Lower Grades keep the Faith – Mosman Cricket Club 3 December 2001

Mosman Cricket Club | July 26, 2023

This article was produced by Mosman Cricket Club and published by the Mosman Daily newspaper in 2001-02

A diabolical weekend for Mosman’s first XI was somewhat offset by continuing improvement from the club’s lower grades.

The Club’s first two grades were joyless on the weekend, with the first grade boys comprehensively beaten in a two-dayer finishing on Saturday and again in a one day game on Sunday.

The addition of The Rawalpindi Express – Shoaib Akhtar – to the Mosman attack was not enough, although Shoaib has impressed in his first two games for the Whales.

He has certainly been a strong drawcard, with local cricket lovers flocking to Allan Border Oval over the weekend to watch him steam in from the Library end.

Shoaib has fitted in well and is enjoying his time at the Mosman Club.

“The facilities are magnificent and I am particularly enjoying the company of my teammates,” Shoaib said after Sunday’s game.

“I am also learning more about Australian conditions, which is important for me” he said. “Only on Sunday, one of the lower grade bowlers, James Sinclair, showed me some balls I had never seen before.

“All up, my visit has so far proved to be a worthwhile experience.”

Unfortunately, spectators at the weekend would have been none too impressed with the form of his teammates, all of whom performed well-below par on the weekend.

They were never in the hunt on Saturday as they pursued Gordon’s first innings total of 321.

Mosman struggled to 180, before stumps were drawn and the Whales headed home to contemplate their sudden form reversal.

Unfortunately, things didn’t improve on Sunday, when the newly-formed Randwick Petersham team defied the benefits of tradition in taking the points with nearly 25 overs to spare.

“I am as downcast as I have ever been,” said an emotional Mosman skipper, Martin Haywood.

“Little is not a word I am normally associated with, but I can assure you that on the weekend my teammates and I showed little courage, little talent and achieved little,” he said.

“Anyway, life goes on, and who knows what will happen next week?” Haywood asked. “I certainly don’t.”

News was little better in second grade, with the Whales bowling attack pummeled to all points of the ground as Gordon easily accounted for the Mosman first innings target.

Things did get better in the lower grades, with the third XI nearly completing an outright victory. Nick Gardon was the star of the day, with five wickets.

Fourth grade also picked first innings points in a tight match. Warwick Adlam took the vital last wicket and also chimed in with a neat 71 not out.

The fifth grade boys have moved into finals contention, with another grinding victory. James Ronaldson picked up 70 not out with the bat, while skipper Dougal Bryant was his usual wily self in claiming the wickets of three Gordon batsmen.

This week’s match at Allan Border Oval starts at 11.00am, with the second XI looking to regain some form and respect.