OCEAN GROVE JUNIOR CRICKET
Under 17: Ocean Grove 4/218 def Jan Juc 192
The Round 10 match between Ocean Grove and Jan Juc was played at Bob Petit Reserve in Jan Juc. Fletcher Long won the toss for Ocean Grove and decided to bat. Nathan Scarpa got Ocean Grove off to a strong start with an excellent innings of 73. Brad Walder (50 not out) and Charlie Walter (33) then combined for a hard hitting partnership of 76, ensuring that Ocean Grove would post a competitive score of 4/218.
In reply, Jan Juc started well but faltered in the face of some inspired bowling from Charlie Walter (4/26) and Max Sutton (3/22). The other wicket takers were Bailey LeMaistre (1/15), Fletcher Long (1/34) and Flynn Hardiman (1/44). Brad Walder took two catches that he described as “epic”. A good team effort in the field eventually resulted in Jan Juc being bowled out for 192, and the hard-fought win keeps Ocean Grove in the hunt for the finals.
Under 15: Drysdale 143 def Ocean Grove (1)
Ocean Grove lost to Drysdale in the T20 match at Drysdale’s superbly grassed Recreation Reserve. Both teams were impatient when batting, losing wickets too rapidly and too early, although, after winning the toss and batting first, Drysdale’s strong middle order settled into building a team innings of 143. The best of the bowlers was Cooper Ward who picked up 2/16 from 4 overs.
Wickets fell along with the rain at the start of the Ocean Grove reply. Drysdale were comfortably ahead in the game until the stirring last wicket stand from Hayden Ewart and Josh Kuipers. These two first-year Under 15s played with pluck, chasing the total across an unbeaten 63-run stand that caused Drysdale enough worry to bring their big fast bowler back on in the falling rain and dying light. In maybe his best innings yet for OG, Hayden Ewart finished 44 not out and Josh Kuipers supported him ably with 12 not out. It was ultimately unsuccessful with OG finishing 18 runs short of victory, but these two young cricketers showed the value of a determined batting partnership.
Under 13: Ocean Grove Swans 9/273 def Ocean Grove Grubbers 7/162
Round 10 saw Ocean Grove Swans face off against Ocean Grove Grubbers. The Grubbers won the toss and elected to bat first. The Grubbers began slowly but surely with solid batting contributions from Oscar Walter (26), Alex Joyce (22) and Andrew Schoch (19). The Grubbers posting a good score of 7/162. The Swans bowlers bowled very tightly and shared the wickets around. The best performers being Luke Ewart (1/5) and Fletch Keck (1/7). The Swans in reply started the run chase in fine style with a devastating knock from Fletch Keck (78 not out), Merrick Platt (32), Luke Ewart (33) and Billy Dawson (33). The Swans were looking like running out easy winners when Andrew Schoch shocked the Swans batsmen with a fiery spell of bowling (4/26) supported by Oscar Walter (2/20), and all of a sudden the Swans crashed to 9/185. Harry Patterson (22 not out) and Fletch Keck then showed great leadership to play out an impressive (89) last wicket stand to enable the Swans to run out victors with 9/273.
