By Les Hutchings
Kilsyth First XI played Norwood at Mullum Mullum Reserve on Day 1 of Round 3 in the Trollope Shield competition. Norwood won the toss and elected to field. The first wicket fell in the 8th over with Kilsyth 1/4. It was 2/8 after 12 overs and then 3/19 when Kilsyth’s Captain Marcus Adams was caught behind for 10 off the last ball of Ishraj Jandu’s first over. Then, with the first two balls of his next over, medium pacer Jandu took two wickets (both LBW) to claim a hat-trick! Interestingly, he didn’t realise that he had achieved the feat at the time due to the break in overs. However, Kilsyth were in trouble at 5/20 and the next over from Norwood’s opening bowler Adam Baker was a wicket maiden with the Redbacks now 6/20. It was 7/26 when Baker bowled another wicket maiden in his next over. In the end, fourteen-year-old Will Beard top scored with 11 off 24 balls (1 four) and Kilsyth were dismissed for 50 after 38 overs. For Norwood, Ishraj Jandu finished with 3/16 off 7 overs (1 maiden). Opening bowlers Adam Baker, 2/7 off 13 overs (7 maidens), and Grant McInerney 3/20 off 13 overs (5 maidens), bowled with great accuracy and picked up key wickets. Spinner Ben Sanson chipped in with 2/4 off 5 overs (2 maidens) to wrap up the innings.
In the run chase, Norwood lost two early wickets and were 2/8 after 4 overs. Opening bowler Daniel Stapelfeldt, bowling with good pace, took the first wicket, well caught by Uvindu Wimaladharma. Fellow opening bowler Scott Nicholson captured the second wicket when Andy Solomons took a brilliant diving catch at short cover to a full-blooded drive. Then a 63 run partnership between former Kilsyth star batsman Josh Turner, 32 off 59 balls (3 fours), and Ben Hastie 37 off 68 balls (3 fours), took the score to 71. It was on this score that Norwood lost two wickets, both claimed by left arm finger spinner Mackenzie Scott-Thomas with a double wicket maiden. Josh Turner was caught by Uvindu Wimaladharma and the other wicket was caught and bowled. Mackenzie struck again in his next over, dismissing Hastie, caught behind by ’keeper Will Beard with Norwood now 5/80 in the 26th over. Norwood declared on 5/95 at the end of the 28th over leaving Kilsyth 14 overs to negotiate before stumps. Wicket takers for Kilsyth were Mackenzie Scott-Thomas 3/36 off 9 overs, Daniel Stapelfeldt 1/17 off 6 overs (1 maiden) and Scott Nicholson 1/17 off 7 overs (2 maidens). At the close of play Kilsyth were 1/25 in their second innings with Jack Childs 16 not out and First XI debutant Kevin Baldsing 4 not out. Norwood’s Adam Baker had 1/9 off 4 overs.
The Second XI suffered a similar fate, also against Norwood. Kilsyth won the toss and elected to bat but it wasn’t their day being dismissed for 78 in 42.5 overs. Top scorers were Daniel Caton 17 off 27 balls (2 fours) and Captain Matthew Coghlan 15 not out off 71 balls (2 fours). For Norwood, Lewis Miller 3/10 off 9 overs (5 maidens), Joshua Kelly 3/30 off 9 overs (1 maiden) and James Menzies 2/21 off 9.1 overs (1 maiden) did most of the damage with the ball. Norwood replied with 4/149 declared off 27 overs with Jason Cant scoring an excellent 84 off 90 balls including 11 fours and 3 sixes. He was well supported by Matthew Sansom, 26 off 31 balls (2 fours and 1 six). At stumps Kilsyth were 1/13 in their second innings.
With the Fourths and Fifths’ games abandoned with no play due to the state of the grounds, the Third XI’s performance with the bat proved to be the only real highlight for Kilsyth on Saturday. Playing Lilydale at Roy Baldwin Oval, Pinks Reserve, Kilsyth won the toss and chose to bat first. An opening partnership of 97 between Shane Smith and Sanjeev Rana got the Redbacks off to a great start and at the end of the day Kilsyth were all out for 280 off 75 overs. Openers Shane Smith, 72 off 90 balls (12 fours and 2 sixes) and Sanjeev Rana 54 off 58 balls (9 fours) batted superbly. Then Mark Unternahrer, coming in at number 5, took control and blasted 90 off 133 balls with 13 fours and 1 six to build on the good start. Lilydale’s wicket takers were Mohit Singla, who captured 5/22 off 31 overs (8 maidens), Craig Staggard 3/58 off 24 overs (6 maidens) and Angus Smith 2/26 off 6 overs (1 maiden). Congratulations to Russell Hutchings who passed the 2,000 senior runs milestone for Kilsyth Cricket Club during the match.
On Sunday, Kilsyth Women’s First XI won the toss against Lusatia Park and elected to field. Lusatia Park were 2/11 after 3 overs but then a 104 run partnership between Caitlyn Parker and Sam Reynolds lifted the score to 3/115 when Reynolds was out for 37 off 60 balls with one boundary. Then a partnership of 44 between Parker and Amelia English made it 4/159 off 31 overs. At the compulsory closure after 36 overs, Lusatia Park were 6/179 with Caitlyn Parker finishing on a sparkling 83 not out off 105 balls (8 fours). Wicket takers for Kilsyth were Avanthi Jaywickrema 3/41off 7 overs, Ashleigh Katoa 2/29 off 7 overs and Courtney Anderson 1/24 from 7 overs. Also, Avanthi and Ashleigh each took a catch in the field.
After the tea break Kilsyth set about the run chase but a 41 run opening partnership came to an unfortunate end when Belinda Hutchings was run out for 17 (1 four). It was 3/65 off 14 overs when fellow opener Nicole Woolhouse was caught for 16. Captain Ashleigh Katoa struck the ball well before being caught for 18 off 18 balls (1 four & 1 six) and Kilsyth were now 4/84 after 17 overs. Avanthi Jayawickrema struck two boundaries before being out for 8 off 3 balls and Sharon Sheals in her first bat for the Redbacks did well to score 12 (1 four) with Kilsyth 6/102 after 20 overs. Two other new players, Eva Gottschling and Faye Baxevanis scored 9 and 10 respectively and together with Alice Matanisiga 10 not out, helped Kilsyth reach 150 all out off 33.1 overs. For Lusatia Park, Caitlyn Parker took 3 catches and was also involved in a run out assist whilst Melissa Page also took 3 catches, including two caught and bowled. Lucy Pritchard took a wicket in every over she bowled, finishing with the fine figures of 6/30 off 5.1 overs and she was well supported by Melissa Page who captured 3/33 off 7 overs.
Unfortunately, all junior matches were abandoned with no play due to the inclement weather.
