A comfortable win for the Coromandel first XI. This season is the first since 1984/85 that the A Grade have commenced a season with four wins from four matches and not surprisingly the team have returned to the top position in the Section One Premiership Table.
The victory was set up by strong performances with the bat, all-rounder Paul Magarey scoring 48 on the rain-shortened first day followed by a brilliant unbeaten 99 by Darren Coulter. Darren passed 1500 A Grade runs in the process and is the first Coromandel batsman (at least since 1947) to score 99 not out. He was well supported by Michael Cheek (42*) in an unbroken 8th wicket partnership of 96. Michael now has a batting average of 86 for the current season.
Set 232 to win in 55 overs, Mitchell Park were never serious contenders after early wickets to Paul Magarey and Darren Cheek had them 3/37 after 10 overs. The wickets were shared amongst the bowlers, Darren's two wickets taking his career total to 299.
Saturday was the start of Paul "Eddie" Champion's captaincy career and it appears that he is already feeling the pressure of leadership.
After winning the toss and electing to bowl, Paul led his charges onto the field and proceeded to outline his strategy.
With the fieldsmen settled and opening bowler John Rosman at the top of his mark, it was discovered that the captain had forgotten to take the ball onto the field.
It seems that John was "no-balled" before a ball was bowled.
After a brief state of confusion the ball was eventually located. (Observers are still divided as to whether the "nut" was in the official club kit, or fielding at gully!)
Unfortunately the discovery of the ball proved to be a major setback for the team's cause however, as it endured 41 overs of punishment at the hands of the opposition batsmen. To add insult to injury, "Eddie"'s meteorological instincts appeared to have been "clouded" by the earlier incident, as he was reluctant to relieve his players from the field despite driving rain, gale force winds, hail, lightning ...
It appears that Paul's "leave the ball on the side-lines" strategy may have been the right one after all!
First Innings Loss
Sheidow Park 7/271On a ground that is arguably the smallest in the Association, it was day for the bowlers at Paringa Park Primary School.
Batting first, Coromandel was immediately in trouble collapsing to 4/38. However a middle-order recovery, led by Simon Johnson and Simon Zacpal, improved the team's prospects and the score limped past 100.
An historic match for Matthew Bubner and Chris Garth, promoted from the D Grade for the first time. It was on this ground nearly three years ago that Matthew scored his first run for Coromandel.
Another highlight that demands a mention is the cavalier innings of Thomas Bird, taking advantage of the reduced boundaries to strike two fours in a personal highest score of 10.
With the home side resuming at 5/40, it took just one over for Chris Garth to make the first breakthrough for the visitors and have Plympton reeling at 6/43. Unfortunately this was to be the last ray of hope for Coromandel as the "tail", which consisted of batsmen who normally bat in the upper order, proceeded to pass the first innings target with ease and Coromandel faced a first innings deficit of 89 runs.
Chris finished with figures of 5/40, his third five wicket haul this season, and the consistent Greg Kearsley took three wickets.
On a historical note, the innings will hold some significance following one over from left-arm Chinaman bowler Matthew Bubner. During the infamous over he conceded 31 runs and equalled the (possible) club record held by Terry MacDermot: set in the D Grade Grand Final of 1996/97 at Hewett Oval.
The ball-by-ball analysis of Matthew's over: 444w666 (w = wide).
Batting a second time, Coromandel struggled to erase the deficit and lost eight wickets before
scoring the required runs to force Plympton to bat again.
Defending a target of just 7 runs, captain Mike Maclean threw the ball to 250 game player Richard Hunter, in the hope that the sentiment of the occasion would inspire Dick to take 5 wickets in an over and lead the side to a shock victory.
Outright Loss
Coromandel 105 (S. Zacpal 25, Johnson 22, Bird 10)In overcast conditions, captain Mark Lemmey won the toss and invited the opposition to take advantage of some unusually short Blackwood Hill boundaries.
The first problem for the captain was finding replacements for the usual opening bowling combination of association leading wicket-taker, Chris Garth (promoted to C Grade) and Simon Coad (unavailable).
Former B Grade bowler Tim Kaethner took up the attack with first season player Rod Hughes, and after a wayward start, in which 42 runs were conceded in the first five overs, they gradually found their line and length. A Kaethner "mystery ball" helped create the first breakthrough as Lemmey accepted an easy catch at mid on.
In his first match for Coromandel, Stuart Norman was the first change bowler and subsequently joined an elite group of players to have taken a wicket in their first over for Coromandel. It took just four deliveries to find a fine outside edge of the bat and present an easy catch for wicket-keeper Adrian Rowles.
The home side began to tighten the game up, until an appeal against the light by the St George batsmen saw the players leave the field at 2:48pm. In the following minutes light drizzle began to fall and before long heavy rain ensured that this match followed the same course of events as many others played today.
First Innings Win
St George 9/188 (38 ov.) (Norman 6/44)