It is starting to feel like destiny that Campbelltown Camden District Cricket Club will finally break its 33 year duck and win a Sydney Premiership this season.
If it does, remember just one name – Jarrad Burke.
Cricket is a team game but what Burke has done for the Ghosts players this season is inspire them to believe that they can achieve that elusive dream and bring a premiership trophy to Raby.
The Ghosts skipper was enticed back to Raby from Bankstown in a very astute move by the front office, as was the signing of Phil Wells and Englishman Ollie Pope, the wicketkeeper batsman.
But Burke’s the man, in more ways than one.
On the weekend against Manly, Burke wrote himself in the first grade cricket record books when he reached the 10,000 run mark.
But he is also just two wickets short of another remarkable record: 600 first grade wickets.
Burke will reach that in January when the competition resumes, and that will make him just the third player since 1893 to score 10,000 runs and take 600 wickets.
If the immortals concept was used in grade cricket, Burke would no doubt be one of the inductees.
His deeds this year have helped Campbelltown Camden become a force to be reckoned with in the competition.
At the Christmas break and after eight rounds, the Ghosts find themselves in the unfamiliar position of leading the competition with 38 points from six wins and two draws.
They are two points clear of second placed Sutherland, Australia captain Steve Smith’s grade club.
Their sixth win was recorded over Manly at Raby on Saturday after another solid performance, reports JASON ELLSMORE.
Manly won the toss and elected to bat first, but this was fine with the Ghosts skipper, who had planned to send them in regardless.
The Manly bats soon found themselves facing some difficult deliveries as allrounder Luke Webb bowled with good pace and accuracy.
Faisal Nasim applied good pressure from the other end and while the Ghosts got the early breakthrough of NSW and Big Bash League star Jay Lenton, the Crosthwaite brothers took Manly swiftly into the 70s.
But within the space of 11 runs the Ghosts had turned the Manly innings on its head.
Once again it Burke in the thick of the action, catching one Crosthwaite brother leg before and cleaning bowling the other.
A brilliant piece of fielding from Jaydyn Simmons to directly hit the stumps from side on removed another of the quality Manly bats.
The fifth wicket provided some resistance with a second 50 run partnership for Manly, but as the tail was exposed the runs dried up for the visitors, who managed to reach 176 before losing all their wickets.
Burke bowled superbly for his 10 overs taking 4/26.
Likewise, Luke Webb and Josh Appleton, who both finished with two wickets apiece off their 10 overs.
Once again, the Ghosts opening batsmen Mitchell Carruthers and Aaron Yabsley got Campbelltown Camden away to a good start, posting a 60-run partnership.
Yabsley was caught on 34, while Carruthers carried his bat for the whole Ghosts innings of 46 overs to finish 83 not out.
Jordan Browne (28 not out) and Carruthers took the Ghosts across the line but not before a magnificent milestone was set by skipper Jarrad Burke.
In his opening scoring shot of a simple square cut for two runs, Burke registered his 10,000th first grade run. Burke’s tremendous career batting highlight was made even more impressive as his morning’s wickets had taken him to within two of 600.
Sydney Premier Cricket returns on January 6, with the Ghosts playing Penrith.
RESULTS Lower Grades
Second: Campbelltown Camden 9-160, Manly-Warringah 10-159 M.Hudson 2/21 and 44 not out; T. Woods 2/30; F. Parker 3/32; N. Appleton 31;
Third: Campbelltown Camden 10-103, Manly-Warringah 9-245 B. Redman 65 not out; C. Inger 3/28; M. Ashcroft 3/49; C. Passlow 2/51;
Fourth: Campbelltown Camden 10/97 Manly-Warringah 1/98;
Fifth: Manly-Warringah 3/153 Campbelltown Camden 9/147 T. O’Keefe 62 not out.
