NARRE Warren Cricket Club’s Turf One match against Buckley Ridges was labelled the ‘grudge match’, and didn’t it deliver.
From the first ball to the last, the game was one of the most intense many of the players have been involved in.
With David Wheeler and Shane Simpson switching camps to Narre Warren this season, the Buckley Ridges players were angry, and this game had been built up as soon as the fixture came out.
After wining the toss and bowling on day one, the stand-outs with the ball were John Simpson (3/35 off 18 overs), and Wheeler with his return to the old stomping ground picking up 5/66 off 19.3 overs.
Buckley Ridges was made to pay for not holding on to Wheeler.
Week two saw Narre Warren lose openers in Mick Dennis and Matt Darvell early and struggle to 2/15.
Enter captain Wendell Perumal and John Simpson.
The two set about turning it Narre Warren’s way, putting on a 79-run partnership before Perumal was out for 54.
With Simpson looking a million bucks and Shane Simpson joining him in his return game, the game was in the balance.
Shane Simpson did what he came to do and broke open the game.
After a calculated start to his innings he started to open up, hitting Wookie medallist D’Rozario for some big shots.
When Simpson departed for a 55, Narre Warren needed 29 runs off 15 overs.
John Simpson then started losing partners, and with Dwayne Thomson going, followed by Duane Hughes then Chris Jarrett, Narre Warren looked a touch shaky.
Simpson then made Narre Warren Cricket Club history when he became the first Turf One player to get a century.
When he departed soon after, number 10 Michael Sigaras went in to partner Wheeler.
Things were looking gloomy, but with poise and experience on his side, Sigaras hit the winning runs with a cut shot off the Wookie medallist to bring home the six points.
@BT Sub Sport News:TURF THREE
Defending 173 against Buckley Ridges, Narre Warren fought it out but in the end was outclassed. Jarrod Leworthy picked up 2/53 and Travis Brinkmann 2/32.
@BT Sub Sport News:A GRADE
Chasing a gettable score of 240 at Sweeney Reserve, Narre Warren was dismissed for a total of 68 against Lynbrook.
@BT Sub Sport News:D GRADE
Parkfield was 8/29 at the resumption, chasing 246.
It took only four overs for Narre Warren to finish the first innings, bowling the opposition out for 33.
Under 15 player Shannon Marrell took 6/14 off 9.4 overs in his first senior five-wicket haul, and Brett Hay captured 3/15 off eight overs.
Narre Warren sent Parkfield back in with the hope of an outright win, and bowled the team out in 26 overs for 56 runs.
Leigh Bennett bowled superbly taking 5/15 for his first five-wicket, Glen Landry took 4/17 off nine overs and Hay picked up another wicket as Narre Warren won by an innings and 158 runs.
@BT Sub Sport News:UNDER 15 1
Narre Warren was defending its score of 1/197 against Hampton Park, and some tight bowling supported by good fielding saw Hampton Park progress slowly to 1/44 off 23 overs at drinks.
While a few shots were played after drinks, Narre Warren continued its hold on the game to bowl the opposition out in the 40th over for 97 runs.
Chris Edwards, Josh Amsterdam and Anthony Jayalath took two wickets each.
The fielding highlight was the outstanding one-hand running catch by Shannon Marrell.
@BT Sub Sport News:UNDER 15 2
Chasing 120, Lyndale resumed at 5/17 to be all out for 42.
Being put into bat again, Lyndale finished at 8/124 in its second innings.
It was a great bowling and fielding performance from Narre Warren with Jack Spreckly and Jake Moroney each taking four catches. Best of the bowlers were Kris Merz (4/11) and Travis Walker (4/14).
@BT Sub Sport News:UNDER 15 3
A terrific win by Narre Warren, with tight fielding, good catching and excellent bowling.
The bowlers all stuck to their tasks, with Luke Clarke taking 5/10 in Lynbrook’s first innings.
Narre Warren declared at 154 to put the opposition back in with hope of gaining an outright win, but ran out of time with Lynbrook making 2/58.
Narre Warren’s bowlers conceded only 12 extras for the game, and Clarke picked up 2/20 in the second innings to take 7/30 for the game.
@BT Sub Sport News:UNDER 13 1
Defending 118, Narre Warren toiled away against Endeavour Hills for the full 40 overs, showing plenty of application at times, but also some loose bowling.
@BT Sub Sport News:UNDER 13 2
Hosting Noble Park, Narre Warren was all out for 84.
Top scorers were Zack Allen (14), James Elliot (9), Jacob De Silva (9) and Paul Moreland (9 not out).
