Balgownie wins nail biter for title in Illawarra Junior Cricket
In a real nail biter, Balgownie scored a one run win over Wests Blue in Illawarra Cricket’s under 11s final last weekend. Bally had scored 9/102 from is 26 overs with H Lackenby making 22 and J Lackenby 19. Wests looked to be in charge of the match at 2/82 following solid contributions from M Phillips (17) and K Richards (31) until four run outs and Bally’s bowlers took charge to see Wests dismissed for 101 in the 26th. Top wicket taker for Bally was C Whittington with 3/13 while J Willis effected two run outs and took 1/13.
In the under 12s final between Thirroul Blue and Balgownie Black, Bally batted first to be all out for 142 in the 50th over. Best contributions with the bat for Balgownie were B Brown (37), A Kampers (28) and M Sink (22) while Thirroul’s best bowler was B Davis with 3/17. Thirroul looked on track to take the title when its openers J Fowles (43) and L Essenstam (19) took the score to 73 without loss. Then the run out of Fowles by A Kampers and a hit wicket dismissal of Essenstam soon after led to a Thirroul collapse. Thirroul was ultimately dismissed for 117 in the 44th over for Bally to take the match and title. Bally’s best bowler was J Sweeney with 3/10.
In the 14B grade, Keira Red batted first and was in trouble at 5/56 until middle order batsmen B Goodhew (52) and R Gyngell (24) made a 68 run partnership to see their team to be all out for 163 in the 50th over. Keira Black looked to be making good their chase at 1/66 with openers D Constable (17) and M Stark (28) making solid contributions but then the Blacks steadily lost wickets to be all out for 136. The Reds thereby took the title.
In the under 10s final against Helensburgh, Wests had 7 retirees after they each faced 20 balls in their innings. They were J Langham (10), A Glover (18), T Barrett (18), M Calder (13), H Reh (5), I Carlisle (15), and J Deswarick (15). Wests scored 4/120 off its 28 overs. In reply for Helensburgh only S Bassingthwaighte (37 not out) and A Rooke (13 not out) were able to match Wests bowlers as the Burgh scored 9/85 off its 28 overs. Top wicket takers in the match were Wests M Calder (2/14) and Helensburgh’s J Loman (2/7)
14B: Keira Red 163 (B Goodhew 52, M Stark 3/9, C Duggen 3 catches) defeated Keira Black 136 (M Stark 28, A Adams 3/20).
12: Balgownie Black 142 (A Kampers 28, B Brown 37, B Davis 3/17) defeated Thirroul Blue 117 (J Fowles 43, J Sweeney 3/10, B Brown 3(c))
11: Balgownie 9/102 defeated Wests Blue 101
10: Wests Red 4/120 (J Loman 2/7) defeated Helensburgh 9/85 (S Bassingthwaighte 37, M Calder 2/14)
For more Illawarra Junior Cricket results go to http://www.cricketnsw.com.au/ijca/
For South Coast junior cricket results and performances go to http://scjca.nsw.cricket.com.au/
What happened in Lahore – Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakarra’s account
Family friend Raj S. Sivananthan has asked that everyone feel free to share Kumar's account below with other cricket lovers the world over who might want to know first hand what happened in Lahore. Extracts from Kumar’s account follow:
……. We were shaken badly, obviously. …… I am still shocked that a sports team could be targeted in this manner.
We had always felt pretty safe in Pakistan, to be honest. It shows how naïve we were. …. We realize now that sports people and cricketers are not above being attacked. ……
Tuesday started as just another day in Lahore ……. We were all looking forward to the third day's play and trying to win the series. Our chief concern was how to wheedle out 19 Pakistan wickets on another true batting pitch.
Our team bus left with three to four police cars in a convoy with around 12 policeman and security officers, including motorbike outriders. Along the route road junctions were cleared and side roads closed to ensure we passed through the traffic easily. It was standard security for teams in this region and we had no worries as we travelled to the stadium.
The bus was full of the normal banter. …….. Then, as we approached the large roundabout before the Gaddafi Stadium, we suddenly heard a noise like a firecracker. The bus came to a halt and some of the guys jumped out of their seats to see what was happening. Then came the shout: "They are shooting at us!" From the front I heard the screams to "get down, get down" and we all hit the deck. Within seconds we are all sprawled along the floor, lying on top of each other and taking shelter below the seats. The gunfire became louder, we heard explosions (which I understand now were hand grenades) and bullets started to flash through the bus.
I was sitting next to Thilan Samaraweera and close to the young Tharanga Paranavitana. For some reason I moved my head to get a better view and a split second later I felt a bullet fizz past my ear into the vacant seat. Fortunately, as a team, we remained quite calm. No one panicked. After what must have been two minutes standing still, we urged the driver to make a run for the stadium just a few hundred meters away: "Go, go, go" we shouted. The truth is we owe our lives to the courageous Mohammad Khalil, the driver. I will forever be grateful to him. The tyres of the bus had been shot out and he was in grave personal danger, exposed to gunfire at the front of the bus. But he was hell-bent of getting us to safety and, somehow, he got us moving again.
Had Khalil not acted with such courage and presence of mind most of us would have been killed. Standing still next to the roundabout we were sitting ducks for the 12 gunmen. We only found out afterwards that a rocket launcher just missed us as we began moving and turned for the stadium gates, the rocket blowing up an electricity pylon. Khalil saw a hand grenade tossed at us that failed to explode. Someone must have been looking over us because right now it seems a miracle we survived.
As we moved towards the stadium, Tharanga announced he was hit as he sat up holding his chest. ……….. Shortly afterwards Thilan complained of a numbness in his leg, which we later found out was a bullet wound. Thilan and Tharanga were the worst hit. Just before reaching safety I felt a dull ache in my shoulder……..
For Kumar’s full account go to: http://wollongong.sportslive.com.au/index.pl?page=3529
Illawarra Baseball League – Round 1 preview
Round one of the 2009 Illawarra Baseball League season will be played on Saturday, March 28 & Sunday, March 29.
For the first time since 2000 the IBL will have three first grade games each week thereby removing the bye. The Shoalhaven Mariners have nominated and accepted for the top grade after playing in seconds and thirds for three seasons. The Club’s seconds played in the 2007 IBL and continue to develop. Mariners become the newest first grade club since Kiama Braves joined the IBL around 15 years ago.
Mariners will start their season with a “local derby” against Braves at Braves home ground, Gainsborough Reserve, Kiama Downs. As with their recent season the Mariners will play home games at the #2 field at Fred Finch Park, Berkeley after attempts to have a field allocated in their region failed to materialise.
In Saturday's Major League fixtures premiers Wests Cardinals get their season under way with a match against Berkeley Eagles at Cringila Community Park. These two teams have fought out the last three IBL premiership deciders. In the remaining game the Northern Pirates (formerly Bulli Pirates) will play Dapto Chiefs at Thomas Dalton Park, Fairy Meadow.
Please note that Major League games commence 15 minutes earlier than recent seasons. This has been done to have more available daylight for first grade to play nine innings.
Sunday’s Minor League fixtures have been scheduled for Fred Finch Park, Berkeley. Illawarra Junior Baseball League grand finals will also be played at this venue on the same day.
Major League - Saturday, March 28:
Wests Cardinals v Berkeley Eagles at Cringila Community Park, Cringila.
Kiama Braves v Shoalhaven Mariners at Gainsborough Reserve, Kiama Downs.
Northern Pirates v Dapto Chiefs at Thomas Dalton Reserve, Fairy Meadow.
Note new starting times: First Grade - 2.00pm – nine innings (or rules of baseball)
Second Grade 11.45am – 1.45pm / Third Grade 9.30am - 11.30am
Minor League - Sunday, March 29: at Fred Finch Park, Berkeley. Games commence at 9.30a.m., 11.45a.m. & 2.00p.m. (Courtesy of Frank Booth)
Wollongong’s Robert Hurley joins other rookies in Aussie Swim team
Wollongong’s Robert Hurley (of Wests Illawarra club and now based at the Australian Institute of Sport) has won his place as one of ten rookies in the Australian Swimming team for the World Championships in Rome this year. He was selected after strong performances at last week’s Australian Swimming Championships in which he won gold (400m freestyle), silver (1500m freestyle) and two bronze (100m & 200m backstroke events).
Hurley also qualified fourth fastest for the 4 x 200m freestyle relay team. In Rome it is anticipated that he will concentrate on the freestyle events - the relay and individual events (400m, 800m and/or 1500m). A summary of his performances at last week’s Australian Championships follows:
Photo: Robert Hurley with 400m gold medal
Day 1: Tuesday 17 March – 400m freestyle – won the event to be equal fourth fastest (with Craig Stevens) all time Australian behind Kieran Perkins, Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett. Hurley’s time was a personal best of 3:46.64. Ryan Napoleon (3:48.02) was second and Cameron Smith (3:51.45)
Day 2: Wednesday 18 March – 200m freestyle – Hurley finishes 4th behind Pat Murphy in an A Qualifying time of 1:48.17 and will be part of the relay team.. All top 6 scored A Qualifying times led by Pat Murphy (1:46.85), Kenrick Monk (1:47.27), Tom D'Orsogna (1:48.10), Hurley (1.48.17), Nick FFrost (1:48.20) and Kirk Palmer (1.48.22). This result augurs well for Australia's 4 x 200m freestyle relay chances.
Day 3: Thursday 19 March – 200m backstroke – Hurley came third in 2:00.04 behind Olympians Ashley Delaney who broke the Commonwealth record in 1:55.82 and Hayden Stoeckel (1:57.38). As three swimmers can compete for any one country in the World Swimming Championships this event will still remain an option for Hurley.
Days 4 & 5: Friday 20 & Saturday 21 March – 100m backstroke - After qualifying on day 4, the result in the 100m backstroke final on day 5 was similar to the 200m backstroke result with Ashley Delaney (53.28) winning from Hayden Stoeckel (53.98) with Hurley third (54.56) - all three were inside the A qualifying time for the world championships.
Day 6: Sunday 22 March – 1500m freestyle – Came second to Ryan Napoleon on last night. Napoleon won in 15:01.99 from Hurley (15:18.53) and Theo Pasialis (15:20.33). Hurley had only swum this event in the 50m pool once before when he won at the Queensland swimming championships late last year.
For the full Australian squad go to: http://www.clubsonline.com.au/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_main&NewsID=7497&orgid=2075
Wollongong’s 18s and 16s continue unbeaten runs in soccer’s Premier Youth League
Wollongong’s under 18s and 16s picked up wins against the Sydney Olympic last weekend at Belmore. Both sides continued their unbeaten runs with the 18s winning four from four and the 13s with 3 wins and a draw.
In other games the 15s also won in a close match (2 -1) while the 13s drew and the 14s went down narrowly. Overall it was a good away trip for Wollongong fans. Results for the round against Sydney Olympic were:
Under 13: Wollongong drew 2 all
Under 14: Wollongong lost 2 - 1
Under 15: Wollongong won 2 - 1
Under 16: Wollongong won 2 nil
Under 18: Wollongong won 1 nil
Next weekend Wollongong plays at home against the Sutherland Sharks at Elizabeth Park, Bellambi with the 13s beginning at 9 am on Saturday March 28.
More results and the draw can be found at http://www.soccernsw.com.au/index.php?id=78
Cricket NSW runs school holiday coaching clinics
Cricket NSW will be running School Holiday Coaching Clinics at the Power Education Indoor Centre at the SCG on April 15-16. Clinics run from 9am - 12pm with coaches including members of the RTA SpeedBlitz Blues squad.
The cost is $110 with a limit of 10 children per coach. Send your applications in quickly as places are strictly limited!
Application Form: http://www.cricketnsw.com.au/nswcoa/AA/2008/ClinicForm.pdf
Information Flyer: http://www.cricketnsw.com.au/nswcoa/AA/2008/ClinicFlyer.pdf
Notices from previous columns:
Youth Girls AFL starting in the Illawarra. Go to www.girlsafl.com
Illawarra Junior Cricket Presentation at Master Builders on March 29 from 6pm to 8pm
Illawarra Cricket hunts for Coaches, Managers and Scorers. Contact Paul Brockley, High Performance Director, Cricket Illawarra. Email: rep_coord@cricketillawarra.org.au
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