Well they say you can’t trust the weatherman… well it sure did rain, just at the opposite part of the day that they warned us all about! The good news is there was enough play in all grades to ensure that whites still need a scrub and wash…

The A’s headed to the TCG for the clash of the Magpies, with the Tanunda variety hosting the Mallala variety. The Mallala boys won the toss and sent the home side in to see what the deck could do, and would have been delighted to see two of our bats back in the shed very early in the proceedings. Jon Justin and Brett Grocke stabalised the innings, with Brett falling for 29 after an excellent partnership. Another Jon strode the wicket, this time the ‘life member’ Farley variety, with the “Jons” seeing Tanunda safely through to 3 for 124 before the heavens open and the battle transferred to the bar! The game is set up for an enthralling battle next weekend. Barossa Valley Brewing player of the week goes to Jon Justin for his determined knock.

The B’s took the scenic journey to Moculta to tackle Angaston. The home side won the toss and had a hit, ending the day on 6 for 160, having faced 58 overs before the precipitation arrived. Moculta certainly isn’t the competitions largest oval, but probably has Good Shephard covered, so another interesting day ahead next Saturday as the lads look to chase the total down. Sam Dunn was best with the two wickets, well supported by a wicket each to Blake Lockett, Steve “I’m back again” Lewis, Uncle Toby Mifflin and Charles Shaw. Ulitmate Engineering player of the week is Sam Dunn for his 2 wickets.

Gilbert Valley filled up the tanks and headed to Faith East to tackle the C’s, who continue to field a very different side each week due to player unavailability. It was a father son affair with 4 Dads playing with their lads, with 3 others joining in the fun. Skipper Tim Brooks decided to employ pretty unusual tactics which may have worked until his counterpart caught on to Tim’s cunning plan and insisted that the game was played with stumps. After a short delay (due to stumps being inserted into the pitch rather than anything to do with the weather), Gilbert Valley had a hit and made a competitive, but gettable 8 for 160, with Darryl Hean again taking 4 wickets. Kyle Graetz showed he is a player of the future in the senior ranks at the club with 2 wickets. Josh West overcame the initial setback of the selectors forgetting he was playing and showed a good variety bucket of tricks to pick up a wicket, with Dan Reu taking the other wicket to fall.
In reply Tanunda had raced to 1 for 48 off 10 overs with Sam Brooks and Dan Reu hitting 20’s not out before the Smart Phone weather apps had seen the spectators bolt for home. Back to back centuries nipped in the bud for Dan, and Sam robbed of the chance for his maiden century. Maybe next week! Innovative Eyewear MVP goes to Darryl for his effort with the ball.

Unfortunately a combination of university exams, birthday parties, mighty river runs, retaining walls and sheds floors being laid resulting in the D’s having to give Greenock a week off. If the stars align one of these weeks soon we’ll actually have a 5th side sitting on the sidelines supporting the 4ths!

The under 16s played Tanunda North at Nuriootpa Saturday. After a steady start Tanunda lost a couple of wickets. The boys then had a great partnership of 105 between James Madden (who make 79) and Clinton Hean showing that he’s a chip off the old block with a career high of 40. The lads finished our 40 overs on 4/148, with good tight bowling this week and good fielding the boys should break through for their first win. Special mention to Bailey Smith for surviving his one and only ball!

The Under 14 white went into battle against Light Pass at the TCG on a cloudy Saturday morning. Riley Westbrook and Nicholas Mills were the only bats to really settle into the conditions, and both had excellent days scoring 27 and 37 respectively. The conditions restricted our innings to 33 overs, with the side reaching 8 for 109 by that stage. Another game set up for an interesting Saturday ahead!

The Under 14 Blacks kept their whites clean with the bye.

Tanunda played Mallala in the under 12’s on Faith Eastern Oval on Saturday morning. Sydney captained the team with Mallala winning the toss and chose to bat first. Tanunda bowled 7 overs before play was stopped due to rain with Jack Collins getting managing to get a wicket before the rain arrived to call an early end to proceedings.

The Under 10’s took on Kapunda at the “perfect for Under 10’s cricket” Kapunda Primary School. Skipper Max Lienert wanted to bowl, which was good, as he lost the toss and the opposition captain liked the idea of batting. After an early onslaught (which saw the first 6 of the season), the team showed that a willingness to slow it down a little and bowl good lines and length pay off. The wide count continues to reduce each week, well done all. Mitch Radzevicius was the pick of the bowlers with 3 excellent wickets, with Harry Robinson, James Duff, Hudson Lindner, Ben Mernagh all taking wickets.

Our batting was also impressive, with everyone continuing to value their wickets. Darcy Thomson set the challenge for his Dad, hitting 3 excellent boundaries. Sam Rostenberg and Ben Mernagh also hit fours. Award winners were Mitch for his excellent bowling, and Hudson Lindner for getting his first wicket for the club and for doing a great job at his first attempt at wicket keeping.

The A’s got their first win of the season with a comprehensive victory over Truro at Truro. Tanunda went into the day 253 runs in front and with 9 wickets to get. An excellent bowling performance saw us take another 16 wickets on the day, not quite enough for an outright win, but an excellent day out all the same! Truro could only manage 52 in their first innings, with Mitchell Boschen taking five wickets and Shaun Akkerman four. Truro reached 7 for 100 in their second innings, with Dylan Abinett making up for not getting close to bowling in the first innings, picking up four wickets, Mitchell Boschen taking another two wickets with Brett Grocke chipping in with the other wicket to fall. Barossa Valley Toyota MVP goes to Mitchell Boschen for his 7 wicket performance.

The B’s took to the TCG to chase down Gawler Central’s challenging total of 219. Unfortunately Tanunda were never in the hunt on a two paced Tanunda Pitch, with Blake Lockett and Sam Cox putting on the biggest partnership of the day to avoid the follow on with Blake ending on 43 not out. Jon Farley showed all how to value your wicket, making 21 in an equivalent number of overs. The visitors had another hit and ended the day on 3 for 45, with Blake Lockett, Sam Dunn and Toby Mifflin each taking a wicket. Tanunda Clubhouse MVP goes to Blake for his contributions with both the bat and the ball over the 2 weeks.

The C’s headed to Kapunda High School and came home with a tight 20 run win. Absolute star of the day was Danny Reu, proving you don’t need to be able to run to play great cricket, hitting a cracking 100 and also taking 3 wickets (getting to the game on time looks to have helped). Darryl Hean continued to dominate the A4 competition making 40, with Luke Shearer taking 4 wickets on debut for the Magpies. Rogash Windows MVP is an easy one, with Dan Reu taking the gong.

The D’s had a real father / son feel to it with 3 Dad’s having a game with their lad, which is what it’s all about really (overall we had 6 father and son pairs playing seniors on the weekend). Despite some confusion regarding the game not being a 20/20 game (with the run rate being very impressive, and the rate at which we got out depressing!) we managed to put together a tricky total of 128, and even managed to bat for 28 overs in the end. Rob Henschke was best with the bat with a crafty 26 not out, with another of the Dads, Dan Eggelton making 16. Kyle Graetz chimed in with 14, with a number of other bats getting into double figures. In reply it was game on until a couple of Truro’s key bats lost their wickets in quick succession, with Tanunda bowling out the visitors for 91 in the 28th over. Dan Eggleton and Kyle Graetz completed their fine all round days by taking 3 wickets each, with good support by all other bowlers. Great to not only see that D’s getting their second win of the years. Tundarri Sales and Service MVP goes to young Dan Eggleton who should hopefully be able to walk again by the time this goes to press.

The Under 16’s had a tough day at the office with a one day game at the TCG, with Lyndoch batting first and being 0/146 after their 25 overs. With the bat, after a bright start the loss of steady wickets saw the boys be dismissed for 111. Top scorers James Madden 30 and Nic Burton 27. Plenty of hard work will be needed in the nets this week to get us back on track. It is also great to see so many under 16s playing senior cricket, which is great for the future of the club.

The Under 14 Whites headed to Greenock and came home with a comprehensive 65 run win, bowling Greenock out for only 45. Jackson Doherty was the star of the day taking 4 wickets, with Zac Portlock, Angus Blieschke and Will Meyer each taking a wicket. Well done boys.

The Under 14 Blacks also had an excellent away victory, easily accounting for Lyndoch at Lyndoch, bowling the home side out for 53. Skipper Oscar Harms bowled an exceptional spell, ending with 2 for 5 off of five overs. Hugh Smart also took two very economical wickets, with Aaron Bert, Luca Whitelum, Will Parker and Harry Collins each taking a wicket.

The Under 12’s played Angaston at Faith on a warm “summer’s” morning. Jordan and Malakai opened the batting and had a good partnership of 11, with great boundaries coming from Jordan, Malakai, Hayden and Jack Collins. Hayden and Jack were the best of the bats with 10 and 11 runs respectively. Excellent bowling from Coan and Hugo resulted in catches by Samuel and Jack Collins. Good to see the Jack Underwood back out on the field. He continued to bowl leg spin with good effect. The boys fielding continues to improve, with plenty of enthusiasm and encouragement on the field was great to see. This week’s Amanti Pizza award went to Hugo Schild, with the McDonald’s Award going to Hayden Spehr.

The Under 10’s played a shortened game in the heat of Friday night against Light Pass at Faith. Great improvement continues to be shown every week in both our batting and fielding, with everyone valuing their wickets. Best with the bat was Sam Roestenberg who hit an excellent 4. The team’s bowling performance was outstanding, with all bowlers concentrating on line and length rather than long run ups and fast wides! Chloe Rosenzweig, Harry Robinson, Darcy Thomson and Ben Swan all took a wicket, with all players fielding with a real hunger for the ball. This week’s Amanti Pizza award went to Darcy Thomson for an excellent effort in the field and with the ball, with Sam Roestenberg’s effort with the bat seeing him awarded the McDonald’s Award.

After a couple of weeks off the A’s headed to Truro and had a good day out. Truro won the toss and send Tanunda in hoping to use bowler friendly conditions to their advantage. A good batting performance saw Tanunda amass a very competitive 257, with Lauchy Scott-Hoy leading the way with 77, with excellent support from skipper Pete Mernagh with 65. Hugh Rogan overcame no one telling him he was playing A grade to make an excellent 38, with Brett Grocke also making 30. In reply Tanunda have an early scalp, with Mitchell Boschen taking the scalp of one of Truro’s key batsmen first ball of the only over we bowled for the day. Good line and length bowling should see the A’s bag their first points for the year. NGJ Accounting player of the week is Lauchy for his excellent innings.

After a huge effort by the curator to get a pitch up for cricket in recent weeks, the A2’s were the first to enjoy the turf at Tanunda for the year. We won the toss and sent Gawler Centrals in to see what the deck would do. A solid batting performance by the visitors racked up 219 by the end of the day, with the best with the ball for Tanunda being skipper Toby Mifflin with 3 economical wickets, Blake Lockett also picking up 3 scalps. They were supported by Kieren Smith and Aiden Radzevicius with a wicket a piece. Patient heads should see a very interesting afternoon of cricket at the TCG this weekend. Rogash Windows player of the week goes to Toby for his display of quality outswing bowling.

The C’s took on Lyndoch at Faith with most of last week’s team dancing the day away at Peter Lehmann’s, or having a look at a variety of spots along the Murray! Tanunda won the toss and had a bat compiling a very competitive 6 for 180 on a slow Faith Oval off our allotted 40 overs, with Liam Boschen kicking his year with a crafty 50 well supported with 40’s from Bob Smart and Craig “You do the best with what you’ve been given” Smith. A ripper of a game followed, with Lyndoch passing our score in the last over, close but no cigar as they say. Liam Boschen had a great all-round game with 2 wickets, Kyle Graetz and Nat Geue also chipping in with 2 wickets. Paul Healy woke up for long enough to take the remaining wicket to fall. Tanunda Foodland MVP goes to Liam Boschen for his fine return to cricket. After 2 close loses in a row the C’s will be looking forward to the winners list this week.

Unfortunately the number of players unavailable meant of forfeit for the D’s, and a damp pitch at Tanunda led to the Under 16’s now playing a 1 day game against the arch rivals from the North on Saturday.

The Under 14 Whites took on Greenock at Greenock and didn’t quite manage to bat out our allotted overs, ending the day on 110. Jayden Birchard was the star with bat with 35, supported by Dylan Birchard with 15, Nick Mills and Riley Westbrook both making double figures. Good luck defending the total this week boys.

The Under 14 Blacks took on Lyndoch at Lyndoch put on a great display of team batting making 5 for 175. Hugh Smart managing to outscore his Dad, top scoring with an excellent 44 not out, Jonah Whitelum showed that the batting genes have definitely flowed through the generations making 42 and Oscar Harms proving that great leg spin and wrong ‘un bowling isn’t the only thing he packs each Saturday morning making 37. A very defendable score with good bowling.

The Under 12’s played Greenock at Faith on a cold, windy morning. Jordan captained the team this week and chose to bat given the mild conditions. Some good boundaries were hit by Jack Collins, Coan, Malakia, Hugo and Hayden. The highlight of our batting innings was a great batting partnership from Coan and Malakai put on 18 runs. Best with the ball were Harmon and Sydney, with the team all bowling a good line and length, which help restrict the flow of runs. Liam and Samuel stepped up with wicket keeping duties this week and both kept well. McDonalds Award went to Jordan Rosenzweig with the Amanti Award going to Sydney Pick.

The Under 10’s were also on the road, taking on Freeling at Freeling Primary School. Skipper Mitchell Radzevicius won the toss and liked the idea of batting first. All batsmen showed great respect to the opposition bowlers and getting the rewards from valuing their wicket which is excellent to see. Tanunda’s young bowlers also showed that they are quick learners, concentrating on line and length. Best of the young bowlers being Darcy and Harry, with Nick “Sneaky” Holmes taking his second stumping in 2 weeks. Awards this week went to Harry and Nick for their continued improvement and passion for the game.

Stay cool, and with 9 teams on the park this week, see you at an oval in our beautiful Barossa!

The A grade and B grade sides enjoyed their week off with the bye. The A4’s headed to Kapunda to take on Freeling, as you do! Runs on the board are the key, and unfortunately it wasn’t to be on Saturday with the side being bundled out for 143 with far too many overs remaining on the board. Mark Hoklas lead the way with the bat with a hard hitting 38, Kym Farley an enthusiastic 25 and Sam Cox 16 not out. After a flurry of excitement from one of the opposition bats the game settled into a tight tussle, with a partnership at the end seeing Freeling home with the points. Best with the ball were Darrlyn Hean with 4 wickets, supported by Hugh Rogan with 2 wickets and Sam Cox having an all round day with the other wicket to fall. Only cabbage moths at Kapunda High this week, meaning all fines will need to be paid. Next week the side has an away game against Lyndoch at Tanunda, as they say, cricket’s a funny game. Barossa Valley Brewing MVP – Darryl Hean.

It was great to see an A5 hit the park on Saturday with a mixture of youth and experience, and didn’t they hit the ground running! Batting first an impressive 6 for 288 was amassed, with Sam Dunn taking a week off from bowling to top score with 80 opening the batting, Toby Mifflin an excellent 68 low down in the order, Matt Radzevicius making a long awaited comeback to cricket with 35, Dylan Abinett 30 in a batsman role, Blake Lockett and Kyle Graetz both making 20’s (including Kyle getting off the mark with a 6). In reply Light Pass could only make 30, with Aiden Radzevicius showing that Dad wasn’t the only one who knew a thing a thing or two about cricket taking 4 for 3, Blake Lockett 3 for 4, Kyle Graetz, Jackson Gray and Nat Geue each taking a wicket. With the word spreading around town it looks like we’ll be seeing a number of comebacks to cricket in the one day sides, which is terrific to see. We look forward to many challenges between up and coming lads and their fathers throughout the year! Rogash Windows MVP – Sam Dunn.

The Under 16’s were unable to chase down Gilbert Valley’s 146. After a solid start saw the side 1 for 50 at drinks, a couple of run outs hurt the run chase badly with Tanunda ending the day on 9 for 109. James Madden was best with the bat making 22 at the top of the order, Clint Hean was next best with 17, with Jake Hartigan a contributing a solid 16.
The Under 14’s had a positive start to the season easily surpassing Nuriootpa’s score of 95, ending the day on 155. A solid foundation was laid by the top order in the first 20 overs. This allowed a rotation of all players for a bat. Standout performances by Jonah Whitelum (making a fine 50), Aaron Bert and Lachlan Munzberg who all put a value on their wickets.

The Under 14 white side didn’t have the same success of the black side in round 1, unable to defend their score of 94 with a combined Greenock / Freeling side ending the day on 112. Best with the ball were Jackson Docherty, William Meyer, Tyson Healy, Angus Blieschke and Angus Schild who each took a wicket, with Zac Portlock having a great day in the field with 2 catches.

The Under 12’s played Greenock at Nuriootpa High School. Jordan Rosenzweig, Hayden Spehr and Hugo Schild best with the ball taking wickets, Coan Linke doing a great job with the gloves taking a ripper of a catch. Harry Lienert had an excellent first game, batting and fielding well. The majority of the team valued their wickets and batted well, with this continuing to be a focus at training in coming weeks.

The Under 10’s had their first home game for the year, taking on Gawler Centrals at Faith West. The spirit and enthusiasm for the game is terrific in this group of young future stars. Bowling first the side achieved their first 50 for the year, unfortunately it was in the wides column – but you have to start somewhere! Sam Roestenberg showed he’s a true chip off the block with 2 wickets, with James Duff and Jason Tapscott both taking a wicket – well done all! Nick Holmes took his first stumping, and Ben Swan taking an excellent catch in the gully. Great to see each of the young bowlers having a real go at this tricky art. Batting was good, with a focus respecting the bowler, playing cricket shots and good running well between wickets.

Good luck to all 9 sides heading out to represent Tanunda next Saturday.

The A1 and A2 sides both having byes and the numbers for the A5s side not quite there, the A4s headed to Moculta to take on Angaston and had an easy victory to start the year. A great effort in the field saw Angaston restricted to 65, with Sam Dunn the best with the ball with 3 wickets. Paul Healy took 2 wickets and caught a butterfly, Kym Underwood recalled times gone by with an excellent spell of express bowling returning 2 wickets for 7 off 5 overs, Darryl Hean took a wicket to kick off his year. Nic Burton took the remaining scalp and decided that catching butterflies was too hard, so caught the cricket ball a couple of times instead. Great to see the young fella’s contributing in the field, with Darryl Hean’s run out something that will only get better as the year goes on!

A relatively easy chase followed with Tanunda passing the score 4 wickets down. Tim Brooks decided he needed to run himself out on 13 so he could spend the rest of the afternoon trying to work out how to get his spare tyre out of his fancy vehicle, run machines Danny Rey and current A4 cricketer of the year Darryl ‘All-round’ Hean making about 20, with Sam Dunn getting the team across the line with his gallant 0 not out. Well done all.

The Under 16’s travelled to Saddleworth on Saturday to play Gilbert Valley. The boys got off to a flying start with the ball, having the home side 5 for 45 at drinks. Unfortunately the second session wasn’t quite as good, with the fielding dropping off. Gilbert Valley ended scoring a competitive total of 7 for 146. Pick of the bowlers was Lachie Miller with 3 for 25 of 8 and good contributions from Brodie Robinson 1 for 27, Ben Biagi for 18 and Bailey Smith 2 for 23. A solid effort with the bat is required this week, we are confident the boys can get the job done. Special mention to Brett Grocke, Shaun Akkerman, Dylan Abinett and Blake Lockett with their help so far at training, it is much appreciated by the next crop of senior cricketers!

The U14’s 2 day game against traditional rivals Nuriootpa is evenly poised. After losing the toss and taking the field a team bowling effort eventuated – 7 Bowers taking wickets. Capped off by some great fielding – 2 run outs, which limited the opposition to 95 runs. With a young batting team calm heads are required next week to ensure bat the full 40 overs on offer. The opportunity is there for taking, good luck this week!

The 12’s played Light Pass at Stockwell on a beautiful summer’s day on Saturday. Samuel Tapscott had the captain duties this week and was sent in to bat by the Light Pass captain. Jordan Rosenzweig and Malakia Gaskin-vanWieringen opened the batting with a solid start, putting on 16 runs. Solid efforts by all other batsmen helped guide us on our way to a fabulous end result of 3 wickets for 81 runs. All bowlers bowled well with Jordan Rosenzweig taking 3 wickets, supported by Samuel Tapscott, Angus Dohse, Jack Collins and Hugo Schild who all took a wicket. Well done to the whole team for an all round great game of cricket. The boys encouraged one another and assisted each other during the batting warm ups. A huge thank you to all parents for their support and encouragement of all players.

The Under 10’s headed to Nuri on Friday night to take on the traditional rival, with many of our future cricket stars having their first game of cricket. The main focus for the team is to learn the basics of the game while having fun, and the group is showing they have what it takes to do both. Tanunda batted first and batted well, with good running between wickets and all players having a go, highlights were Mitch Radzevicius, Sam Roestenburg and Ben Swan hitting 4s. The team bowled well with Skipper Chloe Rosenzweig, Ben Mernagh and Walter Holmes best with the ball, Nick Holmes and Ben Swan both taking good catches. The absolute highlight of the fielding effort was an excellent direct hit runout by Mitch Radzevicius. An excellent start to the year for our youngest side.

Milo Cricket has commenced at Tanunda Oval, 4pm on Thursday’s. It’s great to see the youngsters out there learning the basics.

For anyone thinking about donning the whites, we are a couple short of being able to comfortably fill the A5 side each week – so we’d love to hear from anyone who’s either played before and is keen to turn back the clock or for anyone who hasn’t had a game before but wants to give it a go. Training is at the nets at Tanunda Oval from about 5:30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

You finally get rid of the sore spots left over from one cricket season, the winter sports season flashes by and away we go again! Cricket Season 2014 / 2015 is upon us, and we head into it full of promise after a very strong year last year, with the only thing missing being some silverware, that’s certainly the aim for the season ahead.

Numbers continue to grow at the club which is outstanding, meaning the TCC will continue to field sides in A1 Reserves, A2’s, A4’s and we’re having a crack at an A5 side too. Junior cricket also continues to blossom, with the TCC fielding an under 10 side this year.

A gentle start to the year with just the A’s and B’s in action on the weekend. The A’s took on Lyndoch in a rematch of last season’s Grand Final. The ‘Dockers batted first and made 187, with Dylan Abinett and Luke Samain leading the way with the ball taking 3 wickets each, with Shaun Akkerman and Mitch Boschen taking 2 wickets apiece.

A solid batting performance by the middle order had us right in the game, with the equation at about 20 runs to get with 3 wickets in hand. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be with Tanunda being bowled out on 171. Alex Petty made a very promising start to his career with the TCC with 50, Nathan Justin a solid 32, Brett Grocke and skipper Pete Mernagh making 20’s. Tanunda Clubhouse MVP – Alex Petty.

The B’s took on Nuri at Nuri #2 and came home with the points. Batting first Tanunda made 8 for 147, with skipper Toby Mifflin continuing his form from last season with 47 and Andy Edwards (playing his first B grade game for the club) making a fine 55. Kym Farley was the only other bat to make double figures.

A team bowling performance restricted the home side to 131 in reply, with Charles Shaw taking 2 wickets in his first game for the club (welcome aboard). Jon Farley, Sam Cox and Aiden Radzevicius also picked up 2 wickets each, with Sam Dunn and Nic Burton chipping in with a wicket each. A good start to the year boys. Tundarri Sales & Service MVP – Andy Edwards.

After kicking off the season, both the A’s and B’s have a bye this weekend, whilst all the other sides get their seasons underway. Good luck to all players for the season ahead, for those new to the club this year, welcome aboard! For those starting their cricket careers, all the best – it’s a great game, enjoy not only the game, but also the friendships. Winning is good, but playing the game in the right spirit is just as important.

If you are not able to get the cricket this weekend, pop down to Tanunda Oval on Saturday to check out the Monaro Nationals, with 250 cars on display, it should be quite an event!

A reminder diary note to all to kick off this week’s chatter.  Junior and Senior presentation day is a joint affair – held at Tanunda Oval on Sunday the 30^th of March from 11am, including a BBQ lunch.  Please block out your diaries now – we’d love to see everyone there to celebrate the year.

Tanunda headed to Semi-Finals hoping that all 4 sides could get through to the battle for the grand prize, unfortunately we had a 50% strike rate, but if you head into a cricket season saying that 50% of your most senior sides would make the grand final, you’d take that every day of the week.

After a disappointing game the week before, Tanunda’s A’s headed to Eudunda to take on Mallala after a wet and wintery Friday night and Saturday morning.   Winning the toss, skipper Pete Mernagh had little hesitation sending Mallala in on a green deck.  Tanunda’s bowlers made the most of the occasion bowling out Mallala for just 41 in 30 overs.   Best with the ball were Mitchell Boschen with 4 wickets, Dylan Abinett with 3 wickets and Luke Samain 2.  In reply sensible batting saw the outright victory outside of Mallala’s reach, with Mallala shaking hands with Tanunda after we reached 8 for 121.

We’re now in finals, so no player of the week – it’s all about TEAM.  Good luck to the A’s as they take on Lyndoch at Stockwell on Saturday and Sunday for the flag.

The B’s headed to Nuri to take on the top team Gawler Centrals.  Tanunda were in early trouble at 5 for 52 before an excellent partnership between Jon Farley and Tony Swan saw a respectable score of 172 reached by the end of the day.  Jon contributing an exceptional 79, and Tony 37.  Unfortunately the total wasn’t enough against Gawler’s strong batting line up, with the opposition making the score with overs to spare.  Best with the ball were Paul Healy with 2 wickets and bowler of the future Sam Dunn with 1 wicket.  Unfortunately that ends the year for the B’s – but all can look back with pride on making the finals, knowing that a grand final spot isn’t that far off next year.  Well done boys for your season.

The C’s also headed for Nuri to take on a fast finishing Angaston.  As per previous weeks, a tight bowling effort saw Tanunda bowl out Angaston for 124.  Star of the day was the opening batsman, Dan Reu who decided that why stop with your first wicket for the club, you might as well take 5!  Mark Hoklas chipped in with 2 wickets, Steve Lewis, Darryl Hean and Stuart Swan each taking a wicket.

The bowler friendly conditions continued as Tanunda looked to chase down the tricky finals score, and it showed as Tanunda found ourselves in a tad of trouble at 6 for 69, which included a quick fire 19 from Sam Brooks, 16 from skipper George Akkerman and 15 from Dan Reu.  A solid partnership of 51 between Simon Liersch and Stuart Swan saw victory within reach, with Craig Smith hitting 6 to win the game (spread over 2 balls).  Simon top scored with an excellent 30, with Stuart chipping in with 22. The C’s now take on Lyndoch for the premiership on Saturday at Eudunda.

The Under 16’s headed to Sandy Creek to take on top team Angaston for a shot at the grand final.  Tanunda batted first hitting 9 for 109 on Saturday, with James Madden top scoring with 30, Nic Burton 22 and Sam Dunn 14.  Excellent bowling by Aiden Radzevicius saw Angaston in trouble at 3 for 10 in the chase, but that was as close as Tanunda got with Angaston passing the score with 4 wickets down.  For the first year back in the Under 16’s, semi’s is a great effort – and a spot in the grand final and flag will keep the fire burning in the belly’s between now and next season.

All the best to the A’s and the C’s in this week’s Grand Finals – let’s bring two flags back to the home to Tanunda next weekend.

Go the Magpie, may Tanunda Boys Be Happy.

We head to the business end of the season – a couple of our senior sides were hoping for an easy day – and one was fighting for their lives to play a part in the finals.  In the end – the two sides safe in the finals had a tough day in the office that can only help coming into finals, the good ole reality check, and the side fighting for a chance to make the final four making a great start.

The A’s took on Nuri’s B’s at Nuri and have a fight on their hands.   Tanunda won the toss and batted first.  All credit to Nuri’s B’s bowling outfit as they dismissed Tanunda for 134 in under 50 overs.  Nathan Justin again showed his class with 42, with Lachy Scott-Hoy chipping in with 34.  Double figures were only reached by a couple of the other lads.  

In reply, it’s certainly “Game On” with Nuri 4 for 50 at the close of play.   Mitch Boschen picking up 2 wickets so far, and 36 for the season, Luke Samain and Pete Merhagh a wicket apiece.  Good luck on Saturday closing out the minor round with a win.  Barossa Valley Brewing A grade player of the day goes to Nathan Justin for his knock at the top of the order.

The B’s took on Freeling at Faith East, with the winner a certainty to play finals.  Tanunda won the toss and batted, and had a solid day with the willow, closing out the day at 7 for 262.  Skipper Toby Mifflin again showed the way at the top of the order with 62, with President Darren Graetz hitting back to back 70’s.  The innings was topped off with 30’s to Matt Fechner and Phil Graetz.  We hold our catches – we play finals…. simple as that – good luck lads.  

Rogash Windows B Grade player of the day, and Mia Pizza senior player of the week is Darren Graetz, el-Presidente’.

The C’s, sitting pretty at the top of the table headed to the TCG to take on a Freeling side that Tanunda easily accounted for a few rounds back at Faith.  Simply, we were outclassed on the day, losing by 10 wickets.  A couple of players from above for the opposition and the first game on turf for the season didn’t help – however it’s a great reality check for a side that’s been flying to date.  Only Chris Collins, playing on one leg and in under 12 pads (true story) and Andy Edwards could hold their heads high with the willow – and no one really with the ball.  Special mention to Bailey Smith for holding up his end with the bat, fielding well beyond his years, and having a dip with the ball.  A top 2 spot is still safe, but a morale boost will be key against the fellow top 2 side this week.

Barossa Valley Toyota C Grade player of the day goes to the only bloke who’s skipped a 2 at the TCG this year, the ‘Iron Chef’ – Chris Collins.

The Under 16’s took on South Gawler on a must win game at Faith East.  An excellent batting performance saw Tanunda to 181 after the allotted 40 overs.  Nic Burton, and Will Loffler both hit 30’s, with James Madden and Liam Birchard both hitting 20’s.  Another side hitting the field with nothing to lose on Saturday – good luck lads – hopefully a win will see you sneak into that last finals spot.

The Under 14 blacks had a week off, and spend the morning refining their skills in the nets.    

The Under 14 whites headed to Nuri High to take on Greenock.  A hard day out on the park saw Tanunda bowled out for 80 in the 36^th over, with Bailey Smith making a fine 37 (chip off the ole’ block).  Good luck to the team defending the score this week – as there’s still the chance of a finals birth if we bring home the points.

The Under 12 blacks faced South Gawler at Faith West on a sunny Saturday morning. Captain Mitchell Radzevicius lost the toss and Tanunda were sent out to field first. A good all round bowling effort saw Spencer Reimann, James Roehr and Neeve Reimann all collecting wickets. Well done to everyone on your fielding performance. Solid batting was demonstrated by all, but this week’s stand out was Jordan Rosenzweig making 20 runs that included 3 fours and a big six. We’re all looking forward to the big showdown next week against the whites to finish off the season.  Tanunda ‘ boys’ are happy hey!

It was cricket at home literally this week for the Under 12 whites, on the turf at the Tanunda oval. Captain Jack Collins (MVP award) lead the way with a tight bowling spell supported by some great fielding with 3 run outs effected. Angus Schild (Team man award) lead the way with the bat with Jack Underwood chipping in with a determined innings.  Special mention to Coan Linke who exhibited true sportsmanship playing for Gilbert Valley to assist numbers and thrived against his team mates.  

The Under 12’s end their year with the “showdown” this Friday night with Tanunda White taking on Tanunda Black.   Get along and check out the future stars in action.

Finals commence in a fortnight, and Tanunda will be well represented at the business end of the year.   Would be great to see the streets of Tanunda coloured in black and white to cheer the lads on.  Go the Magpie!

Great to see all sides back on the park this week after the unplanned mid-season break.

A quick plug to kick things off – the C’s are playing on the turf at Tanunda this week for the one and only time this season on Saturday and are celebrating by cooking the BBQ after the game.  The invitation is out for players, their families and friends to come along – please bring chairs and a table to eat at if you’re that way inclined, nibbles and a salad to share would be greatly appreciated.  The hill bar will be open and serving the sponsors product from about 4pm – so please get along!  Those ex players who haven’t ventured out for a brew under the brolleys, this might be the week for you!

Onto the cricket…

The A’s took on Greenock at the TCG and came home with the points in a very close encounter.  Greenock batted first and amassed a respectable 8 for 167 in their allotted overs.  Pick of the bowlers was Luke Samain with 3 wickets, Connor Peacock chipped in with 2 wickets, whilst Shaun Akkerman and Pete Mernagh each got a wicket.

In reply we were in early trouble with quite a few of the top order failing to entertain the crowd.  Nathan Justin played a vital hand to right the ship ending up with 47, Connor Peacock and Shaun Akkerman showed their all-round abilities, hitting 36 and 32 respectively, with Lachy Scott-Hoy getting 27.  We ended up on 169 in a nail biter.  The win sees the lads hold onto the vital top 2 position.

Barossa Valley Brewing A grade player of the week goes to Connor Peacock for an excellent all-round effort with both bat and ball.

The B’s headed to South Gawler looking to defend their excellent score of 260.  Unfortunately the old adage ‘catches win matches’ came into play – with Tanunda putting down a number of chances across the day, which helped the home side secure an unlikely victory, ending the day at 6 for 282.  Sam Dunn was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 26, Sam Cox also picked up two wickets, with Steve Lewis and Jon Farley chipping in with a wicket a piece.  The good news for the lads is Freeling also copped a loss on the weekend, meaning the winner of Tanunda versus Freeling at Faith over the next couple of weeks will determine who takes 4^th spot.

Innovative Eye Care player of the week goes to young Sam Dunn for his efforts with the ball.

The C’s took on fellow top 4 side Mallala at Faith East.  Yet another fine bowling performance saw Tanunda restrict the visitors to only 124.  Mark Hoklas took 4 wickets with Paul Healy, Chris Collins and Andy Edwards taking 2 wickets each.  An excellent chase comfortably secured the points, with Tanunda taking the win with 6 wickets tucked in the shed.  Dan Reu and Matt Fechner topped scored with 30s, with Mark Hoklas also making 22.

Mark picks up the Ultimate Engineering C grade player of the week and Mia Pizza MVP to boot.  The C’s hold onto top spot – neck and neck with Lyndoch on the charge to the finals, with the last round match against Lyndoch at Faith next week looking set to decide who gets the minor premiership.

The Under 16’s headed to Eudunda to take on Kapunda/Eudunda in a one day contest.  Tanunda won the toss and sent the home team in.  Tanunda held the home side to 87 off their 25 overs.  Aiden Radzevicius the star with the ball with the excellent figures of 4 for 11, Nic Burton getting 2 for 21, Will Loffler 2 for 25 and Liam Burchard 1 for 5 off 5 overs.  Unfortunately the chase wasn’t what Tanunda were hoping for, with Will Loffler the only one to do any damage with the bat, making nearly half of the teams score with 31.  Tanunda ended our allotted overs at 8 for 68.  We’re still well in the hunt for finals – all the best this week lads.

The Under 14 Blacks took on Lyndoch at Tanunda and easily took the points.  Tanunda made 7 for 95 off our allotted overs, with a solid bowling effort seeing the home side dismissed well short of the target, dismissing Lyndoch in the 24^th over for 58.

The Under 14 Whites headed to Stockwell to take on Light Pass.  Light Pass batted first and made a solid 4 for 78 off their allotted 25 overs.  Best with the ball were Jackson Gray with 2 for 7, Jake Hartigan 1 for 13 and Will Parker 1 for 4.  Tanunda chased down the target, with Brodie Robinson top scoring with an excellent 25, with Brodie Smith, Jackson Gray and Lachlan Miller each contributing double figures.

Finally the young U12’s were back in action, after fires, heat and rain this was the first game in some 4-5 weeks and like the morning were a little “cold” to start. With captain Thomas Roe winning the toss and electing to bowl young Hugo Schild was the standout with some key wickets. Extras were again unfortunately high with a number of wides however a clean over by Ben Mernagh was noted with the Team Man award. Batting was never in doubt with a great opening stand by Luca Whitelum and Coan Linke (MVP) who was elevated up the order. Overall a solid game and with only 2 games the lads are eyeing off a clean end to the season.

Apologies No under 12 black details this week.

Looks like a ripper weekend coming up for cricket – here’s to a weekend that see’s the Magpie come out on top in all grades, or on the front foot leading into the last Saturday before finals.

It finally cools down the required amount to get cricket up and running again and we get the biggest rainfall in 45 years!  That gave a majority of the Tanunda cricketers yet another weekend off, but a couple of the sides did manage to make their way down the Sturt highway to Gawler.

The B’s headed to South Gawler and had a good day with the willow, ending at 7 for 260.  In the best selection master stroke since Shaun Marsh headed to South Africa, Sam Brooks got plucked from the C’s at the last minute, and played the innings of his life, coming in at 6 and hitting an excellent 94* (first 50 for the lad).  If you’re walking the streets of Tanunda this week and see a glow brighter than the Griswold’s, don’t be concerned, that’s just Tim Brooks – the proudest dad in the town this week. Darren Graetz also had a great day, hitting 71.  Captain Toby Mifflin and Tony Swan both put in solid contributions with the bat also.

A solid bowling performance should see us get the points.  Sam picks up the Tanunda Clubhouse B grade player of the day, and the Mia Pizza senior player of the week.

The C’s took on Gawler Centrals at Xavier, and another solid bowling performance set up a pretty easy win.  The Gawler Tiger variety won the toss and batted and ended up making 119 on a lush, very lush, field. Andy Edwards and Stuart Swan the pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets each, youngsters Paul Healy, Kyle Graetz and Bailey Smith each picked up a wicket, and Chris Collins found enough time in between cracking himself up at the top of his bowling mark to pitch in the remaining wicket.  Tanunda had a great day in the field, taking everything that came their way, for most of the blokes anyway…  Special mention to Paul Healy and Andy Edwards with 3 catches each, including a couple of classics.  Thanks to Pete Mernagh for sub fielding – much appreciated by all the boys, boxer shorts on the inside next time is the request from the team for next time.

George Akkerman and Dan Reu made sure there the result was never in doubt, with exceptional running between wickets on their way to a century stand to kick off our innings.  Dan continued his excellent season making an exceptional 70, with the oval being just a tad too small on a number of occasions, and George chipping in with 20.

The chase saw a couple of pieces of history….

Much to the concern of the opposition keeper who went scrambling for a helmet, George, or ‘The Big Show’ he likes to be known as now, pulled out the reverse pull shot for the first time, not once, but over and over and over, and finally found a way to hit a four after all these years (even if he did have to hit the ball twice on that occasion).

The day was also the last time Chris Collins will ever umpire in a game of cricket.  We’re not sure if it was too many lollies in the car on the way to Gawler, the stumps being too high impeding his vision, or the young lad bowling intimidating Chris by the sheer virtue of his relative height, but Chris somehow managed to smile before deciding the last ball can’t end on a wide, and should end with a wicket.  The batsman involved has made contact with the authorities, and a new bi-law has been introduced that allows Chris to be given out ‘just cause’ for the remainder of the season, hopefully the opposition take that on board in the remaining weeks.

Tundarri Sales and Service player of week goes to Dan Reu for another great effort at the top of the innings.

Good luck to all teams actually getting on the park this week – the weather forecast looks promising!

We didn’t see any action at all for round 12 with the games being called off due to the heat.

First things first – time to get back to the Tanunda Oval on a Saturday afternoon – this week especially.  The Footy Club are opening the outside bar – with the C grade on the BBQ tools thanks to the BYE in the A4 competition.  See you there – especially those ex players who haven’t got back around the club at this stage.

Secondly, but of equal importance – Happy Australia Day to all of those who did the right thing and chomped on a bit of lamb whilst enjoying some an ale or two (Barossa Shiraz is also an acceptable answer).  The Aussie Day game at Adelaide oval was a thriller – as were two of the 3 senior games on the weekend.

The A’s took the road trip to Mallala and decided that, as Mallala are a cracking mob of blokes, we’d only bring half the points home with us (it’s a long way to carry them all back after all).  Mallala batted first and compiled 5 for 201.  Luke Samain was the star with ball picking up three scalps, with Pete Mernagh being the other successful bowler with one wicket.

The chase proved to be a thrilling one, with Tanunda needing nine runs off the last over, and three off the last ball for the win.  Unfortunately only two runs came off the last ball, and a tie was the result.  Pete Mernagh and Lachlan Scott-Hoy were the best with the bat with 46 and 45 respectively.  Wayne Akkerman again gave us a start at the top of the order with 29, with Liam Boschen chipping in 25 in the middle order.

Ultimate Engineering MVP goes to Pete Mernagh for an excellent all-round contribution.

The B’s took on Angaston at the TCG, with another thriller being played out.  Angaston batted first and compiled a competitive 5 for 182 off their allotted 40 overs.  Best with the ball was new-comer to the club Jarrod Traynor with three wickets, with Jon Farley and Steve Lewis contributing a wicket each.

In reply it came down to the last ball again, with us needing 2 runs for the wins.  Unfortunately the bowler won that battle, and Angaston took to the points by the narrowest of margins.  Toby Mifflin and Jon Farley continued their solid years at the top of the order with 62 and 43 respectively.  Darren Graetz returned to form with 35 along with Kym Farley contributing 24 not out at the end of the day.  So close but yet so far!

Barossa Valley Brewing MVP for the week goes to skipper Toby Mifflin.

The C’s finally got to play in Tanunda, taking on South Gawler at Faith East.  Winning the toss and batting first, Tanunda was all out in with one ball remaining, making a competitive 175.  Best with the bat was the veteran, Darryl Hean, with 39, Mark Hoklas also back to his hard hitting best with a quick-fire 29 and new to town Andy Edwards with 26.  Sam Brooks and Craig Smith put on a valuable 45 for the 9^th wicket, which would prove critical, with Sam ending on 26 not out and Craig chipping in 15.

South Gawler were always on the back foot in their run-chase, with a good all-round bowling performance putting Tanunda in front of the game for most of the afternoon.  Andy Edwards was the best of the bowlers with four wickets,  Darryl Hean and Stuart Swan with two wickets each, Chris Collins and Mark Hoklas with one wicket each.  Special mention to Craig Smith for hitting the high notes on many occasions in the field much to the delight of his team mates.

Innovative Eye Care MVP is a tie between first gamer Andy Edwards and Darryl Hean.

Pete Mernagh picks up the senior player of the week award for his performance in our highest grade.

The Under 16’s had a tough day at the office, well on the field anyway, unable to defend the 105 Tanunda posted last weekend.  Gawler Central proved too strong on this occasion, ending the day on 173.  Liam Birchard and Ben Biagi picked up two wickets each, with Aiden Radzevicius, Will Loffler and Fraser Cameron chipping in with a wicket each.  We’re still on track for finals and no doubt will bounce back this week in a good test against the top side in Angaston.

The Under 14 Black’s couldn’t quite chase down Gilbert Valley’s score of 126, ending our innings at 8 for 86.  No details of who did well with the bat, but there were a number of excellent efforts with the ball with Rhett Montgomerie taking 3 for 5, Jayden Birchard 2 for 3, Lachlan Munzberg 2 for 8 and Kyle Graetz 1 for 7 off five overs.  Impressive figures indeed!

The Under 14 White’s headed to Sandy Creek to attempt to chase down the home sides 117 from last week and like the black’s couldn’t quite chase down the required runs. Bailey Smith was the standout with 23 retired in Tanunda’s score of 4 for 69 off our allotted overs.  Channelling the lad’s inner Dave Warners might be the key next week!

The Under 12 Black’s faced Eudunda Robertstown on a breezy faith Eastern oval on Saturday morning. Batting first, all batters contributed runs to our modest total, but losing 7 wickets let us down. We need to work on running between wickets to steal a few more singles. A great bowling performance kept the opposition to 56 and not too many wides were bowled on the narrow pitch. Standout performers were Captain Hayden Spehr with 1 for 2 off 2 overs and Neeve Reimann 1 for 7 off 2. Great effort blacks, keep up the improvement. This week’s award went to Blake Dahlitz and thanks to Spencer Reimann for making up the numbers for the opposition.

The Under 12 White’s had a delayed resumption to the season due to the recent fires in the Valley, however the lads were ready to fire literally under coach Underwood. It was a somewhat family affair with the majority of the team consisting of brothers Linke, Schild and Collins. Batting first, Angus Schild top scored with a bruised Malakai Gaskin giving great support.  Bowling efficiency  was disappointing with only Harry Collins (Team Man award) and Jack Underwood not conceding wides –  so something to work on this week.  Fielding was capped off with a juggling catch to Malakai Gaskin (MVP award).

All the best to all teams this week as we look to lock in our finals spots – many of the teams are on track or close to the top 4 – time to bring out our best at the business end of the season.  Show me the money…

The recent fires far too close to home has reminded us all that cricket is just a game and we should enjoy it accordingly. Our thoughts are with all those that have been and continue to be impacted by the ongoing fire situation. A special call out to all of the wonderful CFS volunteers out there, including those that represent the Tanunda Cricket Club – a remarkable effort, and a simple Thank You isn’t enough.

Following a very eventful Friday night, the A’s headed to Eudunda in an important game in terms of stamping a spot on a finals position and came home with a thrilling victory. Batting first Tanunda compiled 8 for 203 off of our allotted overs, with Wayne Akkerman top scoring with 42, Nathan Justin 28, Liam Boschen 23 and Lachlan Scott-Hoy 21. Special mention to skipper Pete Mernagh who finally got a run, 16 of them in fact….

In reply Tanunda looked to have the game when the 9th Eudunda/Robertstown wicket fell at 186, but ERCC’s last pair put up a fight, with the home side ending the day just shy of Tanunda’s score at 9 for 201. The wickets were shared with Mitchell Boschen, Shaun Akkerman, Dylan Abinett and Pete Mernagh with 2 wickets each. Wayne Akkerman chipped in with the remaining wicket.

NGJ Accounting MVP goes to Wayne Akkerman for his all-round contribution.

The B’s took on top team Gawler Centrals at home and had ½ a day to forget. The visitors compiled a respectable 9 for 165 off of their 40 overs, leaving Tanunda well in the match. Up and coming young star with ball Jon Farley showed that a 4 wicket contribution should be a given going forward, with an excellent 4 for 18 off his 8 overs. Fellow up and coming fast bowler Sam Dunn chipping in with 2 wickets, and another youngster Matt Wegener with 1. In reply we struggled, with only Darren Graetz reaching double figures. Tanunda could only manage to survive 17 overs, being bowled out for just 47. There’s always next week boys!

Barossa Sportspower MVP goes to Jon Farley for another excellent week with the ball.

The C’s headed to Kapunda and came home with an excellent victory (with a couple of key stops along the way). Batting first Tanunda compiled a strong 6 for 271, with Tim Brooks the mainstay of the innings with 72, Stuart Swan 64, Simon Liersch 47 and Darryl Hean 34. A good all-round bowling performance saw the home team bundled out for 106 in reply. Best with the ball was Steve Lewis with 4 wickets, with Mark Hoklas chipping in with 3 wickets, Blake Lockett with 2 and Stuart Swan 1.

Rogash Windows MVP goes to Tim Brooks for his excellent contribution with the willow. Tim also picks up the Mia Pizza senior player of the week award.

Limited results and feedback on the juniors this week – so a shorter read for you all this week. The Under 16’s headed to the dog track to take on Gawler Centrals – compiling 105 off 26 overs, with Aiden Radzevicius top scoring with 35, skipper Nic Burton contributing 20 and Liam Burchard 19. A strong bowling performance will be needed for the team to bring home the points next weekend.

The Under 14’ Blacks will need to bat well to chase down Gilbert Valley’s 126 at home on Saturday morning.

In the Under 12 Whites – the relieving cool morning at Faith saw Tanunda win the toss and bat first. A great start was made by Blake Dahlitz and Jordan Rosenzweig, putting on 24 runs between them without losing a wicket and excellent running between wickets. This week’s award winner Chloe Rosenzweig and captain Neeve Reimann held the middle order together with solid defensive batting without the loss of any wickets. Fantastic bowling & fielding by all to keep the opposition below our winning run total.

Special mention to Jaden Graetz with a direct hit run out & bowling extreme heat & smashing a bail to pieces. Top effort by Liam Cook with 2 wickets & one each to Mitchell Radzevicius & Jordan Rosenzweig. A much deserved win – well done to all!

Special thanks to James Roehr and Tyson Graetz for making up the numbers for the opposition. Good work boys.

A pretty good weekend overall, with the wins column bigger than the loses column.

The A’s took on undefeated top side Nuri in a top of the table tussle at the TCG looking to redeem themselves after a comprehensive loss in the previous meeting earlier in the season. An excellent bowling performance held the visitors to 122, with Mitch Boschen continuing his outstanding year with 4 wickets (including bowling the key opposition bat first ball) well supported by Shaun Akkerman with 3, Hugh Rogan 2 and Dylan Abinett 1 wickets apiece.

We struggled in reply, always slightly behind where we needed to be from a run rate perspective, eventually being bowled out for 102. Brett Grocke was the main contributor with 31 with both Shaun Akkerman and Conor Peacock hitting 16 each.

Barossa Valley Brewing MVP goes to Shaun Akkerman for his 3 wickets and 16 runs.

The B’s took on Nuri at Nuri and came home a happy after securing a strong win that sees the team sneak into the final four for the first time this season. Winning the toss and batting first we compiled a very strong 6 for 218 off our 40 overs. The foundation of the innings came at the top with Luke Snowden starring with 75, Uncle Toby Mifflin 62 and Jon Farley 27 all finding runs in the top three batting positions. Matt Fechner sealed the innings with 38 valuable runs.

In the field we had Nuri struggling at 9 for 103 before a valiant 67 run final wicket partnership made us earn the points. Sit down before continuing to read…. sitting? Good. Star with the ball was Jon ‘Bail Smasher’ Farley, with 4 wickets off his full allotment of 8 overs – such a performance may see Craig Homburg and Steve Lindner thinking it’s time for a comeback! Jon was ably supported by Tony Swan with 3 wickets, with Matt Wegener, Sam Cox and Sam Dunn each picking up a wicket a piece.

Tundarri Sales and Service MVP is a tie between Luke Snowden, Toby Mifflin and Jon Farley for their terrific contributions to an important win.

The C’s ventured to Moculta to take on Angaston and decided to turn an easy victory into a nail biter! Angaston batted first, and an excellent team effort in the field them restricted to 99 in just over 31 overs. Dan Reu had a great day taking 4 catches at first slip and provided great entertainment to all with his vast array of juggling skills (I believe the clock stopped at 28.23 seconds for the first catch…), Paul Healy a terrific 4 for 5 off nearly 7 overs, Mark Hartigan with 2 wickets supported with Darryl Hean, Blake Lockett and Steve Lewis with a wicket apiece.

In reply we were cruising at 0 for 61, with George Akkerman and Dan Reu hitting 35 and 20 respectively. A rapid loss of wickets saw the game in a tight spot at 7 for 93, but an excellent 21 not out at the end innings by Darryl Hean got the boys across the line.

Barossa Valley Toyota MVP goes to Dan Reu for 4 excellent catches and 20 valuable runs, with Paul Healy’s 4 for 5 worth another mention. Dan also picks up the Mia Pizza overall senior player of the week award – four catches at first slip doesn’t happen all that often!

The under 16’s had a great win after the break. Through some great bowling, we bowled Gilbert Valley out for 22 runs. Wickets were shared including highlights Will Loffler 4/2 and Nic Burton 3/5. We then followed up with an excellent team batting performance. Some highlights were Fraser Cameron opening for the first time and making 20 not out, and Sam Dunn with 33. We welcomed back Aden Radzevicius with 21 runs and Liam Birchard with 14 runs. Clint Hean and Ben Biagi also made a solid 12 runs each. A great team performance with everyone contributing to an excellent win!

The Under 14 Whites took on Gawler Central at Faith East. Batting first we compiled 6 for 75 off our allotted 25 overs. Lachlan Miller with 12 and Riley Westbrook with 15 retired. In reply the opposition took the points relatively easily ending up on 8 for 120, half of which came from one bat – so that wicket might have changed the outcome of the game! Tom Eggleton picked up 2 wickets, with Riley Westbrook, Will Parker, Lachlan Miller and Nicholas Mills each taking a wicket each.

The Under 14 Blacks took on Light Pass at Stockwell and won a thriller. We batted first and hit 5 for 76 off our 25 overs. Best with the bat were skipper Rhett Montgomerie top scoring with 17 supported with a 14 not out from Oscar Harms and Dylan Birchard with 12. Light Pass got within 3 runs of our score in a tight contest, with Rhett and Dylan putting in excellent all round games with 2 wickets each. Kyle Graetz, Timothy Bayha and Jacob Judd each took a wicket in the win.

Good luck to all teams this week, especially the Under 12’s who hit the park for the first time in 2014.

Well you blink, your break from work is over and cricket is back on! The rumours came true, Santa did indeed make his way to the land of the Magpie recently – with a few of the cricketers finding out that their idea of ‘being good’ wasn’t exactly what Santa was hoping for – there’s always next year lads. Hope all had a terrific, safe, healthy and family filled Festive Season, and are now ready to tackle all that 2014 has in store for us. Great to see that Santa delivered us the Ashes – with the Aussie’s showing that taking the game on whilst having fun, with a great team spirit will see you win more than you lose (something for us all to remember)…

A gentle start to the 2014 cricketing year with only the A’s and B’s taking to the field this week.

After a terrific first half of the year, the A’s headed to Truro for a must win game against the bottom team, and did it well. Batting first we left a few balls in the shed, getting bowled out for 158 with just over 3 overs remaining. Nathan Justin topped scored with 35, Liam Boschen chipping in with 30, brother Mitch Boschen hitting 25, and Shaun Akkerman making 20. In reply Truro could only manage 70, with Mitch continuing his excellent year, taking 5 for 19, Skipper Pete Mernagh a very tidy 3 for 10 and Shaun Akkerman taking the remaining 2 wickets. A great start to the new year boys.

Tanunda Clubhouse player of the week goes to Mitch Boschen, who now has 28 wickets for the year at the remarkable average of 8!

The B’s took on the top side, Sandy Creek at the TCG and had a great win in front of the crowd on the last ball, nine wickets down. Sandy Creek batted first and made a respectable 7 for 150 on a slow oval. Great to see Matt Wegener finding his best form of the year with 3 for 29, Luke Snowden 2 for 14, with economical Sam Cox and Uncle Toby Mifflin taking a wicket apiece.

In reply were looking down and out early before an excellent 55 run partnership between Phil Graetz and Kym Farley got us back in the game. A thrilling last ball finish – with the mix experience and youth (and height!) seeing the boys across the line thanks to a fighting last wicket partnership between the Sam’s (Cox and Dunn). Young Sam Dunn hit an invaluable 15 not out coming in at the base of the order – well done lad. Phil Graetz top scored with 34, Kim Farley with 20 and Skipper Uncle Toby Mifflin 19. A terrific win that may well prove invaluable at the business end of the year.

Ultimate Engineering player of the week goes Phil Graetz, with special mentions to Sam Dunn for getting the boys across the line at the end and Sam Cox for his contribution at the other end and with the ball (not to mention Matt Wegener’s efforts with the ball).

Tanunda Hospital was delighted to hear that the C’s had a week off after players coming for stitches in the last couple of game. Both injuries quite different in nature… with the second injury hard to describe within the bounds of the media laws, all that can be said is that cricket boxes are indeed a wise investment.

Mia Pizza player of the week goes to Mitch Boschen for his excellent contribution to the A grade’s win.

Good luck to all teams this week – with all but the under 12’s returning to the field. Let’s get out there and play with the Aussie spirit.

The ‘Saints v Magpies BIG BASH’ has arrived! For those looking for an entertaining Sunday afternoon on Sunday the 22nd of December, get down to the oval to support the Eudunda / Robertstown footballers taking our footballers in what should be a very entertaining 20/20 spectacle. Head to the oval for brew or two and a laugh from 1pm….

It was a fantastic sight on Saturday afternoon at the oval, with the bar running, umbrella’s out and the hill a buzz as the B grade had a terrific win in front of the victorious A grade and C grade players and spectators. A call to past players– we’d love to see you pop down to the oval on a Saturday afternoon for a catch up with your team mates of days gone over a beer or two whilst watching the current crop of Tanunda boys doing their best to bring home the points each week. Many thanks to the Football Club for running the bar, Barossa Foodland and Barossa Valley Brewing for their product sponsorships and St Hallett Wines for the barrels and umbrellas!

Now onto the cricket, and a great weekend for the seniors – with all 3 sides having great wins – showing the club is back on track – and the only way is up!

The A’s headed to Greenock in a crunch game and unfortunately lost the toss, but fortunately got to bowl first anyway… an exceptional display of opening bowling saw Greenock bundled out for only 37 in 12.5 overs. Mitch Boschen did the remarkable and took his 2nd 7 wicket haul for the year, a bit more expensive this time at 7 for 19, with Luke Samain taking the key wicket on his way to 3 for 14 at the other end. Great job lads! Passing the score easily, we ended at 5 for 186 off our 40 overs, with Wayne Akkerman continuing his excellent season top scoring with 61 supported by Brett Grocke with 51 and Dylan Abinett making a 20 not out (just) to end the day. The win has us sitting comfortably second, an excellent turnaround from last season. NGJ Accounting player of the day goes to Mitch Boschen for an excellent display of fast swing bowling.

The B’s played South Gawler at the TCG. We were 1 for 67 at one stage thanks to an excellent partnership between Jon Farley and Luke Snowden, with Luke top scoring with 39. Hugh Rogan made a welcome return to the side with 21. The match defining partnership would come at the end, with Sam Dunn and Kieren Smith putting on an invaluable 18 runs for the last wicket that saw us end on 127. South Gawler were cruising at 4 for 89, but the return of the A’s and C’s from their respective victories to the bar on the hill cheering as the team pulled off an inspiring victory, with the last 6 South wickets falling for 9 runs. Hugh Rogan finished a fine day with 4 for 9, Sam Cox with 3 wickets, Tony Swan with 2 and Matt Wegener taking 1. It was a great way to finish off a terrific day for all involved at senior cricket at Tanunda! Barossa Sportspower player of the day goes to Hugh Rogan for a terrific all-round effort.

The C’s took to Faith East oval to tackle a consistent one day side in Freeling. An excellent all team effort in the field saw us restrict the visitors to 102 off only 29 overs. Stars with the ball were the slow bowlers in Shaun Akkerman and Darryl Hean with 3 wickets each, Dan Eggleton showed that his last training session 2 years ago was well worth it, chipping in with 2 wickets, with Paul Wilbur Healy and Tim Brooks both chipping in with the remaining wickets. Special mention to Tim for his 5 ball display of express, aggressive bowling, and thanks to Craig Smith for closing out his over, eventually. A comfortable chase followed with Shaun and George Akkerman setting a stable foundation before the lower order were sent in early to get the job done, which we did 3 wickets down. Well done to Rogash Windows player of the week Shaun Akkerman with a solid 35 to ensure the win. Josh Wells deserves a mention for putting his body, well head on the line for the team in the chase for the winning runs, what’s a few stitches when you bring home the points. After finishing at the bottom of the ladder last season the C’s are also 2nd with one game remaining before the Christmas break.

Mia Pizza Player of the Week for his second 7 wicket hall for the year goes to Mitch Boschen.

The Under 16s saw Tanunda coming up against Nuriootpa in the Under 16’s. Nuri chose to bat first, making an honest total of 110. A classy batting performance from our opening batsmen Nic Burton and William Loffler saw us passing Nuriootpa with all ten wickets remaining intact. An outstanding knock from William Loffler saw him make 102 not out (congratulations Will), which included 4 sixes in a row!!! The team is now 4 and 1 heading into the last game before the break, fantastic stuff boys!

The Under 14 Black’s had a exciting match with the lads from Mallala. Batting first, Jonah Whitelum, Rhett Montgomerie and Kyle Graetz set the foundation of the innings with several good partnerships. This gave Mallala a competitive total to chase. An excellent bowling and fielding display highlighted by 4 wickets to Oscar Harms and 4 catches to Jayden Birchard helped the boys to a gripping last over victory. The 16’s are clear 2nd near Christmas, which is an excellent effort given we didn’t field a side last year.

Under 14 Whites took on Lyndoch at the TCG and comprehensively came home with the points. Winning the toss skipper Jake Hartigan sent the opposition in, and the move proved to be an excellent one with the visitors only making 19. Wickets were shared amongst the team with Bailey Smith, Lachlan Miller and Will Parker taking 2 wickets each, ably supported by Jackson Gray, Brodie Robinson and Zach Portlock each taking a wicket. We easily made the score, with everyone having a bat in a final score of 3 for 96 off our 25 overs. Brodie Smith top scoring with 20. Makes the A grade’s effort of all out for 37 seem expensive doesn’t it!

This week saw the Under 12 Blacks heading out to Kapunda Primary School on a cracking good Saturday morning. Led by Chloe Rosenzweig, we won the toss and took to the field first. Good performances by all with Jaden Graetz, James Roehr and Tyson Graetz all getting wickets with Tyson having a real day out with direct hit run out as well! The batting chase was a thriller right to the end, with birthday boy Blake Dahlitz having a great time with the willow making 10 and Tyson Graetz top scoring for the day with 15 runs. Well done to everyone this week, it’s great to see so much improvement in the team.

The Under 12 Whites ventured to Gawler Central, with the “postage stamp” sized oval ensuring there plenty of runs are on offer. With Captain Jack Underwood winning the toss and electing to bat, openers Thomas Heuzenroder and Angus Schild led the way with some lusty stroke making. So much so the supporter tent was blown off the ground – literally!! (albeit… a mini whirly may have helped). They were ably supported by Jack Collins and Coan Linke. Harry Collins opening bowling spell was full of vigour with Mitchell Manning (MVP) with Sydney Pick (Team Man) both showing that practice does “pay off” exhibited by their bowling and fielding. Nearing the midpoint of the season an increased emphasis will be on building an all-round game consistency.

Looking forward to catching you all at the Tanunda Oval on a Saturday afternoon / evening soon…

A new Adelaide Oval, a few revitalised heart stings in the Aussie team, a new scoreboard and a reason to get to Tanunda oval on a Saturday afternoon… AND SANTA IS COMING TO TANUNDA ON FRIDAY… GET ON BOARD!

There’s also a strong rumour that Mark Hoklas took a hat-trick last week and that failed to make a mention in the chatter – apologies! Not only did Mark grab 4 wickets last week – but 3 of them arrived in successive balls – with the last being an LBW. LBWs in A4’s are hard to get – so not just your normal Hat-trick – well done Mark.

The A’s decided that easy wins are boring and decided that close games are boring with a nail biter taking place at the TCG on Saturday afternoon. Lyndoch have been a much improved side since round one, and the result showed the way… bowling first we held the Dockers to 112, Connor Peacock being the destroyer with 3 for 23, Dylan Abinett and Luke Samain taking 2 each and the Boschen twins and Brett Grocke chipping in with a wicket each. We decided that a close game is indeed a good game, passing the score with 2 wickets remaining. Wayne Akkerman (channeling his inner Jon Farley) opening the bat and spanking an aggressive 36 not out off the 40 overs and captain Pete Mernagh hitting a valuable 23. Great effort Wayne – the win wouldn’t have happened without your dour innings – a worthy winner of the Tundarri Sales and Service player of the week.

The B grade took on their new traditional rival in the Nuri A grade on Sunday afternoon at Nuri (due to a bike ride for a great cause occurring on Saturday), and whilst not bringing home the points, the boys can certainly hold their heads high. Nuri batted first and compiled a competitive 6 for 173, Sam Dunn taking 2 wickets, with Will Loffler, Sam Cox, Tony Swan and Uncle Toby Mifflin each chipping in with one wicket. After losing the President early for a rare LBW, we were in the hunt at 1 for 62, but a steady stream of wickets saw us end our 40 overs at 7 for 103, with young gun Nic Burton top scoring with 42 and Toby making 29. Great to see the B’s fielding 4 players from the Under 16 ranks! Ultimate Engineering MVP goes to Nic for yet another strong senior performance.

The C’s headed on the road trip to the home of the other Magpies. Must be said that Mallala were far from full strength – and we were pretty much the opposite – and great to see 3 young lads from Mallala giving their all to make sure we had a game of cricket – great stuff boys. Batting first (and after a couple of early departures at the top of the innings) we compiled and excellent score on a big oval of 6 for 255. Stuart Swan tried to run Danny Reu out on 99, but thankfully failed with Danny hitting his first hundred for the club, Mark Hoklas deciding personal milestones are not worth it, closing his innings on 49, Stuart and Paul Healy both chipping in with 30’s. Special mentions to Wayne Bishop for a patient knock in a valuable partnership with Paul, and for Chris Collins showing that lots of warming up ensures you watch the last ball of the innings from the non-strikers end without pulling any muscles. In reply Mallala never really were in the hunt, ending their innings on 79. Josh Wells rarely using the green bit with 2 for 4, with all other bowlers taking a wicket a piece. Great to see Wayne Bishop taking on the Aussies new aggressive cricket motto dishing out a terrific send off, and Mark Hoklas calling out ‘bowled him’ when his delivery was still half way to the batsman – he was right… Tanunda Clubhouse MVP and Mia Pizza player of the week goes to Danny Reu – well done on your terrific form at the top of the innings.

Under 16’s played South Gawler in a 25 over game. We won the toss and batted first to make a total of 1/173. Great knock from James Madden (54), Will Loffler (21 not out) and a great captains knock by Sam Dunn with 79 not out. With the ball everyone bowled well, to restrict them to 5/116. As mentioned above, it was great to see 4 of the Under 16’s playing A2’s against Nuri A’s on Sunday. Will Loffler and Sam Dunn both bowling well. James Madden keeping well (one great stumping), and Nic Burton top scoring with 42. Great effort boys – you should be very proud, the club’s future is looking great.

Under 14 blacks batted first against Nuriootpa. They were in trouble early with 4 early wickets, but a 57 run partnership from the Birchard twins gave Nuriootpa a target to chase. The Nuriootpa opening batsman made the runs and ran out comfortable winners. Will Meyer bowled well late in the innings to bag 4 wickets and was on a hat-trick.

The under 14 whites played Gilbert Valley at Tanunda in the first one-day game of the season. The lads bowled reasonably well to restrict Gilbert Valley to 4/108 off their 25 overs with Jackson Gray bowling tightly with 0/2 off his 3 overs, and 2 wickets to Tyson Healy, and one each to Jake Hartigan and Nick Mills. Unfortunately, Tanunda were restricted to 8/52 off their 25 overs with skipper Jake Hartigan top scoring with 20, with the next best being 4. The Amanti best player award went to Jake Hartigan with Tyson Healy receiving the Red Rooster award.

Under 12 blacks travelled to Nuri High on Saturday morning to take on Greenock. Conditions were windy and cool, but that did not bother the kids. Sam Tapscott had the captain duties this week and unfortunately lost the toss, but got to bat first – which he was wrapped with. Blake Dahlitz and Jordan Rosenzweig got us off to a solid start, putting on 19 runs with only 1 wicket lost. Well done boys. Solid efforts by Jaden Graetz (7) and Liam Cook (9) helped guide us on our way to a respectable 5 for 66 at the completion of the innings, against a formidable bowling side. Bowling and fielding was pleasing to watch, it’s great to see the kids continuing to improve every week. Well done to Chloe Rosenzweig, James Roehr and Neeve Reimann for great bowling performances and in the field Spencer Reimann & Jaden Graetz showed the way with great efforts. Well done to all the team for a great all-round effort. Awards this week went to Neeve Reimann and Hayden Spehr, great effort guys and well done.

The under 12 Whites finally got the chance to fence in the whole team…literally at the Sandy Greek oval. With Captain Mitchell Manning exhibiting great sportsmanship by allowing the opposition to bat with only 3 Sandy Creek players present at the time. The best bowling and fielding efforts thus far, with substitute Ben Mernagh (Team Man award) exhibiting great endeavour ably supported by great throwing from Luca Whitelum. However the lads may have been a little over confident with the battings being below par with many throwing their wicket away. MVP was Angus Schild with a great all round game. With the Ashes in town chance the team has the chance to “rest up and work on a total performance” (stern words from the coach 🙂 ).

Be good – Santa’s keeping an eye out…

We have a scoreboard!  Many thanks to Ultimate Engineering for a terrific job on our new scoreboard – fantastic for players and spectators to be able to keep up with what’s going on in the middle from all parts of the oval. For those spectators who spent Saturday at home watching the Ashes – head to the oval next time where you can watch the Aussies take on the ole enemy whilst sitting under the umbrellas on the hill and watching cricket live on the TCG – a fantastic way to spend a beautiful Saturday afternoon in the Barossa.

The A’s headed to the TCG on Saturday looking to defend a very respectable score of 9 for 262, and did it in style, bowling out Mallala for only 103.  Luke Samain was the star with the ball showing that Mitch Boschen won’t be the only bowler to take 7 wickets in an innings this season, with Mitch chipping in with 2 wickets and Wayne Akkerman taking the other wicket.  We had 24 overs in the 2^nd dig and ended at 7 for 71.  Dylan Abinett the only one to do any damage ending with 19 not out.  Barossa Valley Toyota player of the week goes to Luke for his match winning bowling performance, with Brett Grocke a close runner up with his contribution of 83 last week, vital to setting up a winning score.  Keep those wins coming boys!

The B’s were at Angaston looking to defend 132, but never really were in the hunt.  A few of the Angaston bats showed us how to build an innings, with our score passed only 3 down, ending the day at 9 for 271.  Sam Cox bowled well all day, carrying the attack with 25 overs resulting in 4 wickets (and a number of venomous bouncers), Kieren Smith’s toiled hard showing great variety of medium pace, off spin and the one leg break to take 2 wickets, Sam Dunn continues to show great promise bowling a couple of great fast spells resulting in a wicket.  Jon Farley showed he could have turned the match if brought on earlier taking the wicket that slipped through the teams’ hands a few times throughout the day at the end.  Special mentions to Tony Swan for 17 tight overs and a speckie to end the day and to Kym Farley for throwing the body on the line in the field. Barossa Valley Brewing player of the week goes to Sam Cox for his efforts.

The A4’s took on Gawler Centrals at Faith, with the visitors making a respectable 167. Mark Hoklas best with the ball with 4 for 22, Chris Collins 2 for 16, with Darryl Hean, Brodie Smith (more wickets in senior cricket Dad!) and Tim Brooks (wasted for all this time behind the stumps it would seem…) all taking a wicket.  Showing the sides’ improvement this year, not only did we chase down the score, we did it well, reaching the target only 4 wickets down.  Danny Reu continued his excellent form with 68, Tim Brooks showing he’s a genuine all-rounder with 35, as did Mark Hoklas with 20.  Craig Smith ran out of overs on his way to another century at Faith.  Innovative Eye Care player of the week goes to Mark Hoklas for his contribution with bat and ball, with Danny Reu an unlucky 2^nd.  Another team making an excellent start to the year!

Mia Pizza MVP goes to Luke Samain for his 7 wickets – a rare achievement – great to see two of them in the A’s already this year!

After making a modest 9/128 last week, the under 16s bowled great line and length bowling to restrict Kapunda/Eudunda to 6/118. Wickets were shared around, Ben Biagi 2/23, Sam Dunn 2/20, Will Loffler 1/15 and James Madden 1/17. A superb team effort by all the boys to secure a second win in 3 games. The team now heading into 3 one day games before Christmas full of confidence.

The under 14 blacks had a tough game against top team Sandy Creek over the past 2 weeks,  giving the boys the chance to play against some hard hitting and tight and accurate bowling attack. Although we came up a bit short, the improvement can be seen each week. Will Meyer and Aaron Bert put together a good partnership with excellent running between the wickets being a highlight. Looking forward to playing Nuriootpa next week with local pride on the line.

The under 14 whites travelled to South Gawler to defend their total of 141. At 20 overs South Gawler were 2 for 53 and the lads were in with a great chance of another win. Unfortunately some dropped catches in the last 20 overs may have cost them the opportunity for a victory with South Gawler making 7 for 155 off their 40 overs. The bowlers tried hard with Brodie Robinson and Jackson Docherty taking 2 each, and Lachlan Miller, Jake Hartigan and Will Parker taking one each.

The under 12 blacks had an early start with the long road trip to Riverton Primary School this week.  This week’s Captain Tyson Graetz lost the toss and the team took to the field. Good consistent bowling again this week by Blake Dahlitz taking 2 wickets combined with a great bowling effort by the rest of the team kept the opposition to only 64 runs with 6 different wicket takers for the day! This week’s top batsmen were Jordan Rosenzweig, who top scored for the day, with Jaden Graetz and Hayden Spehr following not far behind.  A good effort by all with this week’s awards going to Spencer Reimann and James Roehr.

For the under 12 whites, captain, Tomas Heuzenroeder won the toss and elected to bat. The team showed that “practice equals performance” with the running between wickets and backing-up “Dave Warner” like. Mitchell Manning had a great game, albeit for the opposition to support numbers and Malakai Gaskin bowled well when focussed on line and length. Thomas Rowe (MVP) was consistent supported by young quick Jack Collins (Team Man). Again a few chances were grassed which will remain a training focus this week.

Pre-Christmas wins are crucial as the year heads towards finals… best of luck to all teams this week and we look to continue our strong start to the year as a club.

The A’s have made a great start to a game that might play an important part in who plays finals at the end of the year. After being sent in by Mallala at the TCG, the lads had an excellent day on a pretty slow and lush Tanunda oval, ending the day at 9 for 262. Star of the day was Brett Grocke (who obviously took Jon Farley’s advice on how to build an innings) with a fine 83, with excellent supporting contributions from Wayne Akkerman, Nathan Justin, Captain Pete Mernagh. Great to see Conor Peacock hitting 28 on his second A grade game for the club. Mallala bat well, so the team will have to put in a solid bowling performance this week, which could see them at 3 wins early in the season. NGJ Accounting player of the week goes to Brett Grocke.

The B’s headed to an equally lush Angaston oval to take on a strong opposition. Winning the toss and batting, Tanunda battled away to be bowled out on a very slow and green Angaston Oval for 132 close to the end of the day, with Captain Toby Miflin playing a fine solo hand, unfortunately run out after contributing half the team’s score. Many fours turned into 2’s – so the score will be more competitive than it may initially seem, although there might be some running between wickets practice this week… Some good line and length bowling might just see next Saturday Afternoon to be an interesting one. Barossa Valley Toyota player of the day easy this week – Uncle Toby Mifflin.

The organisers of The Day on the Green tried very hard to make it impossible for us to field an A4’s side this week, but in a good sign for the club, not only did we field a side against Tanunda North at Nuriootpa #2, but we did it easily! Sending Nuri in, we held them to 9 for 112 off their allotted overs, with youth being the key with the ball. Playing A4’s on his way out of the country for a few weeks, Hugh Rogan showed he’s also a deft hand with the ball, picking up his first 5 wicket hall for Tanunda, ending with the excellent figures of 5 for 16. Terrific to see more signs of the fine future ahead with Bailey Smith taking 3 for 17 (take that Dad!) and Ben Biaga 1 for 21. We cruised in the chase with Dan Reu showing that he’ll be yet another welcome addition to the club this season with a hard hitting 61 out and Tim Brooks getting off the mark for the season with a fine supporting knock of 36 not out, taking the victory after only 23 overs. Another side turning around the form of last year, with 3 wins on the board already. Innovative Eye Care player of the week goes to Hugh Rogan for his 5 wickets, whilst Dan Reu can consider himself unlucky for his all-round contribution…

Mia Pizza Player of the Week goes Brett Grocke for his excellent hand for the A’s.
The U16’s came up against Eudunda/Kapunda at home. After a solid start, we managed to make 9/128. Top scorers were Will Loffler with a well compiled 40, Sam Dunn 23, Nic Burton 21 and James Madden 18. A good effort by Ben Walsh in his first ever innings of cricket 1 not out. A strong bowling performance is required this week in order for us to bring home the points.

The Under 14’s Black took on Sandy Creek at Faith and chased the ball in the field, with Sandy Creek ending the day at 4 for 207. Oscar Harms, Aaron Bert and Lachlan Munzberg each taking a wicket. A solid aggressive chase coming up if the boys are to take home the points – good luck!

The Under 14’s White headed to the South Gawler and put together a competitive score of 8 for 141 off our 40 overs. Patient bowling will be needed next week if we are to defend our score on a quick South Gawler oval.

The under 12 Blacks played at Sandy Creek on Saturday morning. After losing the toss and batting, the team put in an excellent effort in the field with 3 direct hit run-outs. Wicket takers were Hayden Spehr, Blake Dahlitz & Jaden Graetz. When it was our turn to bat there was a great effort put in all round. Well done to Sam Tapscott, Liam Cook, Tyson Graetz & Jordan Rosenzweig for all Not Out’s… We need to keep working on running between wickets. Well done to all our team players showing great sportsmanship & helping out Sandy Creek to make up their team numbers again. This week’s awards went to Jaden Graetz and Jordan Rosenzweig.

For the Under 12 Whites it was a case of cross valley rivalry…with traditional foes and friends meeting – the Pies v Tigers. Team Captain of the week Harry Collins won the toss and elected to bowl which he may have rued with early runs and boundaries during the early spell together with some chances being grassed. However some middle and late innings spells by Jack Underwood and Angus Shield capped off by a last over maiden by Mitchell Manning stemmed the tide. With runs required and building on Thursday’s training, all batsman made starts however a number of run outs gives something to work on this week. Some solid batting by Coan Linke (MVP) backed up by sound technique from Sydney Pick (Team Man) capped off a positive morning of team cricket.

Until next week!