Hawkesbury Cricket Club’s third grade team, which was last on the ladder, had a remarkable win over first placed team Sydney at the weekend in Sydney Grade Cricket.
In a rain interrupted game, the Hawks were set a total of 92 to chase, and after an early hat trick by a Sydney bowler, things were looking grim.
However, club stalwart Dean Laing rescued the team with a captain’s knock of 55 not out.
Hawkesbury cricket manager Aaron Lewis said with the rough season the team has had, the team has tried to adopt a new identity as giant killers, and the third grade win embodied this attitude.
Lewis said he knew matches would not go like the third grade match did every week, but said the club was starting to enjoy cricket more now that there was no pressure on the teams, and said there might be a few more upsets in the back end of the season.
First grade drew with Sydney, thanks to plenty of rain, and although the game was called off early on in the match, there were positive signs there too.
Hawkesbury won the toss and elected to bat and reached 3-179 after 64 overs.
It is not much, but for a team which has struggled all season with the bat, there was plenty to smile about against a Sydney team which is atop the first grade ladder.
Lewis lamented the fact the top three of Dale McKay, Brent Atherton and Aaron Beach, who reached 39, 35 and 33 respectively, were unable to press on.
However, Kerrod Gordon made 49 not out, and wicket keeper Corey Lowe finished on 19 not out.
“We started off quite well against a team that is coming first,” he said.
“We did the hard work early and were setting ourselves up for a good afternoon session before the rain came in.”
This week, The Hawks will take on Penrith, who are third on the ladder in first grade.
The teams will play for the Bayliss-Kershler Trophy, and Lewis said the Hawks knew Penrith would expect an easy win.
“There is always a bit of a friendly rivalry with Penrith, and it always provides a little bit of extra incentive to win,” he said.
Lewis said there was positive news on the injury front, with bowler Shane Mott back to full fitness.
Mott, who usually opens the bowling, was being picked in the team as a pure batsman thanks to an injury which was stopping him from bowling, but Lewis said he would be back bowling against Penrith.
There is also a slim chance Pat Lawrence will return from injury, although Lewis said it would be a game time decision on whether he played.
Hawkesbury will potentially lose bowler Ben Patterson, who has been picked for NSW in the Imparja Cup, an indigenous tournament to be hosted in Alice Springs from February 8 to 15.
