Marist 2nd XI began their season with an eight-wicket loss to Weston Creek on Sunday. The boys didn't execute as they would have liked across all three disciplines. The batting began well enough but quickly fell into disrepair, most of the top order falling to 'misadventure' rather than bad luck or great bowling. Adi Sundar and Noah Brown will be most keen to get back into the middle. Both looked superb and it was a pity their innings ended prematurely. At 7/58, Marist needed to dig deep to put any sort of target together. Vishnu (28) fortunately answered the call and anchored the remainder of the innings, partnering Rees (22) and Hyson (28) to raise the total to 143. Below par but an excellent recovery nonetheless.

The small opportunity provided by the lower order batting was quickly extinguished by a bowling and fielding effort that lacked the consistency required. Two-to-three boundary offerings each over will always be accepted by good opposition - Creek certainly were that. We also leaked runs via our ground fielding - too many misfields - and dropped catches ... well ... let's move on. Vishnu again showed the way with the ball, taking 2/13 from three tidy overs. Round One has provided some sharp lessons that the boys will take away and work on; mindset and execution. The result did not have to be this one-sided. The boys know it. Bring on Round Two.

Batting: James Bartlett 20*, Hayden Gripske 17.

Bowling: Will Rees 3/13, Ben Callaway 2/21.

Match Summary

Marist 1st XI won a crucial toss on a dry, cracked pitch and sensibly chose to bat. Despite some tight bowling and energetic fielding from the 2nd XI, led by Will Rees (3/13 off 7) and Ben Callaway’s effective leg spin, a bit of late-innings untidiness saw the total exceed 150. A tough chase in the conditions lay ahead.

Batting woes … again

The 2nd XI began steadily, Adavan and Haim finding boundaries early. But at 22 and for the second time in a few days, the innings unravelled spectacularly, the team collapsing to an awful 7/29. Fortunately, Jimmy and Hayden showed determination, helping to push the total to 82 and to some extent sparing a few blushes.

Takeaways

There were strong efforts with the ball and flashes of resistance with the bat, but the 1st XI controlled the match. The 2nd XI will look to build on the positives for next time. Clearly, the top and middle order batting will need to improve.

Batting: Ben Callaway 84, Noah Brown 34, Hayden Gripske 24*, Jared Wilson 23.

Bowling: Hayden Gripske 4/20, Ben Callaway 2/39.

Marist 2nd XI recorded a dominant win at Lindwall Oval this past Sunday. Solid top order batting, particularly from Jared and Jimmy, laid a strong foundation. Ben and Noah then capitalised with a decisive 93-run partnership at well above a run per ball; the running between wickets was a key feature. Ben kicked on to record the team's first significant innings of the season, ending with 84 from 70 balls. Hayden's late hitting saw the boys record a commanding total.

The bowling innings saw an excellent first twenty overs to ensure the result. Will Hyson bowled superbly, ending with 0/19 off his 8 overs. He'll have lesser days and take bags of wickets; cricket is funny like that. Hayden (4 wickets) and Ben (2) continued their success with the bat, sharing the bowling spoils. Other bowlers played their part - great to see Dom back at the bowling crease. With the result known at the halfway point the bowling and fielding noticably dropped off, allowing the St Eddies late order to flourish. Something to focus on - but overall, a very strong performance by the boys.

Batting: Noah Brown 46, James Bartlett 21, Will Hyson 19.

Bowling: Ben Callaway 3/19, Will Rees 2/29.

Sandwiched between two washed out Sunday games was a cracking Tuesday Marist T20 derby. Skipper Brown won the toss and batted in excellent conditions at Lindwall. Plugger played his opening role well and hit the ball hard, finding the boundary and providing a strong start to the innings. Wickets fell however and Jimmy B and Browny were called on to provide a steadying partnership against some very good bowling. Browny fell late for a powerful 46, which included a couple of belligerent strikes that comfortably cleared the fence. His dismissal was the first in a magnificent hattrick taken by the irrepressible EG Tijo. Defending 124, regular wickets were always going to be the key for the Twos. Reesy will thank the sharp backward point fielding of Benny Callaway for the first two wickets. Ben would then go on to take three wickets of his own and effect a clinical runout of a red hot J Foz towards the end of this gripping contest. Direct involvement in six of the eight wickets to fall is a fair case for MOTM honours, though Eddie and Browny - who also kept superbly - would clearly be in the mix. The game went down to the final ball, two needed to win. Plugger bowled a full ball to Presto, he struck it well, the ball headed directly towards Jumping Jack Frawley at mid-off and ... the ball just eluded his outstretched hands and ran to the boundary for four. Wonderful Tuesday night entertainment.

Batting: Jared Wilson 42; Jackson Fosberry 26.

Bowling: Harmehar Cheemar 3/23; Ben Callaway 3/32.

Summary: Every now and again, we are reminded that traditional mindset and skills are still central to success in our game. Sometimes you just have to hang in there. Marist 2nd XI built a solid batting foundation this week choosing caution over extravagance; Pat, Hamish and Jared determinedly saw off the new ball, which allowed later batsmen, Jared included, to flourish. His partnership with Jackson was the most significant of the innings. Excellent late cameos from Cheema, Ben and Will H ensured the boys completed their forty overs with a competitive total in hand. By contrast, our opposition took an attacking approach in their early overs, aided by inconsistent line and length from the Marist bowlers. Resilience was required by all players and when the opportunities finally presented the boys were good enough to accept them - some excellent catching brought Marist back into the contest. Then, with three wickets down and half the runs made, inspired leg spin bowling from Ben - including two classic leggie wickets (please watch the wrong 'un on Frogbox if you get a chance) - and a superb second spell from Will R (1/19 off 8 overs) turned the tide. The final six wickets fell quickly, Cheema delivering the final nail in the coffin to the delight of all Blue and Blue present.

Batting: H Foley 30, J Wilson 17

Bowling: B Callaway 5/20, D Shoebridge 4/34

A win's, a win's, a win's, a win, they say. An opposition with a few key players missing, continued issues with batsmen getting starts and not going on, flat periods in the field ... but, let's not quibble too much. We'll take the points and move on. Winning is a habit, afterall. As for the game, we bowled first against all our instincts, but the pitch looked odd and green in patches. The umpires were brutal on anything even slightly wide and so the opposition score rattled along. Then came the spinners. We now have a genuine point of difference in Ben and Dom's tweakers. They took 9 wickets between them and conceded only 54-runs from their 16 overs. Benny is now the leading wicket taker in the comp ... and Dom Shoe is emerging, big time. We did enough with the bat, but were far from convincing. That said, the opposition had a genuinely fast bowler on this green, odd looking surface and the boys didn't take a backward step. Hame and Jared survived and eeked out the decisive partnership. And, of course, we prevailed in the end!

Batting: Riley Roberts 58, Ethan Golder 29

Bowling: Luca Ciocca-Marchant, 4-21

Notable Player: Luca Ciocca-Marchant First X1debut hatrick

 The First XI commenced their season over the weekend, fielding a newly-formed side that combines emerging youth talent with a core of experienced players. There was a strong sense of anticipation surrounding the team’s debut, and they began the match with energy and discipline.

Losing the toss and bowling, the team delivered an impressive performance in the field. The fielding was sharp and disciplined throughout, setting the tone early. The highlight of the innings was the remarkable debut of Luca, who claimed a hat-trick and finished with outstanding figures of 4 for 21. His effort was instrumental in restricting the opposition to a manageable total and was a standout moment in the match.

In reply, the batting innings began confidently. Experienced top-order batter Riley anchored the early stages with a well-constructed 58, providing stability and momentum. However, a middle-order collapse derailed the chase, and the side was ultimately unable to secure the win.

While the result was disappointing, the overall performance showed promising signs. The team’s potential was clear, and with continued development and experience, there is every reason to be optimistic about the season ahead.

The players will take valuable lessons from this encounter as they prepare for the next fixture with renewed focus and determination.

Batting: Aby Tharamaraj 73, Luca Ciocca-Marchant 69

Bowling: Thomas Smith 5/8 including Hatrick, Gabe Louis 3/5.

Marist First XI delivered a dominant all-round performance against Radford, posting 8/208 from their 40 overs before dismissing Radford for 38 in just 17.4 overs.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Marist found themselves in early trouble at 6/66, with Radford’s bowlers applying consistent pressure. The innings was turned around through a superb rebuilding effort by Aby Tharamaraj (73) and Luca Ciocca-Marchant (69). Batting with composure and intent, the pair combined resilience with smart shot selection, steadily shifting the momentum back in Marist’s favour. Their partnership proved match-defining, allowing Marist to recover strongly and post a highly respectable total of 208.

Defending the total, Marist’s bowlers were relentless from the outset. Captain Thomas Smith led from the front with an outstanding spell of 5/8 from 7 overs, highlighted by a memorable hat-trick that effectively sealed the contest. He was superbly supported by Gabe Louis, whose figures of 3/5 further dismantled the Radford batting lineup.

The fielding performance matched the excellence with the ball, with wicketkeeper Preston Singer producing a standout display behind the stumps, taking three outstanding catches to maintain constant pressure on the opposition.

The comprehensive victory showcased Marist First XI’s resilience, leadership, and depth across all facets of the game, making it a performance to remember.

Batting: Logan McRae 32, Ethan Golder 27

Bowling: Thomas Smith 5/23, Riley Roberts 2/5, Abhayan Tharmarajah 2/21

In a highly anticipated Friday fixture backed by strong support from the entire school, the Marist First XI took on the Marist Second XI in a showcase match of talent and depth within the school.

Winning the toss, the First XI chose to bat first on what proved to be a challenging wicket. Despite the testing conditions, they fought their way to a competitive total of 153 all out, with key contributions from Logan McRae (32) and Ethan Golder (27), who steadied the innings at crucial moments.

With runs on the board, the First XI delivered a dominant bowling display that defined the match. First 11 Captain Thomas Smith spearheaded the attack brilliantly, claiming 5/23 from his 8 overs, dismantling the Seconds’ batting lineup with accuracy and control. He was well supported by Riley Roberts (2/5), who applied relentless pressure, and Abhayan Tharmarajah (2/21), whose disciplined spell kept the chase out of reach.

The collective effort bowled the Second XI out for 82, securing a strong win for the First XI and showcasing the depth, skill, and school spirit across both teams.

The First 11 now head to Brisbane for the annual Marist Schools Australia Cricket Carnival hoping to defend the title from 2024.