JUNIOR CRICKET – The junior season has come to an end and the Hawks have extended their appreciation to the players, club officials, coaches, parents and supporters for another successful season of cricket.
Congratulations to Nathan Bailey’s Under 12s team for seeing the season out undefeated.
Five years ago, Maurice Shinnick and Brett Robins started with a group of scallywag kids who wanted to play sport together. In their last year as juniors together, they took out the under 16’s premiership.
The team travelled to Bovell Park to face the undefeated YOBS. The previous day, YOBS finished with a massive 360+ runs.
They headed into the final confident, but one should never underestimate the tenacity of a Margaret River side.
Sam Robins took the new ball, and had YOBS on the back foot early. 4 overs, 2 for 12, had YOBS 2/14.
A fightback ensued, YOBS getting to 2/85 before some great disciplined bowling ripped through the line up. 2 for 85 was soon 3/85, 5 for 94 and 6 for 100.
When Aiden Robins took his only wicket, the hosts were set 128 runs to win. Sam Leigh behind the stumps with 4 catches and 1 run out; while all bowlers bowled perfectly.
A solid 28 run stand came to an end when Killy Booth was bowled for 18, before Mason Beecham was run out with the score on 57.
Jaz Kupfer-Hollis was the next to go with the score 3/72, the juniors well on top.
Kupfer-Hollis’ 29 was the team’s highest individual score before Kurt Thompson’s hard hitting 24 saw the team home with 4 wickets in hand and more than 15 overs remaining.
SENIOR CRICKET – What a way to finish off a tough season – for that is what it was – with some highlights, some lowlights but overall a great deal of fun and a bright future beckoning.
Led by Joel Lawrence, (we think he makes 8 the number of captains throughout the grades this year) the C grade team hosted arch rivals Cowaramup at the Nest on a magnificent turf wicket by master curator Neil. The equation for both teams was simple.
Hawks, win, lose or draw, would finish last. Cowaramup, win and most likely play finals for the first time.
Finals, pride and bragging rights were at stake.
Winning the toss, Lawrence had no hesitation in batting first. Young John Mottershead, one of 23 juniors playing for the Hawks, opened the batting with Al Mac. Mottershead was the first to be dismissed, run out for a 2nd ball duck.
The skipper joined Mac (30), at the crease and proceeded to put on 36 for the partnership. Small partnerships throughout with Kade Dittmar becoming the anchor for the majority of the innings. The 14 year old batted with maturity before being the 9th wicket to fall with a perfectly compiled 41 runs.
Jordan Stanbury blasted 32 before Aoedhan Bailey, (18no) saw out the overs with the Hawks 9/171 from their 40 overs. Stanbury opened the bowling and took 1 for 17 from 6 overs, and Mottershead 0-12 from 4.
Dooma George picked up the prized scalp of Colin Coates. Dittmar, 1-12 from 3 and Darcy Currell, 2 for 7 from 2 were other wicket takers, but it was Lawrence who led by example, snaring 4 for 19 from 8 overs.
During this game we remembered our mate Brett Robins – a driver of the junior sportsmen and women and to see juniors playing in this game was a highlight.
Nine juniors took the field for both teams and held their own. The Bailey brothers batting together in the first innings was a highlight; Darcy’s fielding and Aoedhan’s wicket keeping is something for the seniors to learn from.
Kade Dittmar batting above his age to build constant partnerships then bowling as the skipper asked. John Mottershead rebounding back from his first innings duck to bowl beautifully first change. Angus and Darcy Currell, just constantly doing what they do.
There is a very bright future at the Hawks and although this season hasn’t gone to plan, it won’t be long before we are back challenging.