South Road IV Season Report 2015/16
This didn’t turn out to be the best of years for the South Road D Grade team. They had a lot of issues throughout the season such as selection dilemmas after Round 3 due to lack of numbers in the higher teams, which is no one’s fault but it left the D’s without their opening bowler and batsman for the rest of the year. Players were selected to play higher up as the year went on and things did not get any easier as the team was depleted with a lack of depth in both of the batting and bowling departments. This shows with the Premier Fast Bowling of Poul Petersen taking 7 wickets in the first three games and not returning for the rest of the year. No one was able to pass Peto to claim the D Grade Bowling Trophy. Congratulations, Peto! The closest competition Peto had for the Bowling Trophy was Aaron Schmidt, who was runner-up with 5 wickets. Third was shared between the two spinners, Robbie Kiss and myself, Mark Mitton taking 4 wickets each but to be fair Robbie missed the first 3 games and would have definitely taken a few more wickets in those games if he’d played. As for the batting, Dave Ewers was the top run getter with 247 runs beating our Captain, Roger Nunn on 205 runs. Dave scored a terrific ton in our game against Morphy Park at Seaview HS and has been our most consistent batsman all year.
Dave originally wasn’t in our team to begin with. He was there just as Josh’s Dad, to support Josh. Dave decided that he should play to take part in Josh’s development. Dave went our in our second game and made 15 not out and took 2 wickets! Dave could play. He was a more than useful player. Dave has been a very consistent performer for us and for the B Grade when he was picked to fill in when there was the selection dilemma. His kids, Josh and Lois, who have shown that they are cricketers to look out for in the future! It wouldn’t surprise me to see Josh bowling with real heat by the time he reaches the age of 18. He has shown real maturity with the bat and will only look for more runs next year in Season 2016/17. Lois has also shown good potential with bat and ball, involved in an important stand of 55 runs with her Dad, Dave in the game against Morphy Park. It was a key factor in Dave making it to his ton. I hope that we get to have the Ewers in our team next season. Dave is a fierce competitor and puts his back into everything he does and works hard. It is good for the club to have someone like Dave, who can step into any situation and do a brilliant job. It’ll only benefit the development of his kids in the long run.
One player I would give the title of Best Team man is Danial Mohamed. Danial has been an integral part of our team this year. He did whatever was asked of him and did not complain once, which is something a lot of players could do, by taking a leaf out of Danial’s book. Danial showed what a crucial part of the team he is by showing off his big hitting prowess more than a few times this season and can fill the role as an opening bowler by bowling that awkward length that makes it hard for the batsmen to hit. Danial has also shown what a great fielder he is by taking a couple of catches in the deep against ICC Sharks. I would back him to take catches in any position whether it be close in or out in the deep.
As I’ve mentioned we’ve had players come and go from our team this year. I’ll begin with our opening batsman, Darren Percival. Perce came into our team in Round 1 along with Peto to play alongside Roger and also to help develop younger players such as Peter Heidenreich and myself. Perce looked to form a solid opening partnership with Peter and he made a couple of starts against Coro Ramblers and Warradale. I enjoyed playing alongside Perce and Peto. The experience and knowledge that they both possessed was that sort of stuff that would benefit players like me for the future. We certainly had a few laughs and I was disappointed when they went up to play B’s and C’s. Perce would have been a real asset opening the batting with Peter and would have enjoyed facing attacks that had some bowlers, who tested the patience of our batsmen. Perce has gone on to enjoy some success with the C Grade, playing his 250th game for the club, under the Captaincy of Luke Slattery, who has done a terrific job in leading them to the Finals, whilst also in some fine form with the bat. Hopefully, I get the pleasure of playing alongside Perce in a game next year. The same can be said for Peto who was in our team as a strike bowler. Peto was unlucky not to have taken more wickets in his stint in the D’s. He should have had 6 wickets in the famous victory against the Ramblers, claiming the prized scalp of his old mate, Steve Davenport, who was out lbw. Peto looked fierce and I wouldn’t have liked to have been a batsman facing him in the middle. He bowled some fierce, fiery and rather relentless spells and also made a few starts with the bat in the three games he played with the D’s. So losing Peto and Perce was a big blow for us. It left us with a lack of depth with bat and ball.
We lost Jordan Bocock to the B Grade after Round 6. Jordan had a couple of useful innings including his 46 against the Ramblers, falling agonisingly short of 50 and he got 33 against Mitchell Park. Jordan showed a lot more control with the ball this year as well. He seemed to bowl a lot more economically than last year. That goes to show Jordan has come a long way in a short space of time, making his A Grade Debut in the last game of the year against Cove, getting a wicket at a cost of 28 runs in 2 overs, taking a blinder of a catch of the bowling of Brett “Kiwi” Baldey and another one off Club Great, Darren “Barney” Williams. Jordan made 9 with the bat which suggests he may well be a regular for the A’s in the future. Well done, Bamm-Bamm.
In the last two games, we were without our Keeper, Matt Altus and a big key to our team, Aaron Schmidt. Both Matt and Aaron were important to our team. Aaron bowled his medium pace and took some handy wickets and scored some valuable runs but his fielding was the standout. He did not let a ball past and scored a perfect direct hit to claim a run out against ICC Sharks. It wouldn’t surprise me if Aaron went on to bigger and better things next year. The same can be said for Matt, who kept wicket for most of the year, to give Roger a break. Matt claimed more stumpings this year than catches and kept well. Matt battled with the bat and made a couple of starts and did well for us when the going got tough. I hope Matt and Aaron are in our team next year. If not, then I hope they do well whatever level they play. Well done, to both Matt and Aaron.
We were led by Roger all year. Roger tried the best he could with the players he had in the team. Roger kept in Matt’s absence and would not keep to any rubbish bowled down leg side. I claim credit for that when I bowled some absolute crap that deserved to be smashed for six every time. Roger made several starts, hitting 54 against the Ramblers, including this one massive six that flew over mid on into the lane at Weymouth Oval. 48 against Port Noarlunga, 30 against ICC Sharks and 42 against Plympton. Roger even gave himself a bowl against Morphy Park taking a wicket from the only ball that legitimately landed on the pitch. Roger seemed to find himself in the wars a lot, nearly ending up hospitalised over a dispute against the ICC Sharks. The team had to come to his rescue. It was one of many incidents that had shaken the skipper and caused him to make many trips to the High Court. He also needed a weekly recovery session at the beach every week to ensure that he would be right for the next week!
We have had the occasional cameo appearances this year and there were a couple of standouts. We had Jake Bragg, the brother of Will, come out and Jake promptly went out and made 56 in our first game against Port Noarlunga, which was a classy knock. I’ll remember it for the sixes Jake hit, one over mid off and the other over mid wicket, both powerful hits. It was a shame Jake couldn’t play for us after that but I’m sure he had committments at his own cricket club and was busy throughout the year. Another appearance was made by A Grader, Dan “Plumber” Vertue. There were a few doubters that did not believe Dan could bat. Dan went out in our second dig against the Sharks and slaughtered a difficult bowling attack to all parts of Wirreanda High. He cleared the boundary on numerous occasions and made it to his century, after he was allowed to continue on from the regular drinks break by the Sharks Captain. It nearly catapulted us to an amazing come-from-behind outright victory. Time was the enemy for both teams but Dan’s ton was innings that will not be forgotten for a long time to come. It certainly silenced those doubters who believed he couldn’t bat. Dan took a wicket in the Sharks first innings but was unlucky not to have taken more. Sadly, Dan didn’t play again after that but he ought to be congratulated for that wonderful knock. Congulations, Dan! May you have more success and make several more centuries for the club! Matt Petersen came in and played a few games for us and he batted well in the last game in diabolical conditions against Southern. He even got to bowl his offies and showed his ability by nearly snaring a wicket that was plumb but given not out. Thanks to everyone who filled in for the D’s this year.
There was some improvement in some of the players. Peter Heidenreich is the first player that springs to mind on the subject of players improving. The club has been trying to develop Peter into an opening batsman. Peter has the capability to bat and bat all day long. Peter didn’t score a lot of runs but he showed signs of becoming a solid, reliable, opening batsman by striking the ball really hard in the final month of the season and posing to have a formidable defence. It wouldn’t surprise me if Peter comes back next year and has a few attacking shots in his repertoire to go with his defensive shots. Peter would achieve that if he went and got some professional coaching. He would score a lot more runs and press his case for higher honours. The way Peter attacked the ball in the field was another highlight of how much he has improved his game. Peter would be fielding in the covers, ready to pounce on anything like a cougar, that came his way. It’s something people should take note of.
Robbie Kiss is a guy I would not think took the game of cricket too seriously. He makes cricket look easy at times by taking a couple of quickwickets when we’re struggling or hitting a quickfire 20, hitting the ball like it’s a beach ball. I tended to think to myself ” I wish I could play like that”. If I did, I’d be one happy man. Robbie missed our first three games but came back to snare a handful of wickets and make his highest score of 24 not out against Morphy Park, in a innings where we badly needed it. Hopefully, Robbie can pick up where he left off with both bat and ball next year.
There is a strong likelihood that Pasadena High, which has been our home ground along with the C’s, will be unavailable to make way for some apartments. I don’t know what the club will do as far as a new home is concerned but I can come up with some suggestions:
1) Victoria Park 1
2) Edwardtown Primary School
3) Forbes Primary School
4) Ascot Park Primary School
Those are only suggestions! It’s up to the Club Committee to work it out.
I had a look firsthand at how Luke Slattery has lead the C’s to the Finals, when I saw them play at Urrbrae High against St George in the one dayer. The way Luke spoke to his troops, was something that impressed me. He wasn’t willing to jeopardise anyone’s health if no one was up for playing in such horrendous conditions and he was happy to go and sit with the opposition after the game and chat over a few beers. Luke said that sort of camaraderie was what cricket was really about. I couldn’t agree more and couldn’t have put it any finer than Luke did. I think Luke’s leadership was a key in the success of the C Grade making the finals. He led from the front making a heap of runs and creating a team environment that bonded and performed well together. That’s the sort of thing that everyone else should take note of and look at. Congratulations, Luke, on a terrific year and good luck to you and the C’s in the Finals. Hopefully, you can top a great year off with a Premiership!
I would also like to mention Shaun Krutli and his 3 outstanding centuries in the A Grade this year. Congratulations, Shaun, on the 3 centuries and you were unlucky not to have made a fourth in the last game against Cove. Hopefully, you can carry this form into next year with a successful run of scores and lead the A’s from the front into some Finals action!
To cap off, it wasn’t a great year for the D’s but hopefully, we can improve on this year in Season 2016/17 and string some wins on the board and push for a Finals Spot ourselves. It’s all ahead of us but we can come back and work on improving on this year and hopefully, there are no dilemmas and we can play every game. Come on, Roadhouse!