HAWKESBURY Cricket Club battled hard but were unable to topple St George in first grade during the opening round of the NSW Premier Cricket Competition at the weekend.
St George posted a commanding total of 4-337 after being sent into bat by Hawkesbury, and in reply, the Hawks could only manage 267 while playing at Hurstville Oval.
In more positive news for the club, the remaining four grades were all triumphant against one of the better clubs in the NSW Premier Cricket Competition.
In first grade, however, a St George team bolstered by representative cricketers was too good for Hawkesbury’s bowling attack.
Abdul Kherkhah was the pick of the Hawks, picking up two wickets, while captain Jay Dyball and Luke Courtney also took one apiece.
The attack though saw St George score at a rate of more than one run per ball, with St George opener Matthew Hopkins posting 132 not out, while number three and New South Wales batsman Kurtis Patterson posted 101.
Regular New South Wales all-rounder Moises Henriques also featured for St George, making 38 from 24, while New South Wales quick Trent Copeland made a brief appearance in the middle, making one run.
With the bat in hand, Hawkesbury openers Josh Clarke and Jordan Gauci saw off Copeland, before Henriques struck to dismiss Gauci for 29.
Dale McKay was run out for a duck shortly afterwards, after facing just one ball.
Clarke was the next to go, falling agonisingly short of a century at 99 runs.
Arjun Nair and Corey Lowe did well to stabilise, with Nair hitting 83 from 70, while Lowe hit 29 from 28.
Nair went, and then Lowe, who was dismissed by Andrew Walsh, who claimed a hat-trick.
After claiming Lowe, he also scalped Dyball and Harry Ridgewell.
In second grade, Jas Cheema made 103 not out in a comfortable nine wicket victory over the opposition at Bensons Lane.
Round two will see Hawkesbury’s first grade team play its first home match of the season. The club will face Sydney in the opening two-day match of the season.
In fourth grade, Cameron Kwok also scored a century, posting 151 from 139 balls during the victory.
See results on page 66 and 67.
