Both Fairfield Liverpool Lions and Camden Campbelltown Ghosts were back home for their grade cricket matches yesterday after last week’s round eight trips to the north side.
The away matches at Manly and Mosman netted the south west Sydney clubs one win, with the Ghosts prevailing over the Whales.
But yesterday in their round nine clashes when Ghosts hosted University of NSW and the Lions welcomed Penrith to Rosedale Oval, both were easily beaten after batting first.
The Ghosts made just 153 from their 50 overs after being 6 for 100 at one stage. UNSW easily got the required runs for the loss of just four wickets off 36 overs.
Up north on the Hume Highway at Rosedale Oval, the Lions also batted first and compiled a miserable total of just 120 runs.
But it could have been worse – they were 9 for 101 and only a little tail wagging got them to 120, but it was still too small to defend.
The Lions did respond well, claiming eight Penrith wickets before the visitors hit the winning runs, but it’s another loss that could cost Liverpool dearly at the business end of the season.
Back at Raby, the Ghosts and UNSW headed into their clash neck and neck on the Sydney Cricket Association first grade ladder in the 2014-15 competition, reports JASON ELLSMORE.
Under perfect Raby skies Ghosts skipper Scott Coyte won the toss and elected to bat.
Sadly Coyte didn’t count on some tight spin bowling from the visitors and a long, slow 50 over innings closed with the Ghosts 9/153. In a remarkable turn of events the first four Ghosts batsmen to be dismissed were stumped off the Uni spinners. Joshua
Clarke (32) and Ryan Gibson (30) provided some resistance but like all the Ghosts bats failed to go on to achieve a match winning total.
It was always going to be a tough total to
defend given the conditions.
The second grade match at the University’s Village Green was decided on the last ball of the match off the Ghosts bat of Luke Webb. Earlier Webb had bowled superbly taking
5 for 35 off his allotted 10 overs to complete a good day.
The Ghosts were able to chase down the UNSW total of 9/226 after Aryan Jain (42), Tylar Edwards (41) and Ben Bourke (48) had scored valuable top order runs.
On Raby 2 the Ghosts third Grade’s total of 8/238 was passed in the last over of the match.
Zac Browne scored a tidy half century whilst youngster Jarred Lysaught showed his potential posting a mature 81 runs.
The fourth grade affair was always going to be high scoring match on the small UNSW home ground. UNSW batted first and were 330 at the close of their innings.
Brady Spelta (40) and Todd O’Keefe (60) led a chase that fell short by 36 runs.
The Ghosts continue to be a serious contender in the 5th grade competition. The young Ghosts side had a solid victory on Raby 3 winning by 100 runs. In the Ghosts’ total of 253, Under 16 Green Shield Players Rayeed Iqbal (63) and Joshua Langford (49) played superbly.
Next week the Ghosts travel to Manly for Round 10 one day matches.
Second and fourth grade will play at Raby with matches starting at 10am.
The Fairfield Liverpool Lions will be at home again in round 10, when they host neighbouring Bankstown next Saturday.
