21/10/2024
The Barts kicked their 2024/25 season off in fine style, with an 87 run victory against Cricketers Club of NSW at the Reg Bartley Oval.
Having lost the toss and being asked to bat, the Barts got off to a shaky start: 3/16 off the first 8 overs. But that brought Ed Dawson to the crease with Dan Grabinar, and the two debutants set about righting the ship. After 23 overs they had improved our position to 3/78, and when Dan departed for a redoubtable 28 Ed started playing some shots. Together with a typically big-hitting effort from Rainer Gaunt they took our final total to 7/143 — a more than respectable score at RBO, and a tremendous effort considering how things had begun.
Early-season energy in the nets has been very high, inspired by some promising off-season recruits to the bowling unit in particular. First-time captain Alistair Stokes wasted no time on breaking out the shiny new toys, throwing the ball to Clayton Herbst and Will Roberts to open the attack — and ‘attack’ proved exactly the right word.
Heeding Stokes’s directive to bowl full and straight, Clayton and Will delivered a blistering opening spell that had CCNSW reeling at 3/22 after 9 overs. But there was no respite at the change of bowlers, as Alistair and Zach came on and turned the screws even further. Ali bowled with laser-like precision on his way to 2/5, and Zach put in the performance of the day: 3 wickets (all bowled), two middle stumps out the ground and just 17 runs given away.
Rainer Gaunt came in to deliver the final blow, including a brilliant catch from Noah Stuart who had a faultless day behind the stumps.
CCNSW were bowled out for 59 in the 25th over, leaving the Barts to enjoy a cleansing victory ale as the shadows lengthened across the field of dreams.
See you on Wednesday night for the commencement of the T20 series against !
