U/17's and 15's Grand Finals

Grand Final 17 v Joondalup

Bayswater Morley entered the Grand Final at Iluka Reserve with Ryan Ross and Matt Voorn included with Peter Baker (injured), Mike Houston and Jayden Power being the unlucky players to miss out.

After Cody Wilson called correctly and elected to bowl, the decision paid immediate dividends when he bowled the Joondalup opener second ball of the match.  However, the batsmen fought back to reach 75 before Jason Noble struck twice.  The bowlers worked hard to restrict the powerful batting line up and despite two wickets to Josh Keys and one to Mitchell Todd, at 6 for 181, Joondalup were set for a two hundred plus total.  But another wicket to Todd and an inspired 3 wicket burst by Brayden Dempster (10/3/3/15) wrapped up the innings for 188.

Keys and Todd saw out the 2 overs before lunch and then set in pursuit of a challenging but achievable target.  The unfortunate run out of Todd with 28 on the board was compounded when Keys (30) and Tim Smithies (0) were both stumped just prior to drinks with 75 runs posted.  On resumption of play, worse was to follow.  An in form Rhys Hampson (35/60) was adjudged LBW sweeping.  Dan Caporn (54/102) battled on with support from a defiant Ryan Ross (7/51) but the target was eventually out of reach.  Sam Daulby remained 12 not out when the last wicket fell at 165.

It had been a fine effort in the field to contain the opposition to under 190 but the loss of key wickets in the middle session of the run chase proved critical.  Coach, Craig Hampson and his support team can feel very satisfied over the achievement of making the grand final from sixth position.  The man of the match award went to Brayden Dempster.

Under 15’s v Wanneroo 

Bayswater reversed the Round 11 result by beating Wanneroo in a memorable Grand Final at Lilac Reserve.  Sent in to bat the Bayswater batsmen fought hard to reach a moderate total of 141 – this co-incidentally was the same score they defended in the hearting stopping semi final against Melville only a week earlier.

With Mason Coad joining rejuvenated opener, Alex Smith the Bayswater Morley innings started confidently against the Wanneroo pace attack.  Smith reached 20, and the score 37, before he was caught cutting.  Coad continued his excellent form from the semi final and with Captain, Travis Keys added 41 before he was dismissed for 32, quickly followed by Keys (24) and Chad Pritchard first ball.  At 97 Alex Di Placido (8) was caught at slip and a subdued Jake Lewis (12) followed shortly after.  A fighting effort from Ryan McMillan (20) and Herchelle Classen (10) saw the side close with 141 runs on the board.  It was hardly the sort of score that the team had planned but it was better than hoped for when 7 batsmen were out and just 109 runs scored. 

Classen struck almost immediately and then a superb gully catch by James Kenny off Lewis (12/1/1/30) snatched the initiative from Wanneroo who were in deep bother at 2 for 4.  Courtesy of a spate of 15 sundries, the batting recovered to reach 38 before Prichard was introduced to the attack.  His 6 overs produced 2 wickets for 13 and with Dan Ogilvie (6//2/0/10) bowling tight lines, runs came slowly.  Inevitably, though, Wanneroo fought back but found the clever spin and flight of Ryan Kovalevs difficult to combat.  Senior coach. Craig Kirkby described this spell as the turning point in the match.  Kovalevs’ flight deceived two batsmen who hit him return catches and a third holed out to the safe hands of substitute fielder Jack Seward.  A smart run out by Prichard compounded the batting problems but with Wanneroo’s best batsman farming the strike, and the tail enders defending grimly, the score continued to mount.  

Finally, with 18 runs required and two wickets in hand, Wanneroo had balanced the game and were better placed than Bayswater had been at a similar stage.  At that point, Keys called on a limping Classen (8.3/1/3/20) for one final effort.  The bowler responded by twice crashing off cutters into the batsmen’s pads and getting the nod from the umpire to close the Wanneroo innings for 127.

It was a wonderful result for coach Wim Van Houwelingen whose positive outlook and clear goal setting saw all the players contribute significantly to the three finals wins.  He was well supported over the season by Russell Lewis, Mike Prichard, and John Keys.

The Man of the Match award went to Ryan Kovalevs who tied down one end for nearly an hour and a half when the match was up for grabs.

The Rod Evans Trophy for Player of the Finals was richly deserved by Chad Prichard whose efforts reflected his enthusiasm, skills, and determination.

Semi Finals - U/15's and U/17's

Under 15's v Centurions

The U/15’s earned a place in the grand final after a heart-stopping character win against a determined Centurions.  Electing to bat on a wicket that proved two-paced early in the day, Baysie were in big trouble with five batsmen back in the pavilion and only 43 runs on the board.  A forty-two run partnership between Mason Coad (60) and Ryan McMillan (19)  restored matters a little but then three wickets fell for only four runs and at 8 for 87 a miracle was needed.  Coad and James Kenny (16) put on 45 for the ninth wicket.  Coad was in masterly form, driving both sides of the wicket and taking the attack to the opposition bowlers.  The innings wagged on another 9 vital runs after Coad’s dismissal and the total of 141 was better than may have been the case.

In the 45 minutes before lunch, Centurions were in trouble at 3 for 28 courtesy of a sharp run out by Chad Prichard, a diving catch at cover by Alex Smith, and a catch behind to Travis Keys.  After lunch Jake Hill (2/16) struck twice as Centurions edged closer.  Herchelle Classen (3/25) was outstanding in a tight Bayswater attack that wrapped up the innings with 2 runs to spare.  But the closing minutes were not without drama when a diving catch by Ryan Kovalevs off Pritchard (1/5) was disallowed.  However, justice was served when Kovalevs took a juggled catch off the same batsman two overs later. Then James Kenny (2/11) drew an edge from the last batsman giving Keys his third catch behind and the Bayswater supporters breathed a universal sigh of relief.

 U/17’s v Mt Lawley

The U/17’s advanced into the grand final with a resounding 7 wicket win over Mt Lawley at Breckler Park.  Mt Lawley elected to bat and were all out for 173 in the 58^th over.  The total could have been less as they recovered from an early blitz by the Bayswater pace attack.  Cody Wilson (10.1/2/5/19) was in outstanding form and enjoyed great support from Brayden Dempster, Joel Butcher, Jason Noble, and Josh Keys.  Dan Caporn was busy behind the stumps with three catches and Sam Daulby featured with two outstanding field catches.

Keys (81*) immediately took the initiative from the Mt Lawley bowlers to dominate a 60 run partnership with Mitch Todd (14).  With Rhys Hampson (67/95) in full flight, Keys adopted the anchor role was Bayswater reached the target in only 50vers.

Elimination Finals: 17's & 15's

17’s v South Perth

Baysie had to work hard when they won the toss and batted.  Josh Keys (67/114) was the innings anchor and with Rhys Hampson (28/56) added 66 for the second wicket before the middle order crashed to be 6/129.  Enter Jason Noble who continued his good form scoring 43 from 46 balls but it was pace duo Cody Wilson (46/30) and Brayden Dempster (24/37) who savaged the tiring attack in a 71 run eighth wicket stand before the innings closed at 9/235.

Dempster broke through early then Rhys Hampson snared two wickets but South Perth looked threatening at 5/168.  The return of Wilson (2/34) and Dempster (5/27) to the attack saw the top qualifiers collapse to be all out for 184 setting up a clash with Mt Lawley in the semi final.

15’s v Willeton

A blazing 124 from Travis Keys set up a challenging chase for Willeton of 6/251.  Alex Smith (30), Alex Di Placido (27*) and Chad Pritchard (22) were valuable allies to Keys who played a chanceless knock. 

Willeton started the chase in good fashion before Jake Hill (2/20), James Kenny (2/21), and Ryan Kovalevs (1/33) applied the brakes.  When Keys made a stumping from Smith’s bowling, Prichard (4/22) then destroyed the opposition innings in a spell of penetrating seam bowling. 

In a game that was memorable for Keys’ entertaining batsmanship and for some umpiring decisions that left players and spectators wondering, Willeton were all out for 199 and Baysie advanced to the semi final against Centurions

Round 12 v Subiaco Floreat

Under 17’s

With a win guaranteeing a finals berth, the batting was disappointing despite the best efforts of Jason Noble (35 runs from 47 balls) and Ryan Ross (31*/62).  Although Mitchell Todd (18), Rhys Hampson (23), and Josh Keys (17) got starts, no one was able to sustain an innings and the side collapsed to be all out for 157 in only 49 overs.  The last 5 wickets added only 24 runs.

Cody Wilson struck immediately before stumps but a partnership exceeding 100 runs turned the game Subiaco’s way.  Wilson (2/23) and Brayden Dempster (2/44) were the main wicket takers but the boys stuck at the task restricting the opposition batsmen to 9/207 from 67 overs. 

There were some nervous moments until word came through that Midland Guildford had been beaten and Baysie had secured 6^th place and a finals match.

Under 15’s 

With Travis Keys and Jake Lewis in Hobart on State duties, and key batsmen Mason Coad and Alex Smith out injured, the U/15’s called on U/14’s Alex Di Placido, Louis Ray, Jake Wood, and Jarrad Sims as replacements to take on Subiaco Floreat at Alderbury Reserve.

Winning the toss and bowling, Jake Hill (1/12) had an early wicket before a fifty run partnership was broken by Chad Prichard (1/26).  This exposed the batsmen to the probing spin of Ryan Kovalevs (12/1/4/31) and with Dan Ogilvie (2/11) ripping through the tail the opposition innings folded for 123 runs.

The Bayswater batsmen made heavy weather of the chase losing 5 for 57 before first gamer, Sims (8) and experienced Jack Seward (26) steadied the innings with a 41 run partnership.  Their departure left Kovalevs (23*) and Wood (11*) to see the side safely home and to finish top of the premiership ladder.

Two keen observers were Keys and Lewis who had only arrived home at 9.30 that morning and rushed to watch their team mates secure a double chance at the flag.

State Schoolboys Back

Bayswater Morley team mates Jake Lewis and Travis Keys returned from the

Australian School Boy Cricket Championships where the WA boys finished top

of their pool but lost to NSW in the final.

Jake Lewis had a great tour, scoring 234 runs @ 58.50, hs 108* and taking 7

wickets at 20.00, earning selection in the Australian School Boys team to

visit Dubai later this year.

Travis Keys battled the flu plus the opposition scoring 65 runs @ 13.00 and

being the outstanding wicket keeper with 11 dismissals, 7 catches & 4 stumpings.

Congratulations to both players.