Y5 Leopards

This week, the Leopards took on Onslow Mandalay on a wet Liardet track.  Captain Ben Laurie won the toss and inserted Onslow.

The Coach asked for the team to put in their best performance in the field to date, and the boys didn’t disappoint.  The bowling was tight with few extras being given away and wickets shared between Ben L, Lachie, Dominic and TJ.  The fielding was accurate and intense, Ben Sturgeon leading the way with a great caught and bowled and an athletic performance at mid wicket.  Onslow were careful not to take on the field and as a result left the Leopards chasing 49 to win.

George and Lachie got us off to a good start with Lachie top scoring for the team on 26 not out.  Easily his best performance with the bat to date.  Unfortunately, a couple of unnecessary runouts tarnished what would have been a complete batting effort.  Something to work on.  Ultimately, the Leopards got home with room to spare, finishing their 24 overs with a total of 94/3.

Onslow 48 for 5
Leopards 94 for 3

The Leopards drew Mana at Wakefield Park J4 this week.  There not actually being a Wakefield Park J4 meant that the game was always going to have its challenges.

Having won the toss, the Lions elected to bat.   A bit of a slow start with not too many runs off the first 10 overs.  However, George Sims led the scoring with a fine 24 runs.  In the end, Mana were left chasing 89.

Fielding started off well with a run out in the first over courtesy of Dominic.  Will picked up two wickets and a catch and George pipped in with a wicket.  In the end, an adult soccer game meant that Mana only faced 16 overs but were left needing 56 off the last eight overs with one wicket left.  On the basis that this was thought pretty unlikely, Mana graciously forfeited the game.

Leopards 88 for 5
Mana 33 for 6 off sixteen overs.

Honours Board:
George Sims 24 not out
Will Ferrier 2 for 4

This week saw the Leopards take on Johnsonville at Alex Moore Park.  J’ville batted first and scored 113 on a pitch with some short boundaries.  Once again, the fielding was accurate, with both Lachie and Will throwing down the stumps, Will with the keepers gloves on.  Boston was typically dangerous and he, TJ and George also took wickets.  Dom and Will were very tidy with the gloves on. 

After a very strong start by Ben, Lachie and Will top scoring with 25 not out, we went through a quiet patch, but an excellent innings from TJ got us into a position to get home, and Ben L, on his return to the crease, and George made sure of things. 

J’ville 113 for 5
Leopards 117 for 6

What a difference a week can make.  This week, the Leopards took on Tawa at Tanera Park. 

Batting first, the Leopards lost early wickets cheaply.  Lachie came in and steadied things, with an assured 17.  Sadly, when he was looking completely settled, he hooked the ball to fine leg, who held on to it.  At the end of the innings, Boston scored a typically dashing 16 not out. 

That left Tawa chasing 94 to win.  With a man down, there were always holes in the field.  Also, Tanera is not exactly long end to end.  That meant that the quicker bowlers risk 4 byes if the keeper can’t hold on to the ball.  In fact, the bowling was strong, with Will, Boston, George, Dominic and Lachie all taking wickets.  But 93 was never enough in the circumstances and Tawa came out winners with 113. 

Leopards 93 for 5
Tawa 113 for 7

The Leopards drew the Collegians Lions at Liardet.  The Lions won the toss and inserted the Leopards, who got off to a slow start.  Things picked up when Boston came in and scored a quick fire 25 off 20 balls, confirming his position as the team’s top runscorer.  Will backed him up with 12 off the later overs.  In the end, the Lions were left chasing 87, which didn’t look like it was going to be enough on the day.

However, Ben Laurie bowled brilliantly, taking 2 for 6 off four overs.  Lachie once again proved how good a keeper he is, taking a very good catch off Will’s bowling.  The fielding was tight and in the end, choked the Lions, leaving them on 79 and the end of 24 overs.

Leopards 87 for 2
Lions 79 for 3

This weeks, the Leopards played Onslow Calcutta at a very wet and drizzly Nairnville Park.

The Leopards batted first and it was a reasonably consistent batting effort.  Everyone got some runs with three players scored 10 or more (Boston, Dom and Ben L).  In the end, Onslow was left chasing 108 runs.

Boston once again led the charge with the ball, taking 3 for 8.  Dominic and TJ both took wickets.  But it was the fielding that made the difference.  Ben L threw down the stumps twice and Dom once.  Onslow ended up on 97 for 8. 

Leopards 108 for 4
Onslow  97 for 8

This week saw the Leopards take on the Indian Lions at Liardet.  The Lions won the toss and decided to field.

The batting highlight this week was the guys batted in partnerships, particularly Lachie and Dominic and George and Ben Laurie.  Plenty of strike rotation and good loud calls.  Almost everyone got some runs and there were only two wickets: Ben Laurie cruelly being on the receiving end of a catch dropped onto the stumps while backing up at the bowler’s end, and Boston going for glory on the last ball of the innings.  George and Dominic, in particular, batted as well as they have done this season.

Defending 98, the call was for extras to be minimised and to make the batsmen score their runs off the bat.  TJ and George both bowled well, making the batsmen play.  At half way, the game was on a knife edge.  The Lions had scored a little faster than us and Ben and Boston needed to bowl tightly in the middle of the innings. They didn’t disappoint.  Both were gun barrel straight and quick, and the runs dried up.  Wickets began to fall with Ben getting a bowled and then following up with a runout from fine leg.  Boston then took one of the best caught and bowleds you’re likely to see, diving across the wicket to get his hand under the ball.  Not to be outdone, Pietro then did the same, capping an excellent day in which he led as captain.  The fielding was tight and lively, with Ben S and Will each having good games behind the stumps.

With runs and batsmen drying up, the Lions ended their 24 overs on 82-5.  A great team effort, with everyone chipping in