Postcard from Downunder at the Petersham Oval

With the cricket season in now full swing in Australia, Andy has been to see a First Grade game in Sydney.

Hope you are going well - seasonal greetings from Down Under

Today I went along with friends David Silverman and Mike Ryan to watch hosts Randwick Petersham CC and visitors Parramatta CC contest a Sydney First Grade match. The venue was the beautifully laid out Petersham Oval set in an excellent , well planned park with good community facilities nearby. These include an aqua area with large and small outdoor pools, a play park, cafes and a Victorian bandstand / picnic area. Arborists would love it too as there are some great mature trees around the Oval. The ground is a 5 minutes walk from Lewisham station in the inner-West of Sydney. It is close to the flight path of planes returning low overhead to Sydney airport. Thankfully not a drone in sight. The venue has legendary connections too with Sir Donald Bradman as the attached photo of a plaque shows. It is used for baseball outside the cricket season.

First Grade games span two Saturdays . Last week Parramatta had scored 159 for 7 when play ended for the day due to rain. As time had been lost today's play started at 9:30am. Parramatta soon lost wickets. The ball was seaming and swinging around in the cloudy conditions. Parramatta were all out for 169 with captain and opening batsman Nicholas Bertus scoring a splendidly patient 101 in 4 hours. Adam Semple 4 for 36 and Kent man Daniel Bell-Drummond 3 for 19 were the pick of the Randwick Petersham bowlers. 

Opening the batting for Randwick Petersham were Adam Semple [captain] and David Warner.  Semple was bowled by the pacey seamer Bradley Taylor for a golden duck. Warner hit one four but having batted for 40 minutes was also castled by the impressive Taylor. Kent man Daniel Bell-Drummond didn't trouble the scorers being caught behind by Liam O'Farrell off the bowling of Jack White for 0. Randwick Petersham were eventually all out for 113. Parramatta therefore winning on 1st Innings by 56 runs, a second "dig" not ventured.  Bradley Taylor was the star of the show for the visitors with a Michelle for 19 runs in 16 overs.

cheers

Andy