Page 36 - West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Cricket Club Yearbook 2017-18

UNDER 8 - TEAM REPORTS
For the Boys it was their first time playing real cricket wearing real cricket gear. Most boys had graduated from Kanga from previous year but we had few newcomers too. Had few challengers early forming teams and finding volunteers but we managed to overcome these as a group.
This year we had total of 40 players spread across 5 teams. It took few weeks for players to get used to playing games for longer period while wearing cricket gear. But as the season progressed it was very pleasing to see how much they developed as cricketers bowling less wides, scoring more runs, running well between wickets and making new friends. The best sight this year was seeing these young boys celebrating a wicket which grew in stature with team mates running from all corners to huddle.
For all the coaches and managers I am grateful for all your efforts through the season. It’s not easy coaching younger age groups and without you we wouldn’t be able to have teams. Finally for all parents thank you for your support scoring, setting up and driving kids to cricket each week.
For these future Club men hope this year will be in their memory for rest of their cricketing years and look forward to seeing all the players and parents back next year in U9s.
Joseph Cooray U8 Coordinator
UNDER 9 & PINK STUMPS REPORTS
The U9s had an excellent 2017/18 season. With a total of 33 players registered in this age group, we had four teams. A number of our players from last season’s U8 group returned for yet another season of cricket and we also had an almost equal amount of fresh faces.
The players progressed over the season and bonded well with each other in their respective teams. Clear improvement of their cricketing skills and performance were visible. We are very much obliged to our coaches and managers who sacrificed their time and trained these players. A big thank you to Paul Higham and Tovin Honeysett of the Gold team, Mick Dalton and Thilina Abeysinghe of the Blue Team, Mark Lean-Fore, Anuj Rai and Catherine Kirkham of the Green Team and Ryan Irwin, Kam Patel and Muditha Dissanayake of the Red team. Their efforts did bear fruits with some kids trying out for the Reps and some representing their schools.
The crowning of the season was the Pink Stumps Day held on 10 March 2018. We turned it into a gala day and had 3 games for our U9 teams, played on knock-out basis. The Pink Stumps Day photos on the Club website speak for themselves of how good the day turned out to be. The weather was kind to us and we had an excellent day of cricket, fun and frolic. The Pink Stumps fund raising campaign was no doubt a task for all U9 kids and parents who did their best to sell raffle tickets to help with the fund raising effort. As a group, we managed to breach our target of $8,000 and went on to raise a total of $9,076 in aid of McGrath Foundation to place Breast Cancer Nurses in communities across Australia. In addition to thanking many cricket loving establishments/persons and businesses in the area which helped us to raise funds, the success of this project would not have been possible without all the U9 kids and parents, especially the efforts and contribution of Mick, Paul, Tovin and Thilina and their families.
We certainly look forward to another season of cricket next Summer when our boys will be better equipped, more experienced and prepared for Under 10 cricket.
Ratna Siva
U9 Coordinator
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