The sixth 25 Years Opens (2006-2031)
2006-07: Promises Promises- Partly Fulfilled
The promise of recent re-building over the previous two seasons which wound up the fifth 25 year period of the club’s history was partly fulfilled over 2006-07 and with some significant pass marks. The club as a whole took out the Norwood Wellington Club Championship, the first time since its inception in 1977. This award is competed for by every grade team across all clubs and is based on aggregated performances across the season. The Norwood Championship might not be the pinnacle trophy in Cricket Wellington Cricket’s cabinet but it is right up there.
The premiers, senior two's, 2C A, 1A and the IB side all did their bit towards the championship win as did a raft of individuals.
The premiers took out the 20/20 competition for the second year in a row while skipper Lee Edwards won the premier grade bowling aggregate for the third successive season. What more does this player need to do to get a fairer consideration for a provincial contract.
The senior two's ended their competition in third spot after, like the premiers, opening up the season with high hopes and expectations
The 2C A’s along with our new 1 A team's also ended with third prize while the IB’s won its particular grade.
The premiers went into 2006-07 hopeful of kicking on from their impressive second competition spot at the end of the previous season. It was not to be. Its most consistent indicator was a trend to either run hot or cold although it did go into the final round robin fixture with a chance for a play off spot. The heat was applied against Hutt Districts (won by 200 runs) and Taita (10 wickets). The shadow of East’s loomed twice, however, and blunted a better end of season position on the points table.
At the outset, the return of the promising Simon Allen was looked on as the perfect addition to push the side on to a grade championship. However, this player was unable to fulfil his initial promise in those matches he played. In addition, post Christmas, the side was also forced to soldier on without its undoubted batting star, Stephen Murdoch. Already one of
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The real delight over the season was the advances made by the young off spinner Jarred Sewell.
Not once but twice the tall youngster picked up 10 wickets in a match and twice seven wickets. He just missed making the honours board in what was a truly outstanding season. His last match 7-83 haul against a rampant East’s was of particular character. East’s batsmen had been on fire on the first day of a final round robin two day fixture on a lifeless batting wicket. Unperturbed by the mayhem dished out to his team mates, Sewell displayed remarkable maturity and persistence to come back as he did even given (and indeed in spite of) East’s late aggressive surge for quick runs before declaring.
In the end there was no declaration and Sewell’s eventual 11 wicket match total was well deserved. It also marked the player as one now delivering on an early post secondary school promise.
Yet another highlight with the ball was the solid support provided by medium pacer, Hamish Wright. The lack of either a genuine speedster to complement Lee Edwards (45 wickets and the region’s top premier wicket taker once again) with the new ball and a reliable medium pace work horse had been identified gaps over the previous couple of seasons. Wright filled the latter role with great application, and consistency and with not inconsiderable skill and promise.
The senior 2 title escaped the grasp of the senior first side yet again. On paper the team had the goods to go all the way. Simon Kent, Nick Hearn and Jono Sole all came with previous premier grade experience while Matt Aitken and James Hill added yet more when they joined the side later in the season. The latter indeed stroking a 113 not out against Wainuiomata late in the season. This all rounder, who had been of such value over 2005-06, had found runs and wickets harder to come by this time round but must have been well satisfied with his late season finish.
Kent, Hearn and Sole spent some additional time in the premier ranks, the last named appearing to fit in better than had been his previous entries into the higher grade. Hearn had always possessed the ability to have remained a key premier grade player and that he had not been in more recent seasons was one of choice and not from form which had been prolific. With Hearn’s departure, the captaincy passed to Mark Palmer who was already being groomed for the role.
Other outstanding performances which ensured the team still ended the season with a top three slot came from Hearn 7-50 and 10 wickets (verses Wellington Collegians); Mark Palmer (7-35 and 6-62 in each of the two Brooklyn clashes); Dustin Archer (112, also against Brooklyn); and Dom Carroll (6-45 verses Wellington College). Going into 2007-08, the same core of players will need to be around to maintain the momentum over the previous two seasons. But the confidence and the determination remain. It wasn’t too many season ago there was too little (if any) of either quality in the grade.
The closest any of the two day grade teams got to a title were the oh so close 2C A’s. Requiring just one wicket from the final ball to be bowled in the season the 2CA squad walked away from their season having to be satisfied with a third spot finish.
Held together by Welshman David Shufflebotham, including one century plus (against University after the Christmas break) and another just one run short of three figures, the team recovered from a sluggish start to push hard for the grade title.
While the batting order lacked the required consistency to dominate the grade, usually at least one of the top five produced runs to assist in posting competitive scores. David Hogg was elegant in his stroke play which complemented the grittier approach of Rajat. Dismissing opposition line-ups largely fell to the Smith and Nowland pairing with Brooklyn once out for 32, University 52, and the Sri Lankans at 63-9 at one point.
An inability to put the best players on the paddock more often was probably the difference between a title and a third placing. This was no better displayed than the need to field four different wicketkeepers over the season and the requirement to fill the ranks too often from part time ranks. 2C is a serious grade (or it used to be) and while acknowledging the impact of injuries and other valid causes of absences it is a huge hurdle for the remaining core to stay competitive let alone go for gold.
The 1Bs, with 13 regulars won its grade to put the icing on the cake of what was a fantastic season. Playing recruitment had commenced well before season’s start in order to kick on from previous 2nd and 3rd placings over the two preceding seasons.
Even the pre Christmas injuries to skipper Scott Carson (broken leg) and Tom Oldfield (knee) together with additional mishaps from parallel indoor soccer and netball pursuits could not hold back the team’s victory march. Built on some good totals, by the last rounds any one of three reams were poised to take out the grade title. The season’s climax was in the final fixture played on a freezing cold Endeavour park against North City. The Karori side was not to be denied however, and also took out the David Bain Cup for the best club team two seasons in a row.
Best batting came from: Scott Carson (despite a broken leg) with 319 runs at an impressive 45.57 average; Mike Loan 281 runs at 46.83; and Paul Dungey 277 runs at 37.77. Of the bowlers Jeff Loan topped the wicket taking with 26 wickets while Heath Goble was also right up there with 24.
Note: the lack of scorebooks or team captain reports in remaining grades meant this review of the season, as at 21 August, 2007, remains incomplete.