The Dynamic Duo- Tim Ward and Nick Bertus
Parramatta District Cricket Club | March 31, 2025
Saturday 14th December 2019 was a day to remember at Old Kings Oval in the 1st Grade match v. Mosman (rd.8), Parramatta’s left-handed run machines, skipper and NSW rep Nick Bertus and the irrepressible young opener Tim Ward turned on a batting display of the foremost quality combining watchful defence with handsome stroke-play to amass a hefty 292 runs 2nd wicket partnership that piloted the two-blues to a massive team total of 2 – 409 (decl.).
Bertus’s performance was amazing coming just two days after his mother Merryn’s funeral service, his 166 not out (13 x4, 1 x6) showed astonishing fortitude and single-mindedness, not to mention great skill, in his time of heavy personal sadness. This was Nick’s second century in his last two innings for Parramatta, prior to being absent on State duty he struck 109 against Sydney University in rd.6.
Ward is rapidly emerging as one of the best batting talents produced by the Parramatta club over the last couple of decades, his contribution against Mosman was top-drawer 150 (17 x 4) stamping him as a player of genuine class, this effort backs up his century against North Sydney (rd.7) in which produced the opening batsman’s dream of ‘carrying his bat through the innings’ whilst making 114 not out – such a rare feat that in all grades only 16 other batsman have ever managed this deed for Parramatta.
The day 1 Mosman clash also saw two youngsters compile notable hundreds in the lower grades – in 2nd grade Hayden Goulstone struck a power packed 140 not out, and in 5th grade Abishek Mohanaraj celebrated his maiden grade century with a whopping 152.
