By Les Hutchings
The highlight of the weekend’s cricket results from a Kilsyth perspective was Travis Tyszkiewicz taking a hat-trick for the Club’s Fourth XI against Healesville. Travis finished with 3/35 off 7 overs (1 maiden) to help his team to a good win. It was a round of mixed results for Kilsyth CC with the Firsts losing narrowly, whilst the Thirds, Fourths and Fifths recorded good wins, and the Women’s team won on forfeit from Chirnside Park.
Kilsyth Men’s First XI had a close match against Montrose at Alan Smith Oval, Pinks Reserve. Montrose won the toss and elected to bowl. Kilsyth opened brightly with Kevin Baldsing striking 3 boundaries before being bowled by Cheyne Van Kol on the last ball of the first over. Jack Childs and Andy Solomons then took the score to 44 when Childs was caught by Michael Edwards off Van Kol in the 9th over. At that stage Solomons was on 23 not out. The third wicket fell on 70 in the 18th over, when Pasan Ganegoda was, unfortunately, run out following a direct hit by Sam Gebert, with Andy Solomons on 46 not out at the time. An 83-run fourth wicket partnership between Solomons and Captain Marcus Adams lifted the score to 153 before Solomons was adjudged lbw for a magnificent 84 off 88 balls (7 fours and 4 sixes). It was Solomons’ eighth consecutive half century for the Redbacks, including T-20 matches. So, the score was now 4/153 in the 31st over. Marcus Adams and Mackenzie Scott-Thomas then added 58 for the fifth wicket and after 39 overs, Kilsyth had 211 on the board. With one over to go, Adams went for a big hit off the first ball and was caught on the boundary for a sparkling 62 off 68 balls (6 fours). Four runs were added in the last over with Kamal Kuruppu unfortunately being run out after slipping over, when taking off for a run. Kilsyth’s innings closed at 6/215cc off 40 overs with Mackenzie Scott-Thomas 25 not out off 30 balls.
With the score on 49 in the seventh over, Montrose lost their first wicket when Blake Podesta was stumped by keeper Marcus Adams from the bowling of spinner Hayden Pleming for 20 off 16 balls. One of Podesta’s towering sixes was struck over the square leg boundary, completely clearing the top of the new pavilion. This brought Captain Shane Findlay to the crease and he and opener Jacob Crowe took the score to 91 when, in the 15th over, Findlay was out hit wicket off the bowling of Pleming for 27 off 32 balls (3 fours and 1 six). At the drinks break, Montrose were 2/109 off 20 overs with the game evenly poised. Kilsyth then struck back to see wickets fall as follows: 3/123, 4/133 and 5/150 when Jacob Crowe was trapped lbw by Andy Solomons for 58 off 81 balls (6 fours). So, at the end of 30 overs, Montrose were 5/153 compared to Kilsyth 3/152 at the same stage. Some excellent running between wickets between Sam Gebert and Mitchell O’Neil took the score to 191 when Gebert was bowled by left arm orthodox spinner, Uvindu Wimaladharma, for 21 off 26 balls. The equation now was Montrose needed 24 off 4.1 overs. With only 3 runs coming off Wimaladharma’s next over, Montrose were 6/195 after 37 overs, needing 21 to win off 3 overs. By way of comparison, Kilsyth were 4/195 at the same stage. However, with 9 runs and then 12 runs coming off the next two overs, Montrose won with 7 balls to spare. Mitchell O’Neil finished on 32 not out (2 fours), and Ben Clilverd 14 not out. The wicket takers for Kilsyth were Uvindu Wimaladharma 2/28 off 7.5 overs, Hayden Pleming 2/34 off 8 overs, Andy Solomons 1/22 off 5 overs, and Kamal Kuruppu 1/43 off 5 overs. It was a great game of cricket, well played by both sides.
The Second XI played at the picturesque Yarra Junction Reserve against the Junction’s First XI. Kilsyth won the toss and elected to bowl. David Lever and Kevin Bomford put on 35 for the first wicket when Bomford was caught off Kilsyth’s opening bowler, Daniel Stapelfeldt, for 11 off 16 balls. Then, an excellent 84-run second wicket partnership came to an end when Lever was bowled by leg spinner Kyan Harper for 64 off 68 balls (6 fours). Harper then had Yarra Junction’s Captain Travis Nightingale stumped by Jake Powell for 51 off 67 balls (5 fours and 1 six), with the score now 3/135. Wickets then fell at regular intervals as Yarra Junction built their score: 4/165, 5/171, 6/201 and 7/211, to finish on 7/217cc off their allotted 40 overs. Daniel Crewe was the next best scorer and last man out, stumped by Jake Powell off spin bowler, Matthew Coghlan, for 28 off 21 balls (3 fours). The wicket takers for Kilsyth were Captain Matthew Coghlan 2/37 off 7 overs, Kyan Harper 2/39 off 5 overs, Kasun Ekanayake 1/35 off 8 overs, Daniel Caton 1/38 off 8 overs, and Daniel Stapelfeldt 1/37 off 7 overs. Kilsyth’s wicket keeper Jake Powell effected three stumpings.
In reply, Kilsyth’s batsmen were well contained by Yarra Junction’s bowlers and were all out for 79 in 29.1 overs, with number 11 Daniel Stapelfeldt injured and unable to bat. Kilsyth’s top scorers were Daniel Caton, 18 off 26 balls, and Ryan Tooth 15 off 29 balls. Yarra Junction’s bowlers shared the wickets with Kevin Bomford taking 2/6 off 3 overs, Daniel Lever 2/15 off 8 overs, Angus Jelly 2/16 off 5.1 overs, Daniel Crewe 1/19 off 7 overs, and Rhys Matthews 1/19 off 6 overs.
The Third XI played at home against Wantirna South. Kilsyth won the toss and sent Wantirna South in to bat first. Matthew Young took the first wicket (bowled), and South were 1/0 after 4 balls. Tight bowling saw them reach 1/16 after 11 overs with Kilsyth well on top. In the 22nd over, with the score on 50, Trent Potter took the second wicket, caught behind by keeper Anthony Cook. The third wicket fell with the score on 100 in the 35th over, when Pratik Patel was bowled by Mark Wells for 14 off 40 balls. The scoring rate then picked up with 42 runs being scored off the last 5 overs to see Wantirna South post 3/142cc. Captain Ashley Webb batted solidly for 72 not out off 110 balls (7 fours and 1 six), and Liam Bell contributed a brisk 27 not out off 22 balls (1 four and 3 sixes). Wicket takers for Kilsyth were Matthew Young 1/7 off 2 overs, Mark Wells 1/17 off 8 overs, and Trent Potter 1/21 off 8 overs.
Kilsyth chased down the target in only 14.4 overs, scoring 2/146. Anthony Cook continued his brilliant form with a blistering 64 off 33 balls (10 fours and 3 sixes). Joel Harris was 44 not out off 37 balls (5 fours and 2 sixes), and Mark Unternahrer finished on 18 not out off 9 balls (3 fours and 1 six). Thomas Slater was Wantirna South’s wicket taker with 2/29 off 3.4 overs.
The Fourth XI played an away match against Healesville Third XI. Healesville won the toss and elected to bat. Openers Jese Thomas and Ben Mackley took the score to 0/37 after 6 overs in a positive start for the Bloods. However, it was then that the game changed. Kilsyth’s Travis Tyszkiewicz broke the partnership with the first ball of his fourth over when Thomas was trapped lbw for 11 off 20 balls. Tyszkiewicz then took two wickets with his next two balls, both bowled, to claim a hat-trick and suddenly, Healesville were 3/37 off 6.3 overs. Mackey and Raff Morcombe then set about retrieving the situation with a 69-run fourth wicket partnership. Mackey was then caught behind by keeper Geoff Kennedy from the bowling of Hayden Monds for 32 off 46 balls (6 fours) and Healesville were now 4/106 after 18.2 overs. With the score on 117 in the 21st over, Morcombe was also caught behind by Kennedy off Monds for 55 off 44 balls (12 fours). After that, wickets fell regularly: 6/135, 7/141, 8/165, 9/166, all out 166 in 32 overs. Aeden Sento remained 30 not out off 36 balls (6 fours), whilst Premdeep Singh chipped in with 16 off 17 balls. Tyszkiewicz captured 3/35 off 7 overs, leg spinner Andrew Smith 2/20 off 7 overs (4 maidens), Tait Harper 2/30 off 6 overs, Monds 2/42 off 6 overs, and Captain Anthony Sequeira 1/17 off 3 overs. Behind the stumps, Geoff Kennedy took two catches and effected a stumping as well.
Kilsyth were untroubled chasing down the target and finished on 4/170 off 33.3 overs. In an even batting performance, Geoff Kennedy scored 36 not out off 50 balls, Sequeira 35 off 64 balls, Shane Smith a rapid 26 off 16 balls (6 fours), and Matthew Harper 20 not out off 17 balls.
The Fifth XI played Chirnside Park at Lilydale Heights College. The Redbacks won the toss and elected to bat. However, Kilsyth were soon in trouble at 1/6, 2/15, 3/17 and 4/47. Then, a 106-run fifth wicket partnership between three players: Greg Gommers 53 retired not out off 75 balls (7 fours and 1 six), Ryan Kaal and Jordan Relf, 26 off 13 balls (3 fours and 2 sixes), got the Redbacks back on track. Kaal went on to score 47 off 47 balls (6 fours and 2 sixes). A ninth wicket unbroken partnership of 27 saw Kilsyth reach 8/198cc after 36 overs. Shaun Goodwin scored 17 not out off 17 balls, and Mark Rollings 14 not out off 13 balls. Multiple wicket takers for Chirnside Park were Leigh Schilling, 2/17 off 7 overs, and Zaosh Namerian 2/26 off 4 overs. After the tea break, Chirnside slumped to 8/77 including a team hat-trick being achieved by Kilsyth with the score on 77. Firstly, there was a run out with Ryan Kaal throwing the ball to wicket keeper Tyron Paspa. Then, with the next two balls, Stewart Gibb picked up consecutive wickets (bowled and then caught behind by keeper Tyron Paspa). Chirnside Park fought it out but in the end were dismissed for 124 off 31.4 overs. Peter Schilling top scored with 37 not out off 69 balls, whilst opener Mark Bennett scored 34 off 24 balls (4 fours and 1 six). For Kilsyth, the wicket takers were Stewart Gibb 3/14 off 3 overs, John Wilson 2/15 off 5 overs, Jordan Relf 2/18 off 5 overs, Shaun Goodwin 1/18 off 3 overs, and Ryan Kaal 1/1 off 4 balls.
In Round 2 of the T-20 Finals last Tuesday evening, the undefeated Kilsyth Men’s First XI had a good win over Ferntree Gully. Kilsyth won the toss and elected to bat. The highlight of Kilsyth’s innings was the batting of Andy Solomons, who was in stellar form, striking boundaries to all parts of the field. He was eventually caught on the boundary by Ben Austin off the bowling of Patrick Mastertoun for a scintillating 85 from 38 balls, including 7 fours and 6 sixes in an outstanding batting performance. It was his seventh consecutive half century for the Redbacks. At that point, Kilsyth were 4/133 after 15.4 overs. After that, wickets fell regularly, and Kilsyth finished on 8/157cc. The second top scorer was Mark Unternahrer with 16 off 25 balls (1 four). Multiple wicket takers for Ferntree Gully were Captain Patrick Mastertoun, 3/36 off 4 overs, Clayton Floyd 2/28 off 4 overs, and Ben Austin 2/41 off 4 overs.
After three overs, Ferntree Gully were 3/13 with a wicket each to Kamal Kuruppu (caught Matthew Young), Hayden Pleming (stumped Marcus Adams), and Uvindu Wimaladharma (clean bowled). Further wickets fell on 34 (bowled Wimaladharma), and 56 (caught Wimaladharma, bowled Mackenzie Scott-Thomas). So, after 11 overs Ferntree Gully were 5/56 with Jack Hammond batting well on 32 not out. Ben Grimshaw struck a nice 6 and put on 28 runs with Hammond before being stumped by Marcus Adams off Scott-Thomas for 15 off 10 balls (1 six). Scott-Thomas followed up with another wicket (bowled), in the same over (a maiden), to see Ferntree Gully 7/84 after 15 overs. They were eventually all out for 115 in 19.3 overs with Kilsyth moving into the final 8 of the 44-team competition. The top scorer for Ferntree Gully was Jack Hammond, who was bowled by Andy Solomons for a fine 55 off 44 balls (5 fours). All Kilsyth’s bowlers did a good job and the wicket takers were Mackenzie Scott-Thomas 3/18 off 4 overs (1 maiden), Uvindu Wimaladharma 2/26 off 4 overs, Kamal Kuruppu 1/10 off 3 overs, Hayden Pleming 1/19 off 4 overs, Andy Solomons 1/22 off 3 overs, and Matthew Smith 1/6 off 3 balls.
