Page 15 - West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Cricket Club Yearbook 2015-16

Under 17’s Team Report:
The team had a great mix of experienced players and fresh starters. The most beautiful thing with the team was that as the tournament progressed the girls enjoyed winning, they were thinking of strategies both with bat and ball to win the game. The Girls have been encouraging each other and working as a team and most importantly getting along with each other. The find of the season was Lily, given the fact that this was her first season her bowling skills were on par with the best bowlers by end of the season. This is truly commendable and shows the spirit with in the team.
I believe the girls are quite enthusiastically looking forward to the next season. The West Pennant Hills club has shown exceptional growth in last two years and if the club wants to grow at this pace and keep the momentum going then the Club needs to provide girls Grade Cricket opportunity.
It is a great team with more than half a dozen players ready to play second grade cricket or Brewers shield next year. It’s quite promising that the girls want to play serious cricket with an instinct to win.
Cheers,
Sanjay Thakur
Under 13 Red Team Report:
It has been an absolute pleasure to coach the girls, most of whom were playing their first season of cricket. The majority have never really played but in a few short months were very confident whether batting, bowling or fielding. Several of the matches have been close and hard fought which says a lot about the girls competition in general.
As well as enjoying the game there is a definite desire to win. This was best exemplified late in the match against Parramatta, on a boiling afternoon as the scores became close. A shot to the backward square leg boundary looked to be four for all money ... but no Jess Philips had other ideas and off she went. It is at moments like these you wish there was video coverage. A desperate leap over the ball to scoop it back from the boundary, followed by an impressive commando roll and topped off with a rocket back to the stumps ... that my friends was simply brilliant.
After a small chat with the girls one day about batting and how you can influence the fielding positions I was very impressed when Amy Harkin proceeded to scorch 3 sequential boundaries then with the field back far enough took a casual single.
The mark of determination was also displayed when Jess Meikle had hurt her ankle bowling against Ryde Rovers and when I asked whether she wanted to continue a look of “back off coach I haven’t finished yet” beamed from her tearful eyes. Needless to say she went on to complete her overs.
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