Hawks’ future strong despite missing finals chance
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top form: WEST Indian speedster Ricky Small-Boyce claimed four wickets in playing a major role in Dunsborough’s second semi-final win over YOBS last Saturday. Photo: Vanessa Hatton.
Welsh import Ellie Hopkins is welcomed in Perth by Hawk Michael Earl when she arrived at the start of the season.
Sri Lankan import Rumesh Silva with Hawks skipper Paul Tognolini.
Busselton Margaret River Cricket Association grand finals will be staged at Dunsborough for the first time since 2008, after Chris Reagan’s charges demolished minor premiers YOBS in a one-sided second semi-final at Barnard Park on Saturday.
Dunsborough won the right to host this weekend’s A-grade and B-grade finals after routing YOBS for 75 in 39 overs, and then taking just 16.2 overs to wipe off the target for the loss of one wicket.
The minor semi-final at Margaret River on Saturday could not have been closer, with Hawks batting first and totalling 9-173 from 50 overs, only to see St Marys chase them down and claim victory off the final possible ball of their 50th over in reply, with the last pair at the crease. Excellent fielding from both sides was a feature of the game, with Saints import Ed Moulton taking a miraculous one-handed on the boundary to dismiss Rumesh Silva, and Hawks’ teenager Kade Dittmar then holding on to a reflex catch at cover to dismiss Marc Ford when Saints batted. Saints keeper-captain Kurt Davis also completed an outstanding stumping down the leg-side off Lewis Milligan to claim the key wicket of Martin Head (52) to restrict Hawks, while Peter Grygorcewicz completed three run outs in another fielding highlight for Saints.
In B-grade finals, YOBS will meet Dunsborough for the Barnard Shield this weekend after two cliffhanger semi-finals were played last Saturday.
THE HAWKS’ SEASON WRAP
Well where do we start? The Margaret River Hawks Cricket Club’s resurgent season has come to a somewhat disappointing end with both A grade and B grade being defeated in the final over of their respective matches on Saturday. Disappointing in the fact that the teams backed themselves to win both games and surprise the rest of the competition for the rest of the finals.
However, just six months ago this wasn’t really on the horizon. If, after last season, the powers to be said we could finish this home and away season in 3rd , 4th and 6th position in A, B and C grade respectively; get games into eleven juniors and welcome 17 new players plus families into the Nest; the Hawks would have taken that with open arms.
2016/17 saw Hawks have just a 14.5 per cent winning percentage in the club; hold up the ladder in all three grades and battle to field 1 side at times. 2017/18 saw a 42 per cent winning percentage, just miss out on finals in C grade and played finals in A and B grade while at times this season the selectors had headaches of who to drop rather than “will we fill our sides this week!”
The excitement building through the club is palpable and the future is shining ever so bright.
Senior players have remarked that this season has been one of the most important, but ultimately most enjoyable seasons they have had. Comments like this needs to be put into perspective;.the Hawks are arguably one of the most successful sporting clubs in the Shire of Augusta Margaret River and with that comes some enjoyable seasons in itself.
We have a fantastically strong link with the junior cricketers of the region and are overjoyed at the success they have enjoyed this season while their camaraderie, enjoyment of the game and the respect they show is a breath of fresh air.
Off season, the club sourced two imports in Ellie Hopkins from Wales and Rumesh Silva from Sri Lanka. These two have brought energy into the club and the club thanks Andy and Ange from The Foodroom for employing Ellie this summer; while the club thanks Rumesh for his help in curating the best turf wicket in the competition.
We hope both players enjoyed the season and hope they will return next year There are big plans for next season so watch this space.
Our 3 to 5 year rebuild is 12 months in and the Hawks are well on its way to be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years. A period of sustained success being the ultimate goal. We look forward to what the future will bring to the Nest!
We will leave you with a heartfelt piece by Hawks club skipper Paul Tognolini on the season that was.
“Well I would love to write a final game report; but to be honest it’s all a bit raw after a final ball defeat. I’m sure everyone involved in both heroic efforts in A and B grade will agree that figures and game analysis is really irrelevant at this stage of the season; besides that, I can’t find the scorebook… or my underpants. It was a big night!
When I say irrelevant, I mean that regardless of the outcome, the Hawks as a sports club have really excelled this year on and off field. I personally am so proud of everyone and everything we have achieved in the past season. We have proven to everyone that we are a team with a strong, proud heartbeat. Most importantly we have proven to ourselves and shown the way for our young up and coming players. We should all be so confident in the knowledge that we play in the great spirit of our club. I think it’s fair to say that we are admired and respected for the way we go about this crazy game of cricket.
I wasn’t going to mention names or dissect our painstaking finals losses, but to call them losses after such a vibrant and resurgent season doesn’t seem right. If we look for example and we need a token of ourselves as Hawks cricketers’ we perhaps should look no further than Maurice Shinnick our B grade skipper who carried his bat and brought up a stunning century in the semi-final run chase. Only to fall 4 runs short.
We can also only imagine the anguish of Rumesh Silva bowling the last ball of the match to concede the winning single after holding the opposition scoreless in the final over. In this respect, and although it hurts to think of the what if’s… I believe we have all been winners this season. It’s all over in a flash so although I will pack the gear away in the shed, and perhaps buy some new underpants. I am looking forward to next year already!
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Margaret River Mail
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