Randwick Petersham Cricket - Round 11 Limited Overs v Mosman at Petersham Oval - 21 December 2024
Randwick Petersham Cricket Club | December 23, 2024
Had any one of the famous radio cricket commentators, such as Alan McGilvray, John Arlott or Jim Maxwell, been broadcasting the limited overs 1st Grade match between Randwick Petersham and Mosman at Petersham Oval today, here’s how the last ball may have been described: “Pace bowler Daya Singh is back at his mark ready to deliver the last ball to Mosman’s no. 11, Cooper Johnston, who may be feeling a little nervous as they need one run to tie and two to win. Singh moves in. Shirt flapping. Arms pumping. Over it comes…..a good ball. Johnston has a swipe. Misses. Bowled! It’s all over. Randwick Petersham win by one run, 161 to 160.”
The old cliché is that it “can’t get any closer”. Well, it can’t, and it didn’t! An amazing game of cricket. I keep saying that the most exciting cricket is in NSW Premier Cricket and today was testimony to that claim.
MoneyQuest Randwick is a proud sponsor of Randwick Petersham Cricket Club
On a sunny Saturday, skipper Riley Ayre won the toss and decided Randwick Petersham would bat first. In retrospect, it may have been a good toss to lose, as the wicket had plenty of uneven bounce and sideways movement. So much so, that last week’s centurion, Austin Waugh, took 20 runs to get off the mark. The ball was the master early and while 26 runs were put on for the first wicket, they had taken 8 overs. More shocks were in store and the Randy Petes found themselves in the unfamiliar position of 6-85 off 31 overs. It was backs-to-the-wall stuff with only George Bell, who debuted last week, able to put anything like a score together. At the end of 47.5 overs, the side was out for a meagre 161 with Bell unconquered on 41* off 70 balls with just one boundary. Seven bats had scored between 11 and 18. Eight if you add extras of 12. It was only the second time the team had been bowled out in 9 Belvidere Cup matches this season.
In reply, the Whales suffered some early casualties with fast bowler Jason Ralston putting the breeze up them with two early wickets, supported by Austin Waugh and Luke Callanan. The scoreline was 4-45. But partnerships of 46 and 56 for the next 2 wickets saw the tally 5-147 off 45 overs. Advantage Mosman. They needed 15 off 30 balls. Even the biggest bookies in town wouldn’t let you get set on a Mosman win. But a Ralston wicket and a run out gave the hosts a sniff at 7-147. Brought back into the attack, Daya Singh claimed an lbw and a scoreline of 8-151. Eleven to get. Ben Montedoro bowled his 8th over of off-spin and Anthony Sams got into the act with a neat stumping for a 9-155 scoreline. Seven to get. Last man in. Into the last over. It went: 4 needed off 4; 4 off 3; 3 off 2; and 2 off one. Daya Singh strikes and drinks are served. What a game!
And while many discussion points will come from that game, one interesting statistic is that in the Mosman innings, just one catch was taken! Four bats were bowled; 3 lbw; one run out; one stumping….. and just one caught.
The win saw Randwick Petersham finish third on the Limited Overs Cup points table behind Parramatta and Hawkesbury. The team will play in the Qualifying Final on Sunday 19 January 2025, most likely against Eastern Suburbs at Coogee.
Lyall Gardner OAM
