WHAT a start! St George District Cricket Club’s first-grade team had three victories from three games at the weekend at Hurstville Oval.
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It was the opening round of the 2015-16 Sydney Cricket Association season.
On Saturday, the Saints defeated Penrith making 5-261 from their 50 overs and dismissed the visitors for 165 in 41.1 overs.
NSW all-rounder and Matador Cup one-day captain Moises Henriques starred, blasting 102 from 102 balls.
Saints won the toss and batted and Henriques struck eight fours and four sixes.
Henriques, with NSW teammate Kurtis Patterson (43), figured in a 128-run partnership.
Skipper Trent Copeland remained unbeaten on 51, hitting two sixes and four fours.
New recruit leg-spinner Daniel Visser took 3-49 on debut.
Henriques said it was a good way to start the season. ‘‘The wicket was doing a bit early but once the ball got a bit older it was a bit easier to bat,’’ he said.
Henriques, 28, said playing for St George holds great significance for him. ‘‘I started playing Green Shield [under-16s] for the club when I was 13,’’ he said.
Henriques debuted in firsts at 16. ‘‘For me it’s like playing with my mates. It’s a different and special dynamic.’’
Henriques and fellow Saints and Australian fast-bowler Josh Hazlewood didn’t play on Sunday in the Kingsgrove Sports Twenty20 games.
Saints hosted Sydney and Illawarra and won both.
Playing the first game in the morning against Sydney, the visitors made 137 with Trent Copeland taking 4-20. In reply Saints reached the target at 2-138 with Copeland not out 48. Steve Cazzulino top-scored with 49.
In the afternoon clash against Illawarra, the visitors scored 5-138 and in reply, Saints made 3-139, with Steve Cazzulino topscoring with 56 and skipper Trent Copeland, made 46.
‘‘It was a good start to the season winning the three games, but it’s one step at a time,’’ St George president Kevin Greene said.
In round two, St George play UNSW on Saturday, at the Village Green, in a 50-0vers-side game.
SYDNEY CRICKET ASSOCIATION — ROUND 1 LOWER GRADES
SECOND GRADE
Blacktown 9-214 (Usman Butt 98, Jason Hayward 3-36, Scott Pickering 2-12) tied Sutherland 214 (Tom Doyle 61, Scott Pickering 40, James Dallaway 2-34).
Penrith 6-202 (Adrian Isherwood 75 not out) defeated StGeorge 6-194 (Chris MacDougal 92, Matthew Lacey 32 not out).
THIRD GRADE
St George v Penrith washed out.
Blacktown 168 (Brandon Jayasinghe 62, Alex Watkiss 2-14, Chris Macnamara 2-25) lost to Sutherland 2-125 (Kurt Brown 77 not out, Rory Darkins 37 not out) on run rate.
FOURTH GRADE
Blacktown 123 (Steven Milliken 4-29, Angus Fallins 2-21) lost to Sutherland 5-124 (Matthew Parker 52 not out).
St George 8-218 (David Horton 58) defeated Penrith 9-205 (Stephen Wark 3-37, Aaron Royall 3-38).
FIFTH GRADE
St George v Penrith washed out.
Sutherland v Blacktown washed out.
