Parramatta’s Rampaging Charge to the 2009/10 Third Grade Premiership
Parramatta District Cricket Club | November 26, 2024
Parramatta’s Third Grade team produced an amazing Finals series campaign to capture the 2009/10 Premiership. They ran roughshod over their opponents in the Qualifying Final (Easts), Semi-Final (Manly) and Grand Final (St. George) along the way only bowling a mere 25.3 overs – all matches were played at Old Kings Oval.
In the QF Parramatta had first use of the batting crease and rattled up a massive 437 (Steve Karam 105, T. Crittenden 98, L. Dempsey 72). After a long stay in the field Easts collapsed for 140 in 25.3 overs (A. Karam 3/36, A. Child 3/32).
Next up in the SF Manly won the toss and sent Parra in to bat, and the move appeared to be spot on with the two-blues wobbling at 7/129, before recovering to 9/228 and then the incredible happened. Allrounder Anthony Karam produced the ‘innings of a lifetime’ scoring a brilliant 211n.o. and in the process, added a NSW Premier Cricket (all grades) 10th wicket partnership record of 200 runs unfinished with Madushanka Vithanage (65n.o.). With Parra still batting well into the second day Manly decided to head back to the beach and conceded the Semi-Final.
A week later the charge continued in the Grand Final against the St. George. Once more batting first Parramatta settled into their groove and determinedly ground the team’s total to 6/359 (Trent Crittenden 102, L. Dempsey 78) deep into day 2. St. George in turn conceded the Grand Final and Parra claimed Third Grade title.
Earlier in the season at Merrylands Oval Parramatta bowled North Sydney out for meagre total of 8 runs in their first innings. That man Anthony Karam was in devastating form with his medium-paced inswingers capturing 7/3 (9.4 overs), his performance included two separate hat-tricks – in the 8th over of the match Karam claimed wickets with ball 4, 5 and 6, in the 20th over he snared another hat-trick on balls 2, 3 and 4 to close out the Norths innings. In Norths second dig Karam captured another wicket with his first ball, caught at slip by his brother Steve, which gave him a double hat-trick or 4 – in – 4 balls.
