Ghosts haunted by Bulldog nemesis
The Bankstown Sports Club Bulldogs were out to make amends for their narrow loss to the Dolphins last game. They certainly did that and have already taken first innings points which they are hoping to turn into an outright and 10 valuable points. Bankstown took the field and haunted the Ghosts despite the cauldron which was Memorial Oval. The visitors never came to terms with the barking Bulldogs and capitulated for a paltry 132. In reply Bankstown cruised to 6-194 whereupon skipper Solway declared hoping to get one or two wickets before stumps, but his quicks excelled themselves again with the Ghosts 3-25. Over the years Bankstown have had some superb paceman and this season is no exception. Aaron Bird, the Taree Tearaway, is mentor to the young pacemen and they could not have a better person in the role. Liam Marshall and Brad Simpson taunted and haunted the Ghosts and wickets fell regularly. The pair peppered the batsmen with awkward lifting deliveries and the visitors just had no answer. Marshall made the incisive breakthrough then Simpson took 3-42 as the Ghosts disappeared back to the pavilion. However, the best figures belonged to left arm spinner Ben Taylor flighting the ball wonderfully well and using all his guile and craftiness. His 5-28 from 18 overs was testimony to his ability and the whole bowling unit is on the rampage. Zeeshaan Ahmed held the top order together with a delightful 42 whilst Nick Carruthers was run out for a sparkling 35 hammering six well timed boundaries and a super six in his delightful cameo. Top score for the Bulldogs was the leviathan run getter Jake Cormack with 64 plundering 8 boundaries and an eye catching six. Cormack is on a run spree at the moment and only faced 67 balls in his devastating knock. Taylor was having a real day out and hit 2 sixes in his entertaining 33. One six was a towering straight hit which soared high over the fence. In the Ghosts 2nd innings the pacemen did the damage with Marshall 2-13 and Simpson 1-12. The former bowled a brute of a delivery which lifted sharply, and Ahmed held a smart catch around the corner. Simpson bowled another beauty which the batsman attempted to fend off but just guided through to the keeper.
Second Grade
The home side compiled a competitive 327 at Raby Oval but the loss of top order batsmen Modacer Monandi and Mansukh Singh left the Dogs reeling at 214 at stumps. Tony Clark (1/38), Blake Pearson (1/78), Ryan Clark (1/83), Modacer Momandi (2/31) and Mansukh Singh (1-3) all toiled hard in the blistering heat, but it was paceman Gurinder Hara who took the honours at both ends of the innings snaring 4-48 off 17.3 overs.
Third Grade
The Alex Kouventaris led Third Grade scored an emphatic win over Sutherland. In a low scoring match, Niran Wijewardene starred with the bat with an impressive 64 off 95 deliveries. The only other player to shine was Bilal Ali with 20 as the Dogs were dismissed for 146. What seemed like a modest total proved to be more than enough as Bilal Ali (4-30), Koby Layton (3-33) and Niran Wijewardene (2-3) tore through the Sutherland line up, dismissing them for 110 to secure the six valuable competition points.
Fourth Grade
The Jehan Bilimoria led Fourth Grade scored an emphatic morale boosting win against Sutherland. The Dogs scored 5-194 highlighted Daniel Slane who dominated the Sutherland bowlers with 66 not out off just 60 balls. Slane received good support from Johann Perera, who added a neat 29 at the top of the order, Rahid Alam a solid 32 off 50 balls, while the consistent Anthony Melnyk remained 32 not out. The Sutherland batsmen were never allowed into the game as Brady Polkinghorne (4-26) and Hayden Barrett (2-33) were just too classy on the day, Sutherland all out for 175 as the Dogs grabbed a valuable six competition points.
Fifth Grade
At Grahame Thomas the Sutherland Sharks got the better of the Bulldogs. The visitors compiled 9-210 whilst the home side struggled to a disappointing 5-186 after the 50 allocated overs. Bryan Handunneththi was the batting tyro for the Doggies with 85 not out and fought valiantly to keep the Bulldogs barking. It was very much a lone hand by the classy opener. He batted superbly as wickets tumbled all around him and has enjoyed a very good season thus far. Len Johnson added a plucky 30 and batted with great tenacity. Tom Ramage provided stoic resistance with a sterling 25. Charlie Fitzjohn again was right on target with a spirited 3-39. That man Handunneththi again was well and truly in the action and took 2-21 whilst Mudassir Ejaz chimed in with a useful 2-44.