By Chris Handasyde
Seniors 1st XI – Healesville 150 v Wonga Park 2/128 (Day 1 of a 2 day game) – by Josh Handasyde
This week the Healesville 1st XI travelled to play Wonga Park. The Bloods won the toss and opted to bat first in the first week of this two-day match. The Bloods started off well with Brenton Damrow and Liam English opening the batting and putting on 34 before Damrow was caught at gully for 25. Ben Wallace joined Liam at the crease before Liam was shortly caught for 9 leaving the Bloods 2/37. Skipper Kris Andersen joined Wallace at the crease and landed some lofty blows to the Wonga Park attack before he was caught at cover for 15 leaving the Bloods 3/55. Josh Handasyde joined Ben Wallace at the crease and started well putting the loose balls to the boundary before Wallace was caught behind for 6 and Max Wallace joined him in the sheds soon after being stumped off leg spin bowler Will Hartley. Luke Chandler and Josh Handasyde started to build a nice partnership and were able to get to the tea break 5/117 with Handasyde 33* and Chandler 19*. After drinks it was more of the same with the pair batting well but when Handasyde mishit a full toss off of Hartley he was walking back to the pavilion for 43 and chaos ensued with Chandler being dismissed 2 overs later for 24 and the batsmen dropped like flies; Kerr being dismissed first ball and Michael Jackson being given out LBW for 10 and Brodie Grace being bowled for 1 left the Bloods all out for 150 after 53 overs. Will Hartley was the pick of the Wonga Park Bowlers with 5 wickets. The Bloods came out to bowl looking for early wickets and Dillon Kerr was able to dismiss Colledge for 4 but that was the only happiness the Bloods would see as poor bowling and good batting led to domination from the Wonga Park batsmen with Stuckey making 44 off 46 and Cam Atkinson 55* leaving Wonga Park 2/128 at stumps in a commanding position and Healesville needing a miracle to get back into the game. The shining light of the day was the evergreen Scott Fawdry bowling consistent line and length for the majority of his spell restricting the runs for Wonga Park in his first 1st XI game.
Seniors 2nd XI – Healesville 1/130 defeated Coldstream 7/129
Healesville stand-in skipper Zach Fawdry won the toss and sent Coldstream into bat on a fine summer’s day at Queens Park. Coldstream threatened to make a big total with a 70-run partnership between Ian Thompson and Ray Turner but the young Healesville team stuck at it and restricted Coldstream to 129 off 35 overs. Multiple wicket takers were Moss Fawdry and Tom Handasyde with 2 each. Jack Drummond (30) was promoted to open the batting with Tom Handasyde (52*) and the pair put on 65 before Jack was caught out. Harry Baxter (33*) then came to the crease and ensured Healesville reach the target with minimal risk.
Seniors 3rd XI – Healesville 6/185 defeated Warrandyte 9/183 – by Ethan Nikcevich
On a hot day at Warrandyte reserve Healesville won the toss and elected to bat sending out openers Jack Plunkett (8) and Sam Dennett (40), Jack was dismissed early before Matt Cooper (51*) combined with Jack to set a steady partnership before Matt retired on 51, Gabe Houlihan (14) entered the crease and blasted his first ever six off Warrandyte’s opening bowler before being dismissed for 14. Ethan Nikcevich (27) came out and hit 3 sixes in a rapid 27 before falling victim to a brilliant catch. Bailey Rutley (12*) hit a huge six over square leg and he and Denzel Parsons (13*) helped Healesville to a strong total of 185.
Needing 186 to win Warrandyte’s openers got off to a good start before Peter Nolan and Denzel Parsons broke through. Warrandyte struggled with Healesville’s strong bowling attack until Wes Callow scored 46* to give his side hope including 4 big sixes. Warrandyte required 85 from the last 60 balls and it came right down to the last over being bowled by Ethan Nikcevich with Warrandyte needing only 8 to win, Ethan kept it tight and Healesville held on to win by 2 runs in a thriller that had Denzel Parsons picking up 2 wickets and Ethan Nikcevich, Sam Dennett, Peter Nolan, Gabe Houlihan and Matt Cooper picking up 1 each.
Seniors 4th XI – Healesville 8/191 defeated South Croydon 5/187 – by Adam Keath
With a spot in the finals on the line the 4th XI travelled to South Croydon. Bowling first Healesville kept them to 5/187. Megan Schelfout bowled well in her first senior game taking a wicket and finishing with 1/24 of her 4 overs. Grant Braden 1/15 off 6, Owen Morcombe 1/17 off 5, Sam Keath 1/14 off 3 and Adam Keath 1/13 off two were the other wicket takers. The chase started well with G Braden 51 retired and A Keath 60 n.o. Opening the batting and taking advantage of the short boundaries. Things tightened up a little in the middle of the innings but a good innings of 29 from Premdeep Singh and 15 from Peter Coster got Healesville home with 3 overs to spare. The win kept Healesville in touch with the top 4 sitting in 5th on percentage.
