POT SHOTS: Surprise recruit for Mt Eliza, Nick Christides’ stunning start and Dermott dazzles
A misdirected text message helped Mt Eliza land a cricket recruit, while a Delacombe Park champion commenced the season in eye-popping fashion.
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We’ve heard of recruits walking in off the street.
But the circumstances of how Mt Eliza Cricket Club came to get its latest new player is nothing short of amazing.
On the eve of the season last Friday, the Mounties were short of players for their 3rd XI.
Someone suggested a mate could fill in and quickly a mobile number was forwarded to Mt Eliza club committeeman Greg Graeme, who in turn fired off a text to the possible fill-in, worded along the lines of, “G’day, you fat man, we need an old crock like you to play for us”. Graeme knew the man and it was all in good humour.
But there was one small problem.
“Me and my fat fingers, I entered one digit wrong,” Graeme said.
“And about 10 minutes later I get a reply, saying ‘oh, the fat bit was a bit harsh and you’ve got the wrong number...but I’ve been looking for something to do on a Saturday afternoon and I used to play cricket, so would you mind if I came down and had a game with you guys?’”
The receiver of the text was Parkdale resident Matt Tolj, a former keen cricketer, who obviously just needed a bit of prompting to get back into the sport.
So the next day, Tolj ventured down to check out Mt Eliza Cricket Club, even staying for a couple of beers with the boys — and this Saturday he will slot into the Mounties’ thirds.
“What are the odds? Absolutely incredible,” Mt Eliza 1st XI captain Tim Clarke said.
“It was fifty percent chance of being male, and in the right age bracket was probably half a chance. In the right state is probably one in seven...so you add all those and the odds of snaring a recruit are astronomical.”
Tolj has already been dubbed the freak recruit.
SIX TO START
Head down, take your time.
Nope, not for Delacombe Park opener Nick Christides, who last Saturday commenced the new season in spectacular fashion - belting his first ball of the season for six over mid-off.
But this is nothing out of the ordinary for the man known as “Chico”.
Parkers old timers are adamant it’s the 10th time Christides has begun his season with a “Dorothy Dix”.
“He’s the DP GOAT,” Delacombe Park coach Ricky Ramsdale declared.
LOST BALL
We’ve already had our first lost ball of the 2019-20 season.
Christides’ teammate Daniel Streker smashed three sixes at the Towerhill Rd Oval, one of which landed in the backyard of a nearby house — and vanished.
RUNS FLOW
The highest partnership on the peninsula on day one of the season came at Main Ridge when young guns Finn Emile-Brennan and Henry Brayshaw hammered 157 for the second wicket against Dromana in MPCA B2 grade.
Finn, 16, opened the batting and finished with his highest score ever,74 not out, while Henry, son of TV and radio commentator James Brayshaw, fell just short of a century, run out for 96.
BRERETON BLASTS OFF
Dermott Brereton’s name featured in the highest scorers on the opening day of the season.
No sign of rust for the former Hawks champ, who peeled off 68 to lead Heatherhill’s fourths to a first-up win over Somerville.
All going well, Derm will achieve a nice milestone in his next innings; he needs 10 more runs to reach 1000 runs since making his comeback to cricket four years ago.
GAMES MILESTONES
Significant games milestones for a couple of loyal local cricketers.
Tyabb’s Jarrod White played his 200th club game in the Yabbies’ First XI’s win over Tootgarook on Saturday.
And this weekend, Langwarrin will raise a glass to one of its favourites, Damien Wust, who is due to play his 300th club game.
HASTINGS AND HUSSEY
Some big names will feature in Hastings Cricket Club’s season launch on Saturday, October 19.
Former Ausralian cricketers David Hussey and John Hastings will be guest speakers at the night which will also feature a two-course meal, drinks at bar prices and auction items to be won. Tickets are $70.