HAWKESBURY Cricket Club’s first grade team has had a pair of one-day losses to end the year on a low note, after finding itself in sixth position in the club championship standings just a few weeks ago.
At the weekend, the club was unable to chase down Blacktown, losing by three wickets in round eight of the NSW Premier Cricket competition.
Hawkesbury won the toss and sent Blacktown in, and the home side posted 7-246.
The Hawkesbury attack, minus Arjun Nair, had no standouts, with Usman Qadir, Luke Courtney and Abdul Kherkhah taking two wickets apiece.
With the bat in hand, Josh Clarke and Jordan Gauci fell early. Dale McKay at number three dug in for a short time, before falling for 35.
Corey Lowe was the best of the Hawkesbury batsmen, making 74 not out off 95 balls, and lasting nearly two hours at the crease.
Toby Flynn-Duncombe helped out too, making 54 off 47 balls, in an innings featuring a six and five boundaries.
However, the tail end fell cheaply as Hawkesbury was bowled out for 218.
The second grade team will head into the Christmas break feeling much better, after winning to be in second place on the ladder, trailing only Northern District.
The team had a great win, in thanks to a five-wicket haul from Salman Irshad, plus a ninth wicket partnership from Chris Lawrence and Aidan van den Nieuwboer, which rescued the game.
It was a low scoring game, with Blacktown posting 157, and Hawkesbury chased it down in 42.5 overs.
With the score at 8-114, things looked perilous for Hawkesbury, however, Lawrence and van den Niuewboer dug in to steal the win from Blacktown.
The pair made 28 and 25 not out respectively to secure a two wicket victory.
Third grade was comfortably defeated, losing by six wickets.
The Hawks won the toss and posted 209 runs, before Blacktown came in and chased down the total in 45.1 overs.
In fourth grade, a Bailey Thompson five wicket haul helped the team soundly defeat Blacktown.
Pat Muller made 75 with the bat, and Nic Toscan chimed in with 43, before Thompson helped bowl out the opposition for just 85 runs.
In fifth grade, Blacktown just hung on to win by four runs.
The Hawks were not bowled out, but ran out of overs to chase down Blacktown’s 161.
Hawkesbury is now 12th on the club championship ladder after eight rounds of competition.
Hawkesbury Cricket Club’s next matches will be on January 6.
