 3/92 after 21 overs to record a comfortable win. Aiden Nicoll continued his good form with 16 retired not out off 20 balls, and Lorenzo Belousoff scored 11 retired not out off 20 balls (1 four). For Healesville, Rory Jackson-Wardtook took 2/10 off 3 overs. The win sees Kilsyth U12’s second on the ladder after 3 rounds.
