It is time! The Hawks Cricket Club will, this weekend, unveil their junior sides for the first time.
A major step forward for the club and a huge amount of excitement is building at the Nest because of this.
Our junior Hawks will play a derby against each other in Stage 1, at Margaret River Primary School and Stage 2, at the Western Oval, Gloucester Park, while our Under 14's will host Cowaramup at Nippers Oval at Gloucester Park.
Friday night will also have the Hawks Junior and Master Blasters start from 3.45pm, and registrations are still open for this.
We really do thank all of the parents who have registered their kids and we hope they will get out as much as possible at the Nest this season.
Now, how did the seniors go on the weekend in the first game for the season?
We travelled to Vasse for the opening round with a very strong B grade team.
New Hawks skipper Grant Garstone won the toss and had no hesitation in deciding to bat first.
Harvey Fisher and Shane Joyce opened the batting. Fisher was the first to caught behind for 4.
Rhys Willmott joined Joyce at the crease and they put on 40 runs before Willmott was dismissed. Garstone came and went for 5.
David Holmes then strode to the crease and him and Joyce went to work to gain back some momentum; these 2 batting very well and put on a very important 59 run partnership before Holmsey was out for 12.Mitch Payne, in his debut for B grade then joined Joyce at the crease who was now on 70 odd and looking set for a big score.
Just before drinks though, Joyce was dismissed for a very well made 76.
Score at drinks was 5/112. Payne ran out himself out straight after drinks to give Vasse the feeling that they had us in trouble.
Enter another debutant, Tom McDonald and Brad Kelly, a welcome sight for any Hawks member.
These two took the game away from Vasse with a great display of respecting the good ball and putting the bad balls away.
In the end Macca was dismissed for an entertaining 37 with another partnership of 50.
A great innings by a player who obviously knows how to bat. Brad Kelly was then joined by vice-captain Danny Westonwho was in and out for 8.
Brad was joined by his son Bailey Kelly before he was dismissed for a superb 43. With no overs left Bailey Kelly and Cody Rodgers had no option to swing the bat.
Unfortunately, Bailey was dismissed for 1. All out for 212.Garstone and Payne opened the bowling with Garstone taking the first wicket in the 3rd over.
These two bowled in a very good bowling partnership tying Vasse down from both ends. Vasse number 3 Sam Sheppard came and swung the bat from ball 3.
Payne then claimed his first and deserving wicket in his 4th over.
Weston then came on to help try dismiss Sheppard who was trying and more often than not succeeding to hit every ball to the boundary.
He had him caught by Rogers on the boundary with what was a good outfield catch. 3/50. Bailey Kelly then came on and had a wicket very quickly with a great bit of swing bowling caught at slip by Wilmott.
Jordan Stanbury was thrown the ball who bowled 9 straight overs and was very unlucky to not get a wicket, let alone 2 or 3. His spell put Hawks in a great position. At drinks Vasse were 4/100 ish.
After drinks, Hawks went about building pressure, Garstone and Stanbury put the brakes on Vasse with Garstone picking up another 2 wickets to finish with 3/26 from his 9 overs.
Jordan finished with 0/26. Vasse batsman Darragh was starting to be a thorn in the side batting beautiful and putting the bad balls away with ease.
Weston and Payne came back on with Payne taking another 2 wickets to finish with figures of 3/43 with one bad over costing him 15 runs.
Danny was superb bowling his offspin 8 overs 1/46. Vasse required 35 odd off 3 overs.
We threw the ball to the youngster Bailey Kelly who couldn't have bowled better. In the end we won by 23 runs.
A great result for round 1. We were challenged and we stood up. It's very rare in cricket in which every player contributes which is exactly what yesterday was.Good stuff.
This week will see the B grade travel to Busselton to take on YOBS on Saturday, while the C grade will play away against Vasse on Sunday.
Hawks are still looking for players of all ages, male and female and all experiences welcome. Call president Al Wilkie, (0419957799) for all info, otherwise contact us through our Facebook page.
