Junior baseballers in top gear heading to finals
Reece Carter reports:
The success of Cronulla-Sutherland’s Junior Representative Baseball Association (CSJBA) teams at the Sydney Junior Championships last weekend has re-ignited some of the flare once shown on the Shire’s baseball field’s just years ago.
After producing some poor results over the seasons of late, the under 12’s State Cup side as well as the under 12 and under 14’s Association Cup sides all won their gold medal matches played out at Blacktown Olympic Park.
Having come up against some of the best, highly-regarded opposition from around the Sydney Metropolitan Area, the three Representative Gold Medallist teams were ecstatic with their wins.
“It was a really close series and I’m so happy that our team won on the day”, Trent Leitch from the Under 14 Association Cup squad said. “This is my first gold medal in baseball so I’m going to hang it on my wall as soon as I get home”.
The CSJBA also had success in the other divisions with the Under 14’s State Cup and Under 16’s Association Cup teams both claiming silver medal honours and the Under 16 State Cup taking the bronze.
Although the Under 16’s Association Cup squad did not win their competition, Coach Sean McIntyre was very pleased with the results and optimistic about the rest of the club season and player’s futures.
“It definitely wasn’t our best effort but I can easily say the best team did not win on the day,” he said. “We were unlucky, but the boys did a fantastic job this season and their commitment on the road was 110% and the improvements were phenomenal.”
McIntyre knows the players won’t be relaxing too soon however, with all players returning to club duties this weekend, many playing against one another, with the final series just one week away.
“All the representative players have to put the games behind them and move on towards finishing their club seasons with class.”
All players know they have a big job ahead of them if they’re to take out the CSJBA Premierships, some of them for the first time. 13s and 14s show way in Premier Youth League
In the first round of soccer’s Premier Youth League Sutherland Sharks younger teams flew the flag for the locals. In the matches at home at Seymour Shaw Park against APIA Leichhardt Tigers the 13s kicked off with a hard fought 1 nil win, while in a goal feast the 14s won 6 – 2.
Sutherland’s 15s had a narrow loss while APIA’s 16s and 18s were far too strong for the locals. Overall results were:
Under 13: Sutherland won 1 nil
Under 14: Sutherland won 6 – 2
Under 15: Sutherland lost 3 – 2
Under 16: Sutherland lost 4 nil
Under 18: Sutherland lost 3 – 1
Round 2 Sharks games will be played against Penrith Nepean United on Saturday March 1. The 13s, 14s and 15s will be played at Cook Park (St Mary’s) from 9am while the 18s are at CUA Stadium, Penrith at 3pm
Cricket Humour
Englishman James Ormond & Mark Waugh
Ormand had just come out to bat on an Ashes tour and was greeted by Mark Waugh.
Mark Waugh: "Bugger me, look who it is. Mate, what are you doing out here? There's no way you're good enough to play for England."
James Ormond: "Maybe not, but at least I'm the best player in my family." The craziness of professional cricket
Crazy, Crazy, Crazy! The Indians pay more (almost $1.5m) for an alleged Australian monkey (or should it be sledged?), than for
• Ricky Ponting – what a difference a one day form slump makes? (wonder what he would have been worth if the bidding was after last Sunday’s ton?)
• Mike Hussey – did the term Mr Cricket get lost in translation? (more monkey business?)
• Adam Gilchrist – should a class action suit be mounted on behalf of all “aging” retirees who are undervalued?
• Glen McGrath – don’t they know he scored a 50 in test cricket?
• Shane Warne – maybe they believe he “can’t throw, can’t bowl” More Stories?
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