If Campbelltown Camden cricket club go on and win the Belvidere Cup for the first time in their history they will be eternally grateful to a young Englishman.
Ollie Pope, a promising wicketkeeper-batsman destined to play for England, joined the Ghosts at the start of the 2017-18 season.
He is one of a long line of English cricketers who have come Down Under to play grade cricket in Sydney as part of their development into Test players.
It has taken young Pope a while for him to get used to both our pitches and the way Aussies play their cricket – hard and without any beg-your-pardons.
But in recent Sydney Premier Cricket competition matches Pope has started to really show his class, both with the bat and the gloves.
On the weekend he had his best match so far when he helped the Macarthur club beat Bankstown at Raby and get back on top of the ladder.
Pope took five catches behind the sumps on day one of the round 13 match, and on Saturday completed a remarkable performance when he scored 138.
Coming in at 3 for 64 and the Ghosts looking a little shaky, the 19 year old Englishman proceeded to smash the Bankstown bowlers to all parts of the ground on the way to his third century for the Ghosts.
Pope smashed 15 boundaries and one six as he and Jaydyn Simmons put on a 172 run partnership that ensured the Ghosts reached the target of 234 in 61 overs.
The win has catapulted the Ghosts back on top of the ladder with 52 points, same as second placed Parramatta.
Sydney University is running third, with Sutherland, Sydney and Manly making up the top six.
Next week in round 14 the Ghosts will cross the Harbour Bridge as they head to Allan Border Oval where they will meet Mosman.
They will return home to Raby for the final round before the finals, when they will host Sydney University at Raby Sports Complex on March 10.
LOWER GRADES
Second: Ghosts (194) defeated by Bankstown (277).
Third: Ghosts (83) defeated by Bankstown (5/274. declared).
Fourth: Ghosts (197) defeated Bankstown (105).
Fifth: Ghosts (152) defeated Bankstown (147).
