Christopher Thanos - Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club 5th Grade premiership winning captain 2021-22
Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club Sydney | October 12, 2023
In season 2021/22 Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club 5th grade team won the competition for the first time in the clubs 127 year history.
In this Q&A we invited the very proud 5th Grade captain Christopher Thanos to share some insights into the 5th Grades premiership winning season
Thanks for joining us Christopher,
Firstly, how long have you been playing for Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club?
4 seasons.
How many years have you been the captain of the 5th grade team
This was my 2nd consecutive season as captain of 5s.
41 players played in the 5th grade team throughout the season – can you share why there were so many players?
Covid played a major factor, with players throughout the club becoming unavailable late Friday night or Saturday morning in some instances. This obviously had a flow on effect and filtered down through the grades. Injuries, weddings and school cricket were the other main contributing factors. Ensuring the side was balanced each week was also a reason we utilised 41 players this season. The side wouldn’t have been competitive if we had picked 9 specialist bowlers for example.
What is the average age of the team?
Unsure about the average age, but only 8 of the 41 players were over the age of 25 to give you a rough idea.
You won the Minor Premiership which was a fantastic achievement. What was the mindset of the players and team going into the quarter final knowing you couldn’t be knocked out of the semis?
Throughout the season we’ve always had the mindset of wanting to play, even with inclement weather around. The side always did what was necessary to get on and play knowing full well we may not win the match. It was one of the great trademarks of this side. The Quarter Final and Semi Final were no different. Even with inclement weather around the boys were doing everything they could to get on at a sodden Waverley for both fixtures. If we lost then we didn’t deserve to progress.
In the Quarter Final Northern District scored 179 runs and Easts were 9 for 173. Tell us what was going through your mind and how relieved were you when you passed them 9 down?
The Quarter Final was a rain affected match, with the overs reduced to 37 each and light fading fast towards the end of the day. In the field we weren’t really executing our plans as a bowling unit and the Northern District batsman took full advantage of some loose deliveries.
In hindsight and reflecting back, there were a few changes I should have made earlier to contain them a bit more, so I was mainly frustrated with myself. It was a good lesson and one in which I learnt a lot.
Our young openers really laid the platform scoring at the required rate and putting us in good stead.
Ollie Patterson then played a crucial knock, showing maturity beyond his years to score his first ever grade 50 and ensure we were always in the hunt. Steven Lewis then swing wildly from the hip in the last over and strategically edged one over the keeper to score the winning runs with 1 ball remaining. A fitting moment for the club legend, who honoured his late grandfather in the best possible way. Fair to say we were all pretty elated with the victory.
In the semi-final you scored 180 against North Sydney. How confident were you in defending the total to move into the final?
At training during the week, we discussed and reflected upon the Northern District game in great detail, what we did well, what we didn’t and areas we needed to improve. It was this self-reflection and honesty amongst the group that made me extremely confident in our ability to not only compete but win.
Our young openers putting on a 98-run stand set us up nicely. A sharp catch from Nick Kelland at short mid-wicket set the standard early, with our young spinners in Akshay Prasan and Dylan Melvey the pick of the bowlers.
In the final against UNSW you scored 181 and it was a terrific final. UNSW were 5 for 114 and then 5 for a 152 and they only needed 29 runs. Please share with us what happened and moments in the game before your bowled them out for 164.
With the biblical rain battering the east coast it was inevitable that the weather would impact the match in some capacity.
Our preparation reflected this, with drills being conducted to ensure we had the confidence and ability to be able to play on any pitch prepared (puddings included). We also analysed UNSW’s season in depth through scorecards and some video footage and were able to formulate multiple game plans for varying situations the opposition might present us.
Being sent in on a soft one was no surprise. We had prepared for this and knew that if we just chipped away and laid a platform we would had the ability to accelerate towards the end. Some crucial partnerships enabled this to happen.
At no stage in the game did I think we would lose. Even at 5/152, as a group we knew we were only 1 wicket away. We just needed to maintain our composure, keep the required rate in check and that the sustained pressure would bring about errors. It was a pulsating match played in terrific spirit and kudos to UNSW for the way in which they played and the manner they represented themselves and their club. A special thanks to all supporters from both clubs for coming out to watch.
What made winning the premiership so special?
Seeing the boys being rewarded for all their hard work, given the challenges thrown at everyone this year was pretty special. Seeing past players, volunteers and supporters get around this group and the support from the current group highlights how special this club is and how much this premiership meant to everyone at the club.
Are there any players who you’d like to make special mention of for the contribution throughout the season?
To all the 41 players who played and contributed to this history making season. In particular to Andrew Millican who filled in for 1 game and due to his vintage tore his glute. To Steven Lewis, Mark Morley and Hamish Stening, thank you for your support, assistance and leadership throughout the year.
Are there any memorable moments from the season you’d like to share?
This entire season was memorable. Seeing the development and improvement of the players was certainly a highlight. Watching one of the young kids deciding to use his hat as a marker for his spot in the field and hearing him explain his reasoning is certainly up there. The good weekend quiz and crosswords each week certainly had their moments.
Who are the players in the team you’d expect to have big futures for the Dolphins in the years ahead?
Riley Davison, Akshay Prasan, Dylan Melvey, Ollie Patterson, Tom and Will Marchant and Henry Pike.
What will you remember most about the season and winning the premiership?
Knowing we worked so hard, left no stone unturned and ultimately got rewarded in the end when no one really expected us to win or be competitive. That is pretty memorable.
What are you most proud of as captain and leading the team to the 5th grade premiership?
I’m extremely proud of the way we approached each week and every challenge that came our way. We did it in a positive and spirited manner. The sides effort, attitude and commitment were faultless.
Is there anyone from the club you’d like to thanks for their contribution to such a successful season?
A special thank you to Barry Clarence and Tony Davison for capturing the day and providing memories that everyone can re live. Barry thank you for the effort you made in attending and your constant support.
To our manager Steve Abbott (the most successful junior coach in SEJCA history), thank you for your assistance the past two years.
To all the farmers both past and present, thank you
To all the past players who reached out during the season thank you for laying the foundations and creating the history and culture that we want to build upon.
To the current players, coaches, volunteers and supporters thank you.
