4th XI - Val Gnanakone
The season started uneventfully for the BPCC 4th XI with a wash out for the first game against Ballam Park. The team was filled with a group of lads some of whom hadn't played cricket before, seasoned juniors and of course some new faces to the club.
As always with teams this early in the season come round 2 we had a very different team make up. Asked to bowl first (one of the first of many tosses I was to lose), we dismissed Mt Eliza for 198. Our batting was definitely our weaker point but we put up a good fight with all the top order getting a start. We unfortunately fell 4 agonising runs short.
Round 3, buoyed by our close came the week before we came out to Somerville on a very hot day. Once again lost the toss and had a bowl on what was definitely a 35 degree + day. We were very fortunate to be walking off the park 20 overs later when we had dismissed them for 23. Young Andrew Mathers picked up 2 / 4 from 4 overs, and I was lucky enough to capture 7/8 off 10 overs. As mentioned batting was our week point and we were bundled out for 83. A lead of 60. For the first time in my career I bowled again on the same day, and at stumps we had reduced them again to 3/40 in their second dig.
On the 2nd day they ended up with 101 all out, new bloke Matthew Beaver capturing 5 wickets. Fortunately we chased down the remaining 45 to win outright with Matt Harris not out on 27, a great start to his first season at BPCC.
Round 4, lost the toss (again) vs Langwarrin, bowled then out for 219 at stumps. A few of us were only available for one week so that left the chase the second week a bit short. All out of 63 in the first dig gave Langy a good chance for an outright with 42 overs to bat out the day with only 8 wickets. But the lads showed a lot of fight to bat out the day to end on 4/110. Tristan Hawksworth made 44 no. to secure the draw.
Round 5, one to forget. Lost the toss and was put in by Seaford (top team). Bundled out for 53. Seaford went out there and scored pretty quickly to end the day on 4/216. Day 2 and the Seaford team declared to leave us to bat out the rest of the day to save an outright. Young Bookie Akintola and Haydn Barr batted incredibly well against these blokes for 36 overs to give us the best chance to survive. Unfortunately the rest of the side wasn't able to show the courage that our openers had and we were bowled out for 112 in 56 overs.
Round 6 against Mornington. Batted first and finished with 164. Chris Rice top scored with 74 to really give us a boost. We had them on the ropes at 6-75, and 7-124, but couldn't grab the last wicket (although chances were aplenty), and once again we lost by a bee's ...k.
Round 7 first game after the new year, we faced up against a strong Moorooduc side. Bowled first after losing the toss and they ended up 242. Chasing we started reasonably well but fell away, David Pessato made a terrific 47 to give us a sniff, along with young Kane O'Brien who made 32. But we fell 30 runs short once again.
Round 8 vs Skye. Probably one team i felt extremely confident against. We bowled first and they made 139. At stumps we were somehow 7-71. The batting started well and at 1-50 i was stoked. But the middle order crumbled against some simple but effective bowling. On day 2 Mal Bucks put up a fight with Kyal Wingfield and got us very close. It was myself and Kane O'Brien at the end once again... and we lost by 6 runs. Another bee's ...k.
Round 9, lucky enough to play the top undefeated team for the second time (thanks MPCA). Seaford won the toss and elected to bowl first. Opening up was Matt Harris who made a terrific 95, and definitely deserved his 100. We ended on 203 which I was pretty happy about. Day 2 started well, captured a few big wickets up top, (no thanks to the umpires we could have had a few more), and we were well in the game. Until one bloke came out and hit a pretty good hundred, although we had him a couple of times early. They ended up with 292 all out.
Round 10, I ACTUALLY WON THE TOSS! and this time decided to have a bowl first based on their weak batting line up. Seemed to work pretty well and we had them all out for 118. And at stumps we were 1/50. Of course i was very confident but once again the middle order let us down, and it was left to Kane O'Brien and I to try and get us across the line. This time we fell 3 runs short.
Round 11 vs the Pines. A strong side with lots of talent for our last game of the season. Lost the toss we batted first and made 113. They passed us 5 down.
All in all a pretty disappointing season with a lot of 'what ifs'. But an even more pleasing note a lot of positives. Gary Labas who collected the bowling award for his 26 wickets at a great rate impressed every time he had the ball in his hand. Matt Harris took out the batting award with his consistency and number of terrific performances, Kane O'Brien the fielding award for his all round efforts not only on the field but also with the bat.
A lot to look forward to for next season, where we can convert those real chances!
Till next time... Captain Val.