In a summer where the biggest news seems to be that the state is in drought and creeks are drying up and golf course dams are at all time lows, it seems quite ironic that on the final day of the junior cricket season the premiers in the SCDCA Under 13 competition has been decided by the rain rather than the contest on the field. And yet this is what occurred on Saturday when the match between the second placed Shellharbour Blue team and the fourth placed Albion Park team was washed out without the toss being made or a ball being bowled, an event that led to the higher placed Shellharbour team being declared as Premiers for 2018/19. There was no argument from the participants – Shellharbour had won both matches between the teams during the regular season and were favourites for the game as it was. But Albion Park has only played its strongest team once during the season, and that had been in the demolition of the Lake Illawarra team the previous weekend, and with the vast improvement that they had made since their last meeting in January, there was plenty of confidence leading into the weekend that they could spring another surprise. Instead, they could be happy with thought they they had given everything they had on the cricket field during the season, and that reaching the final in the first place was indeed a terrific achievement.
It has been one of the best of my 41 seasons of cricket that I have been involved in on the South Coast, even if it was just from the spectators position. Watching these 14 young kids each week, and seeing the massive improvement each of them made between October and March, has been as gratifying as any season before this. Anthony Pickering as coach has been amazing, enthusiastic at every training and at every game, positive and encouraging in every sense of the word, always with the kids best interests at heart. He has been tough when he has to be, and because it has only been on the rarest of occasions, each time he did struck a chord with the kids and they responded immediately. His heartfelt words after 15 overs of the game against Shellharbour in January, when the lethargy of the kids had shown and cost them too many runs, had an immediate impact, and their recovery in the second fifteen overs was amazing. If they had been just as good in the first fifteen overs, they may well have won that match. That’s what makes a good coach, the ability to know when words need to be said, and when to just let the kids have their head. This wasn’t the only example of this during the season, but it was the most significant. Thanks for everything you did this season Anthony, you can be justifiably proud of what your team achieved this year because of your efforts.
It is also important to acknowledge the support of the parents and families this season. These kids all perform better when they have their family there to watch, because they WANT to perform for you and to do well in front of you and FOR you. The massive support you gave to this team every Saturday is a big reason they did so well. There is nothing better than doing something good, and hearing the cheers for you from the sideline, whether you are 12 years old or 49 years old. Nothing matters more to kids than playing in front of their family and their teammates families. The support this season was extraordinary, and you all can lay claim to a piece of the responsibility for this team doing so well this season.
Everyone will have different memories of their favourite parts of the season. Mine may not equate to the same as others, but sometimes it is the moments rather than the best performances that stick best in the mind. Rob Denny’s first three deliveries of the season, all perfect left-arm outswinging deliveries to the left hand opening batsman, with the third plucking the off stump out of the ground. Lucas Thompson’s catch standing at mid on under a high ball off Josh that took six months to come down, followed by the biggest smile ever and his teammates crushing him in celebration. Kane Rex’s crushing cover drive at Gainsborough in a ‘stand and deliver’ pose, possibly the best stroke he has played in his short career so far. Watching Liam Cergovski take the keeping gloves at training for the first time, and then not letting a single ball past him, and suddenly realising we had found a wicket-keeper in the making. Blake Ison’s fearless and blistering batting when opening against Oak Flats chasing 117 to win, and perfectly setting up the team with his innings to ensure a famous victory. Will Schofield’s perfectly amazingly brilliant catch at Gainsborough as the ball continued to drift away from his grasp until the final instant he managed to wrap his hand around the ball. Tom Denyer chasing the ball from mid-wicket to deep long on against Shellharbour, turning and throwing down the stumps direct at the bowlers end to have the batsman short by two metres. Wacky Campion’s terrific stumping off Josh at Con O’Keefe after he said at drinks ‘I’m a good keeper! I’ll get a stumping off Josh!’ Jack Couley’s match-changing innings against Kiama in a game the team had to win to reach the finals. Lucas freaking Brown and his 4/1 from two overs against Kiama when he was on two hat-tricks and might have gotten all the wickets if he’d been allowed to bowl more than two overs. Every single Kasey Barton back foot punch along the ground through cover, just the best looking stroke from a 12 year old it has ever been my pleasure to see. Kynan Barton’s dual run outs in consecutive deliveries against Kiama Gold at Con O’Keefe, one from a great piece of fielding at slip and the other chasing the ball down at point. Owen Pickering’s match-winning batting in the semi-final when he showed the poise and responsibility of the senior player in the team to calmly see off the best bowlers before hitting the winning runs from the change bowlers. And Josh Peters… bowling Jarryd White for a golden duck in that same game… I may have dropped my guard and screamed in triumph at that…
These are but a handful of the great moments from the season. Each and every one of these boys can be proud of their seasons. And every single one of them has a great future in this game, and we need to encourage them to keep playing and improve. They are literally the future of the Albion Park Cricket Club, and we all need to make sure they continue to love the game as much as they do now, and keep playing on for years to come.
Bring on 2019/20.
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