Well, after a cricket drought of over a month, the North Nowra Cambewarra (NNC )U11 team was busting with enthusiasm to get onto the cricket field and strengthen our healthy lead at the top of the table. We were about to discover if those second and third helpings of Christmas turkey, basted with gravy and home baked buttermilk biscuits would weigh in on our performance. After all, this was a top of the table clash against Nowra.

The game started with us losing the toss and being sent into bat. A big night was had by Harry Evans rendering him no chance to open the batting. Instead, Tully Dennis and Toby Huard came out to open. It was a modest start and while runs were being scored, they were not coming easily. Harry Evans finally made an appearance and was looking pretty good considering moments earlier he’d just run every red light between Bangalee and Nowra High. He partnered up with Cameron Murray, and both players similarly kept the scoreboard ticking at a modest pace. Micah Edwards and Liam Gomez then came to the crease and showed plenty of enthusiasm which was enjoyed immensely by their one-eyed, life-long loving supporters on the sideline. They added a new meaning to term “challenging the fielders”. Jack Walsh and Troy Sweet followed with the partnership of the match, scoring 46 runs. Jack Sweet and Jacob Zerafa chalked up a 30 runs partnership as well. Overall, 134 runs. A reasonable score to defend. It was a typical Australian batting performance where you publicly say you’ve batted real well, when you know you should have got 30 more.

Our bowlers did extremely well this week. Very few extras bowled. Everyone chipped in to restrict the batting teams scoring in the first half of the innings and in the second half, taking a quite a few wickets. Some notable good catches were taken in the outfield by Jack Walsh, Toby Huard and Troy Sweet. Harry Evans took three wickets. Tully Dennis and Cameron Murray all did a good job bowling and applying pressure to restrict scoring. Liam Gomez and Micah Edwards were unlucky not to take wickets. Jack Sweet pulled off a couple of hotshot direct hit run-outs. Both Jack Sweet and Jacob Zerafa performed brilliantly with the wicket keeping duties. Both keepers fearlessly stood up to some quite ferocious fast bowling from Toby Huard and Troy Sweet.

Our bowling and fielding was the telling factor in this game. The Duckworth-Lewis calculations didn’t come into play so there was no rioting, no burning down the portable toilets which have been at Nowra High since the 1980s, and nobody felt ripped off. North Nowra Cambewarra Blues cruised to 6/134 and in reply, Nowra managed 14/73. Quite a reasonable win. North Nowra Cambewarra U11 Blues are rock solid at the top of the table. You beauty, well done boys!