Year 8 Boys give everything in Cricket State Semi Final

SCHOOL SPORT VICTORIA – STATE SEMI-FINAL

Cricket – Year 8 Boys

At the end of November, the Year 8 Boys travelled to Balwyn North to compete in the State Semi-final against Rowville Secondary College. Despite playing a strong and skilful game, it was not enough to win through to the final stage of the competition.

State Semi-Final vs Rowville

Aware that the State Finals are the big time, some team members prepared for the massive day by heading down to Melbourne the night before rather than taking the bus for an early start. The State Semi-final was our chance to go up against a very good cricketing school, Rowville Secondary College, coached by former Sheffield Shield cricketer, Darren Berry. This was always anticipated as a difficult match, with the winning team going through to the SSV State Final.

Rowville won the toss and sent CMC out to field. The match kicked off with Rowville swinging into action, hitting large shots, scoring quickly, and setting an assertive tone early. Aydan Hand and Callan Orr had to keep their nerve with the new ball. Our skipper, Riley Travaglia, took a sensational catch going back with the flight at mid-off to try and kickstart the innings. It was Callan’s turn the next over, getting out a dominant batsman that was already in the 30s, followed by Riley’s safe hands to the rescue once again.

A noteworthy highlight of the game was the evident improvement in ground fielding from every member of our team. The commitment to stopping boundaries and the sharpness in retrieving the ball collectively demonstrated the team’s dedication to enhancing their skills since the first game of the Year 8 season. In addition, Tyce Griffin took a nice catch off Riley’s bowling and Aydan finished with a run-out. Rowville showed class and finished with an impressive 4/161.

It was never going to be easy chasing the biggest score we had seen during the tournament, but the boys were optimistic and keen to give it their best shot. Tyce came to the crease, full of confidence and absolutely middled a cover drive, only to be caught by a diving one-handed catch from the opposition. On any other day, that ball would have flown to the boundary. The team had to regroup and continue to step up to the challenge.

The opposition bowlers maintained consistent pressure, making it a struggle for our batsmen to get the ball away, find gaps or build partnerships. Callan, Aydan, and Riley made starts but all went out on 7 runs. Chad Mannes was the top scorer with 16. And Xavier Horan did everything he could to get a reverse scoop shot into motion which brought the crowd to their feet. But it wasn’t to be for CMC, being convincingly beaten and finishing on 10/69.

Batting Stats
Chad Mannes – 16
Riley Travaglia – 7
Aydan Hand – 7
Callan Orr – 7
Zane MacDonald – 6
Griffin O’Shea – 6
Max Nicholas – 5

While the final score may not reflect the desired outcome, the team’s resilience and determination were evident throughout the match and the whole tournament. The way the team performed in each lead-up game is a testament to what great individuals they are. Full of personality and character; the team culture continued to grow, and the boys started to understand how great their achievement was to get to this level. Although we lost on the day, the success of the year is something for this squad to be proud of. Darren Berry commented on our strong bowling ability and the accomplishment of a country team making it this far. It’s worth noting that Rowville went on to win the SSV State final.

The team also received incredible support from family members and friends who made the trip down to Balwyn North to cheer for them. Their presence and encouragement undoubtedly played a crucial role in boosting team morale, showcasing the spirit of unity within our school community.

We can’t thank Ms Holly Speed enough for her dedication to the role of organising the squad, equipment, bus, and everything. It makes it so much easier for the teachers, parents, and students and we should not take that for granted. We wish the players and supporters all the best for the summer break and we will be bigger and better next year. Go CMC!

TEAM: Mannix Grieves (Square Leg Umpire), Aydan Hand, Xavier Horan, Zavier Ralphs, Elliot Ryan, Tyce Griffin, Callan Orr, Riley Travaglia, Lucas Wheelhouse (Scorer), Mr Alex Code (Coach), Maxwell Nicholas, Griffin O’Shea, Chad Mannes, Joshua Kelly, Zane MacDonald, Jacobi Kramer