A word from the Prez, the Skippers and the Coach Match Reports from Rounds 1 & 2
3rd XI, Women’s 1st XI & 2nd
XI and Veterans Season
Fixture and Previews
Junior News
Inside Scoop With Coop
iPod Shuffle Night
Merchandise Range
Upcoming social events
The opening fortnight of cricket is in the books, with a series of strong results across all teams the perfect start to season 2024/25
After rain washed away play across the opening weekend, Gator teams returned to the field posting a number of wins and performances
James Dekel has lead the way in the 1st XI, claiming 5 wickets to date and becoming the club’s first centurion Whilst the 2nd XI have stepped up and continue to perform against quality opposition
The 3rd XI - a blend of youth and experience - have held their own and currently sit within the 4, whilst the 4th XI will be eagarly awaiting their season to commence
The Women’s program continues to impress, as the 1st XI sit at the pointy end of the ladder, whilst the 2nd XI held their own in the opening round
The Juniors commenced in perfect fashion, with the Gator Knights posting first-up wins in their respective age groups to carry on the development of skills and competitiveness from last season.
AWORDFROMPREZ: CHOPCUNNINGHAM
Hi Gators,
We’re all underway this season as our teams have hit the ground running - Seniors, Women, Juniors (sorry Vets!)
The weather played it’s part in Round 1 however plenty of performances caught the eye before the heavens opened. The Women’s team gave the Club it’s first win of the season and away we go.
Round 2 again saw plenty of promising performances and results, with JD reaching triple figures, the 3's pulling off a gutsy win at home in a side filled with youth, both junior Gator Knights bringing up wins, our women’s 1's remaining undefeated and our 2's merged with Knoxfield to put up a competitive contest
Socially, we welcomed The Suburban Footballer for our Season Launch which gave us plenty to laugh with Our next functioniPod Shuffle Night - takes on a western theme on 26th October
If that’s the excitement that we’ve had in the first 2 weeks, imagine what’s to come!
Our club continues to be the place to be as shown by the many smiling faces at training and on match day
COACH’SCORNER
ShaunNugara
Again, I thank all our sponsors and members who are coming along on the fantastic journey together this season!
Chop
Hi Gators,
The season has started in a very positive manner!
Training standards have been outstanding, and the energy at training has really lifted especially in the last couple of weeks, which is clearly showing in our recent games.
It has been great to see a few junior players down at senior training to continue their development as players at Mountain Gate Our numbers at training have been fantastic, and the positive environment we’ve created is something we can all be proud of.
Communication has also been great, with players ensuring they have informed someone when they can’t attend Let’s keep up this strong momentum moving forward!
Gator on!
Shaun
The season has now offficially begun and it’s great to see everyone back at the club! There is no better feeling than to get back to the club Saturday after cricket to have a chat to everyone
With the season commencing, round one saw us missing a few players which in the end the games comp-wide were abandoned due to Mother Nature. The 1XI were looking great to start the season off with a bang, however was not to be the case. James Dekel fired with the ball - looking forward to seeing him bowl quicker as the season goes along.
With the 2XI, it was their first game in the Decoite reserves which is a battle in itself. It was great to see Mick start well, with Tim Wise debuting for the club also.
Brodie Wise led the 1sts in R2 and did a great job for his first time, playing against Scoresby Some highlights included Luke Bakker and also Chris Tuplin, getting his first wicket With the bat, James Dekel starred with the bat scoring the first century of the season
CAPTAINGA
GabbyGiulieri
Hey my Gator Fam,
CAPTAINKEV
KevinAtacador
Jeff batted really well in the 2s, and really great to see from the other end Lachlan and Eraj Really great to see partnerships
But the main highlight for round two goes to our 3rds They won their first game of the season beating South Belgrave in a nail biter Our VP Lyndon led the way with the bat and with the ball, great to see one of our upcoming guns in Mark Stapleton
With our female program it was great to see the 1st's undefeated and our 2's playing their first game with a merged side with knoxfield
Super excited to have the privilege to captain the ladies 1XI again this season as we look to hopefully go all the way after an unfortunate exit last year.
With this only being my 4th season, I still have so much to learn about the game, both on and off the field i’m very grateful to be able to work alongside JD, Foss and Ben and learn from the best!
This season our 2XI have merged with Knoxfield, which is very exciting and a great way for our ladies to further develop their skills and most importantly make new friends!
After the unfortunate circumstances that ended our season last year, we look to make finals again for a 4th consecutive year with a few new additions to the playing group
st XI are currently 2-0 to start off the season h is super exciting! All the girls have done their with bat and ball, with Em Barrow also doing an ptional job captaining game 1 in my absence!
The 2nd XI had their first game on Sunday in a good contest against Upwey! They fell just short in the end, but was a good start for the season for our newest Gator-Knights!
I love the direction the club is going in and the fab club culture we have been able to build Not many clubs are able to say that their women and men’s programs are integrated like ours, so we are super lucky! i’m very grateful for everyone who helps us out and gives up their time on game days and at trainings, it definitely doesn’t go unnoticed Hopefully we can go all the way this year and have some fun!!
Lots of love and Gator on!!
Gibby xx
SeniorTrainingDetails
Available to players and supporters, a $200 up-front payment gets you Social Membership and valuable discounts throughout the season.
Members will receive a 200 Club Stubby Holder which entitles you to $1 off all drinks at the bar and discounted functions as well as entry in exclusive member only raffles
Season 24/25 discounted functions are:
-Free Entry to Season Launch Comedy Night (Save $30) -Half price entry to iPod Shuffle and Triva Night (Save $25)
Other discounts offered at discretion of the Club
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Special offer (Friday 18th October)
Book a table of 10, pay for 8 and $50 back to Mountain Gate Cricket Club
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RAIN,MAGPIESBEST GATORSDESPITESTRONG SHOWINGS
The opening fortnight of Season 2024/25 sees the Gators’ 1st XI still searching for the first win of the year, despite plenty of promising performances
Round 1 opened under blue skies as Mountain Gate hosted Gembrook at HV Jones Reserve The Gators winning the toss sent the visitors in seeking quick wickets, however it was the Brookers who got off to a quick start before Luke Bakker broke the deadlock at 1/48 in the 11th over
The visitors continued on before James Dekel took the ball and made instant impact, claiming a wicket in his first over at 2/67 From there the wickets started to flow, the Gators claiming 4/25 in the following overs as the Gators began to take control
However it was Mother Nature who then took over the match, with the heavens opening in the 33rd over with the scoreboard at 6/104
Optimism was high that play could resume, however a combination of rain, hail and lightning ensure the points were shared
James Dekel was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 4/15 from 6 overs to influence the match, alongside fellow wicket-takers Luke Bakker (1/27 off 5 overs) and Josh Hardman (1/9 off 7 overs)
Round 2 action saw the Gators up to Scoresby Reserve to take on last season’s runners up in the Magpies. The hosts made the most of the opening overs in an attacking performance, however Luke Bakker again broke through across the top order (2/45 off 8 overs). Brady Hunt bounced back well against the Magpie attack, claiming 1/49 off 7 overs. James Dekel (1/42) struck again in his first over, this time with a classic one-handed screamer from Shaun Nugara at gully to see the score 3/60 However the hosts pushed on, the score 4/119 as Chris Tuplin broke through
Bakker removed the Magpies centurion late in the day, before Brodie Wise (1/53 off 7 overs) claimed the final Gator wicket of the day as Scoresby posted a mammoth 6/270 from 40 overs
Not to be outdone, the Gators began the chase with Wayne Davidson falling early at 1/11 before Shoaib Sobhan and James Dekel pushed on Sobhan was removed for 21 at 2/77 as Dekel continued his run scoring form Chris Tuplin (15 off 18 balls) continued the push, however it was Dekel’s day - bringing up his third century as a Gator scoring 116 from 97 balls, including 20 fours His dismissal at 5/193 still had the Gators in the game despite the high chase, The middle order continued the push towards the magpie target, however the Gators fell short by 40 runs, ending the day on 8/230 from 40 overs
Despite the Round 2 result, a strong performance with the ball prior to the rain in Round 1 has assisted with maintaining a strong percentage and net run rate.
The Gators will now turn their attention to the first 2-day test, hosting the ladder-leading Knox Boronia at HV Jones on 19th and 26th Octoer.
With backs against the wall, James Dekel stood tall producing a big century against Scoresby, including 20 fours
NEWGRADE,NEW CHALLENGEASGATORS FACEKINGS,MAGPIES
The 2nd XI have jumped up a grade and so too has the challenge in the opening 2 rounds, with the Gators facing strong opposition in Upper Ferntree Gully and Belgrave to start season 2024/25.
Round 1 begun at Kings Park against the Kings as the hosts sent the Gators in Tim Wise held an end well as the Kings bowling attack went to work leaving the visitors 2/18 early, which soon became 5/28 with Wise leading the scorecard on 17 from 31 balls
Needing stability, Michael Cleland dug in with the experience coming to the fore with a timely 27 from 57 balls As the clouds gathered, the lower order required to hang tight before the rain - ultimately facing 31 overs before rain called off the match at 8/83
Cooper Gwynne carries over last season’s form with the ball, claiming 2/27 against the Magpies
Under a contrasting blue sky and warmth, the Gators unfurled last year’s Premiership in the first home match hosting Belgrave Electing to bat first, the Gators were again on the back foot early with a wicket in the first over at 1/1, before falling to 5/38 in the 13th over
However the Gator fightback was on, with skipper Jeff Hunt pairing with Lachie Barton in a vital middle order partnership that got the hosts ticking over the scoreboard
The 60-run partnership was broken with Hunt departing for 45 from 58 balls including 5 fours. Barton and Eraj Wimalaratna saw through the innings, adding another 46 runs unbeaten to see the Gators finish at 6/144 after 40 overs Barton finished not out on 32 from 89 balls, whilst for Wimalaratna walked off 25 not out from 29 balls
With a target to bowl at, early wickets would be key, however despite the efforts of the Gator attack the Magpie batsmen were well up to the task It was a long slog before Cooper Gwynne broke through, who claimed the only 2 wickets of the innings with 2/27 from 5 overs The Magpies kept the pace of the chase, 8 wicket victors with 27 balls remaining
With the one day sequence complete for now, Mountain Gate’s attention now turns to an away matchup against Knox Gardens for some vital early points
Michael Cleland held strong as the Kings attacked, but ultimately it would be the rain that reigned at Kings Park
Ever
GATORSSTRONG AGAINSTBEARS,SOUTH FOREARLYPOINTS
The 3rd XI finished the opening rounds of one day matches in 3rd position in Community 4, including a classic tight win against South Belgrave
The opening round saw a trip to The Basin to take on the Bears Matthew Carter struck in the first over, impressing claiming 1/6 from 4 overs, whilst Mark Stapleton also struck in the opening spell claiming 1/22 from 4 overs Ethan Williams (0/20 off 6 overs) and Emily Barrow (0/41 off 6 overs) both bowled well against the hosts, however with the rain falling at the 20th over, the match was called with The Basin scoreboard reading 2/91
Round 2 saw contrasting conditions at Windermere as a beautiful blue-skied day saw South Belgrave send the hosts in to bat first
Lyndon Rowlands brought years of experience to the fore, being the rock of the top order, alongside youth in Terans Gunawardhana (2 from 6 balls) and Lucas Santilli (2 off 12 balls) with the score at 2/31
Mark Lieversz paired with Rowlands as the experienced batsmen pushed on for a 39-run partnership before Lieversz was stumped for 22 at 3/70, before Rowlands was dismissed for 43 after facing 72 balls Emily Barrow (6 off 13 balls) and Chris Young (7 not out off 33 balls) continued on the Gators push on the scoreboard, whilst Mark Stapleton scored well against the experienced South bowling, scoring 11 from 14 balls. Nathan Giulieri teamed up with Young for the final 5 overs, as the Gators reached 6/119 from their allotted overs.
In response, South built strongly and were well on track towards the target before Mark Lieversz claimed the opening wicket at 1/84. Mark Stapleton then came back into the attack, claiming the next 2 wickets to put the score 3/91 in the 30th over The Gators continued to wrestle the match back from South in the final 5 overs, conceding very little before creating a runout opportunity in the final over and restricting the visitors to 4/114 at day’s end to win by 5 runs
Stapleton was the pick of the bowling as the developing pacer claimed 2/17 from his 7 overs, with Lieversz claiming the other wicket with 1/28 from 7 overs However it was the economical efforts that played a part in restricting the visitors chase, with Ethan Williams (0/25 from 7 overs), Emily Barrow (0/30 from 7 overs) and Terans Gunawardhana (0/12 from 7 overs) the key towards securing the first win of the season
As a result of the first rounds, the Gators now sit behind Belgrave and The Basin in the early stages of proceedings, leading into the Round 3 appointment at Windermere against 5th-placed Olinda
Mark Stapleton is coming on in leaps and bounds, and is already among the wickets in seniors
willing to impart knowledge to youth, Lyndon Rowlands lead the way
Mountain Gate’s Women’s 1st XI are off to the perfect start in Season 2024/25, with back-to-back wins propelling the Gators into second place.
The campaign commenced in Round 1 hosting a strong St Andrews lineup at Windermere. The hosts were made to wait until the 13th over for the breakthrough wicket, with Miah Beardshaw holding a sharp catch off the bowling of Ashleigh Foster (1/9 from 2 overs) with the score 1/47.
Not to be deterred, the Saints solidified and went again to press the scoreboard, however in the 18th over Sandra Tidey (1/12 from 4 overs) disturbed the stumps at 2/80
Many a bowling option was explored, with plenty of tight bowling however no luck with a breakthrough as the visitors reached 2/98 from 20 overs
In reply, the Gators lost early wickets to be 3/19 after 8 overs, before Emily Barrow and Chop Cunningham combined to put on an explosive 54run partnership within 8 overs to take control of the run chase before Barrow was dismissed for 17 from 26 balls Chop carried on to pair up with Miki Giulieri to complete the run chase in the 19th over - Giulieri 8 not out at the end, whilst Chop fell the ball after the target was reached having scored 43 from 36 balls, including 5 fours
Round 2 action returned to Mountain Gate, with Lusatia Park paying a visit to HV Jones Reserve The Gators took first use of the home deck, however Caryss McCulloch (4 runs from 10 balls) was run out early in proceedings to be 1/8 in the 3rd over
Gabrielle Giulieri continued on with Miah Beardshaw to challenge the Tiger bowling, before Beardshaw was dismissed for 18 from 19 balls with the score at 2/55.
From there, the Gators were never headed as Giulieri carried on to finish on 40 not out, alongside Emily Barrow (24 not out) as the hosts posted 2/107 as a total
With ball in hand, the Gators kept their restrictive and attacking bowling style to restrict the visitors from chasing the target Bibi lead the attack claiming 2/5 from 4 overs, with Humaira (1/12 from 4 overs) and Sandra Tidey (1/8 from 4 overs) helping to keep Lusatia Park to 4/81 after their overs for a 26-run win
The Gators now sit in 2nd place on the ladder, and will travel to Yarra Junction next Sunday to take on the Eagles in Round 3 action
Sandra Tidey has been on fire early with the ball in hand, with wickets in both matches played so far
Gabrielle Giulleri was scoring runs for fun, unbeaten on 40 against Lusatia Park
GATORKNIGHTSTAKE ONTIGERSTO SEASON
It was a delay worth the wai took on Upwey Tecoma at W
The visitors won the toss and crease first, patience the key fell at 1/34. From there the h frequent intervals, sharing th attack as the Tigers reached overs.
Ashlea Foster and Maddison the honors of best bowling, from 3 overs respectively, wh from 3 overs) and Ayesha Af also featured in the wicket-t
In response, the fall of an ea Southam team up with Ashl time with the bat as the duo themselves at the crease to scoreboard read 2/35
Foster departed for 14 from 15 balls, however the wickets did not fall as many took the opportunity for some time in the middle, with Ashlee Cowie (3 from 18 balls), Anita Weinert (2 from 12 balls) and Joanne Kilian (8 from 19 balls) spending time to ensure the Gator Knights batted through the overs
Batting to completion, the hosts reached 7/76 in a first-up performance which gives everyone involved a fantastic opportunity to develop and be competitive at the same time
With Round 1 in the books, the Gator Knights sit in 4th place as the attention now turns to 27th October as South Belgrave host the Gator Knights at Belgrave South Recreation Reserve
Maddison Southam and Ashlea Foster proved to be a key partnership at the top, the pair scoring 27 together in rapid time
Maddison Southam enjoyed a lenghty stay at the crease against Upwey Tecoma, seeing through 8 overs
FTGDCA Women A Grade
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3RDXISEASONPREVIEW
A mixture of experience and eagerness will be the theme of the 3rd XI for Season 2024/25, as the team takes on the Community 4 Grade
Whilst the weather put pay to the opening match of the season against The Basin, early breakthrough wickets for Matthew Carter and Mark Stapleton showed a glimpse of the potential prior to the heavens opening
A narrow 5-run win in the one-day match over South Belgrave was the first leg of a 3-week stay at Windermere Reserve, welcoming Olinda in Round 3 for the first two-day match of the season
Round 4 sees the Gators off to Knox Gardens Reserve #2 to take on the Falcons after the Cup weekend, before a trip to the picturesque Kalorama Rerseve for a fortnight against South Belgrave
Mark Lieversz was the feature of many a batting scorecard across 2023/24
2024 ends with a December played at home, with St Johns Tecoma coming for a two day fixture in Round 6, before Belgrave sees out the calendar year in a home Christmas one-day match.
It will be a mid-January return for the Gators who host Knoxfield at Windermere on 18th January, with a following one-day match in Round 9 up the hill at Olinda.
The run home will include an away two-day match against Knoxfield at Benedikt Reserve to start February, before hosting The Basin at Windermere in the final home match of the season
Round 12 will conclude the home and away season with St Johns Tecoma hosting the Gators at Gillmour Park in a March one-day matchup
The 3rd XI will prove to be a transfer of knowledge, as a large number of Gator youth begun their journeys through the grade over the years - many of whom have now gone on to play in 2nd XI Premierships or 1st XI Finals campaigns in recent seasons
With the willow, Mark Lieversz lead the charge, posting 228 in the books at an average of 45.60, including 3 half century efforts over the campaign. However it was the emergence of youth talent that continues to shine, with Tom Button (115 runs at 19.17) and Ryan Stapleton (106 runs at 53.00) ensuring success for the future.
Matthew Carter will be looking to back up as the lead bowler for the Gators, with the youngster claiming the bowling award last season with 9 scalps at 1322, highlighted by taking 3/15 from 7 overs against St Johns Tecoma Joni Walai (5 wickets @ 1900) and Tom Button (5 wickets @ 3120) will carry on the development of their bowling efforts
The future is bright for young Matthew Carter, taking the bowling attack responsibilities in his stride!
Belgrave(3rdXI)
Home Ground: Menzies Creek Res
Nickname: The Magpies
Last Season: 2nd Place / Comm 5
Premiers
7W - 2L - 1NR - 57pts (2188%, -1227
NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Brad Wiseman - 421 runs @ 14033
Leading Wicket Taker:
Ben Williams - 17wkts @ 1612
2023/24 Results: N/A
Knoxfield(4thXI)
Home Ground: Benedikt Reserve
Nickname: The Knights
Last Season: 6th Place
3W - 5L - 25pts (0978%, -0096 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Robert Harris - 172 runs @ 2867
Leading Wicket Taker:
Mark Stewart - 20wkts @ 930
2023/24 Results:
R1 - KCC def by MGCC (forfiet)
R9 - MGCC 55 & 94 def by KCC 4/126 & 0/25
KnoxGardens(3rdXI)
Home Ground: Knox Gardens Res. #2
Nickname: The Falcons
Last Season: 3rd Place / Elim Final
6W - 4L - 42pts (1315%, 0224 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Akshat Puri - 294 runs @ 14700
Leading Wicket Taker:
Vikas Basantani - 15wkts @ 1167
2023/24 Results:
R7 - KCCC 2/200 def MGCC 6/162
Olinda(3rdXI)
Home Ground: Olinda Green
Nickname: The Bloods
Last Season: 8th Place
2W - 9L - 15pts (0.453%, -1.757 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
David Thornton - 172 runs @ 24.57
Leading Wicket Taker:
Oliver Young - 9 wkts @ 2933
2023/24 Results: R6 - Match Cancelled
StJohnsTecoma(4thXI)
Home Ground: Gillmour Park
Nickname: The Saints
Last Season: 4th Place / Semi Final
6W - 1 NR - 4L - 42pts (0889%, -0024 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Ryan Powell - 449 runs @ 5613
Leading Wicket Taker:
Matt Reid - 18wkts @ 1289
2023/24 Results:
R5 - SJTCC 5/171 def MGCC 170
R12 - MGCC 113 def by SJTCC 9/121
SouthBelrave(4thXI)
Home Ground: Kalorama Reserve
Nickname: South
Last Season: WithdrawnCommunity 5
Leading Scorer: N/A
Leading Wicket Taker: N/A
2023/24 Results: N/A
TheBasin(4thXI)
Home Ground: Batterham Reserve #2
Nickname: The Bears
Last Season: 5th Place (Comm 5)
3W - 4L - 38pts (0886%, -0781 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Joel Clarke - 143 runs @ 14300
Leading Wicket Taker:
Kaiden Weinert - 9wkts @ 1222
2023/24 Results: N/A
Community4 Fixture
R1 5 Oct - vs The Basin @ Batterham Reserve #2
R2 12 Oct - vs South Belgrave @ Windermere Reserve
R3 19-26 Oct - vs Olinda @ Windermere Reserve
R4 9-16 Nov - vs Knox Gardens @ Knox Gardens Res
R5 23-30 Nov - vs South Belgrave @ Kalorama Reserve
R6 7-14 Dec - vs St Johns Tecoma @ Windermere Res
R7 21 Dec - vs Belgrave @ Windermere Reserve
R8 18 Jan - vs Knoxfield @ Windermere Reserve
R9 25 Jan - vs Olinda @ Olinda Green
R10 1-8 Feb - vs Knoxfield @ Benedikt Reserve
R11 15-22 Feb - vs The Basin @ Windermere Reserve
R12 1 Mar - vs St Johns Tecoma @ Gillmour Park
WOMENS1STXISEASON PREVIEW
Mountain Gate’s Women’s 1st XI will be looking to take strong form over the years and across the preseason into the RDCA East B Grade division, with another 9 clubs seeking glory in Season 2024/25
A first-round 5-wicket win against St Andrews - the first club win for the Gators this season - and a follow up win over Lusatia Park will act as the perfect springboard through October, with a Round 3 trip to Yarra Junction Reserve to take on the Eagles the next assignment before finishing the first month at home against Warranwood.
Cup weekend pauses competition, before another home matchup - this time against Montrose, before the Gators hit the road against Heatherdale (17th November) and Canterbury (24th November).
Round 8 kicks off December with Kilsyth coming to HV Jones, before a matchup against fellow-FTGDCA competitors Belgrave at Belgrave Recreation Reserve on 8th December 2024 concludes for the Gators with Heatherdale coming to HV Jones for a T20
Round 11 brings in 2025 with Yarra Junction paying a visit on 12th January at HV Jones, prior to an away day at Montrose St Andrews visit Gator-land again in Round 13 - this time at HV Jones - before back-toback away matches against Lusatia Park (9th Feb) and Warranwood (16th Feb) before the home and away season concludes with a home match at HV Jones against Belgrave on 23rd February
Mel Button was a key figure on the scoresheet with ball in hand last season
The ever-improving Gators continue to be hungry for success, and looking to build on a finals campaign last year that was ended ahead of time, with some of the teams within that home and away campaign again appearing in East B Grade
Gabrielle Giulieri was the standout performer with the bat last season, scoring 354 runs at an average of 4425 Chop Cunningham will be another one to watch on the batting scoresheets, starting off with 43 from 36 balls against St Andrews, on the back of last season’s 186 runs at an average of 23.25. Emily Barrow will bring experience into setting targets and orchestrating run chases, building on 132 runs at 14.67 from last season.
With Heetal Varsani featuring in Premier Cricket at Dandenong, there will be plenty of Gators to take the charge, with FTGDCA Tess Flintoff Award winner Melissa Button claiming 16 wickets last season, including a best return of 3/5 off 6 overs against Yarra Junction
Mikaela Giulieri will be continuing the attack with the ball, building off 14 wickets last season at 1164 which included 3/22 off 6 overs against Canterbury
Adding support will be the pressure bowling from Ashlea Foster, who took 12 wickets in season 2023/24 at a measly 783 which included a run of 5 consecutive matches as a multi-wicket taker, bested at 2/3 off 2 overs against Yarra Junction
The skipper Gabrielle Giulieri lead the run scoring efforts in 2023/24
Belgrave
Home Ground: Belgrave Rec Res
Nickname: The Magpies
Last Season: 6th Place (A Grade)
3W - 11L - 0pts (0547%, -0774 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Ishleen Lamba - 278 runs @ 2527
Leading Wicket Taker:
Jess Walker - 19 wkts @ 1168
Canterbury
Home Ground: Canterbury Sports Ground
Nickname: The Berries
Last Season: 8th Place
5W - 12L - 31pts (0.704%, -0.635 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Emma Sands - 405 runs @ 36.82
Leading Wicket Taker:
Isla Clayton - 10 wkts @ 21.50
Heatherdale
Home Ground: Heatherdale Reserve
Nickname: The Dales
Last Season: 7th Place
5W - 11L - 33pts (0743%, -0312 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Amelie Watson - 344 runs @ 4300
Leading Wicket Taker:
Hollie Davies - 14 wkts @ 1343
Kilsyth
Home Ground: Alan Smith Oval
Nickname: The Redbacks
Last Season: Premiers (C Grade White) 14W - 1L - 85pts (2321%, 2141 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Ashleigh Katoa - 321 runs @ 6420
Leading Wicket Taker:
Georgia Smith - 19 wkts @ 1189
LusatiaPark
Home Ground: Woori Yallock Reserve
Nickname: The Tigers
Last Season: 7th Place (A Grade)
1W - 12L - 19pts (0.421%, -2.088 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Caitlyn Parker - 356 runs @ 44.50
Leading Wicket Taker:
Caitlyn Parker - 10 wkts @ 10.60
Montrose
Home Ground: Montrose Reserve
Nickname: The Wolves
Last Season: 4th Place / Semi Final
9W - 8L - 53pts (1047%, 0012 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Belinda Harding - 404 runs @ 4040
Leading Wicket Taker:
Alecia Gugele - 19 wkts @ 12.16
StAndrews
Home Ground: JW Manson Reserve
Nickname: The Saints
Last Season: Premier (C Grade Blue) 16W - 0L - 106pts (1842%, 1463 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Tiarna Mayoh - 204 runs @ 4080
Leading Wicket Taker:
Gemma Blundell - 20 wkts @ 800
Warranwood
Home Ground: Quambee Reserve
Nickname: The Sharks
Last Season: 2nd Place / Runner Up
13W - 4L - 71pts (1.305%, 0.571 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Kim O’Connor - 404 runs @ 26.93
Leading Wicket Taker:
Zoe Freer - 21 wkts @ 12.95
YarraJunction
Home Ground: Yarra Junction Reserve
Nickname: The Eagles
Last Season: 6th Place
6W - 11L - 35pts (0653%, -1012 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Amelia Kuth - 191 runs @ 1469
Leading Wicket Taker:
Amelia Kuth - 35 wkts @ 543
HV Jones Reserve
R5 10 Nov - vs Montrose @ HV Jones Reserve
R6 17 Nov - vs Heatherdale @ Heatherdale Reserve
R7 24 Nov - vs Canterbury @ Lynden Park
R8 1 Dec - vs Kilsyth @ HV Jones Reserve
R9 8 Dec - vs Belgrave
R15
R16
WOMEN’S2NDXI SEASONPREVIEW
Mountain Gate’s 2nd XI will be pairing up with Knoxfield for Season 2024/25, with the Gator Knights moniker now spanning into Women’s cricket in the FTGDCA Senior Women’s A Grade
Whilst a first-up win eluded in the matchup against Upwey Tecoma, it was a strong showing which will only grow stronger in the preceding matches
Round 2 action continues on 27th October as the Gator Knights travel to South Belgrave Recreation Reserve to take on South, before a trip to the main oval at Knox Gardens on 10th November
A lengthy stay at HV Jones Reserve awaits as the hosts take on Olinda in Round 4 (24th November), Johnson Park in Round 5 on 8 December and then South Belgrave on 22nd December to round out the calendar year.
2025 commences on 19th January at the Dome at Upwey, before Knox Gardens pay a Round 8 visit to Windermere.
Finishing off the home-and-away season will be a trip up the hill to Olinda on 16th February, before the final round facing off against Johnson Park at Fair Park’s main oval.
e Gator Knights, it will be looking ahead at nued improvement as they push to take the teps ahead from a 7th place finish in last n’s standings.
be a varied lineup to what took part in n 2023/24 as many rotate through the 1st XI the bat, Sandra Tidey lead the scoring with ns at an average of 7200, with Krishna ni (75 runs @ 1500) and Emily Williams (65 @ 1300) providing assistance at the crease
a Bowling perspective, Rachael Atacador (6 ts @ 2217), Sandra Tidey (5 wickets @ 1220) rishna Varsani (5 wickets @ 1280) will be of the names to keep an eye out for across 25
For the Knights batting, Leanne Lawrence lead the way with the willow, posting 110 runs at an average of 3667, with Nadeeka Grero (66 runs @ 1650) and Katrina Osbourne (20 runs @ 500) a presence at the crease
Bowling wise, Nadeeka Grero (5 wickets @ 1340), Hollie Johnston (2 wickets @ 4050) and Annie Nguyen (2 wickets @ 6150) provided the attack for the Knights
Sandra Tidey stood out with the bat in hand last season with 144 runs
Rachael Atacador will be among the wickets at some stage in the season!
JohnsonPark
Home Ground: Fair Park Reserve
Nickname: The Sharks
Last Season: 4th Place / Runners Up
6W - 2L - 36pts (2450%, 1188 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Samantha Ritchie - 194 runs @ 3880
Leading Wicket Taker:
Isabelle Gillespie - 14 wkts @ 986
KnoxGardens
Home Ground: Knox Gardens Reserve
Nickname: The Falcons
Last Season: 5th Place
5W - 4L - 30pts (1497%, 1667 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Kristy Airey - 322 runs @ 107.33
Leading Wicket Taker: Erin Appleton - 7 wkts @ 5.71
Olinda
Home Ground: Olinda Rec Reserve
Nickname: The Bloods
Last Season: 4th Place / Premiers
4W - 2L - 27pts (0881%, 0330 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Hannelize Human - 201 runs @ 67.00
Leading Wicket Taker:
Martha Box - 6 wkts @ 23.67
SouthBelgrave
Home Ground: Belgrave South Rec Reserve
Nickname: South
Last Season: 1st Place / Semi Finals
8W - 0L - 51pts (2975%, 2565 NRR)
Leading Scorer: Miah Beardshaw - 621 runs @ 20700
Leading Wicket Taker: Lucy Searle - 12 wkts @ 1158
UpweyTecoma
Home Ground: Upwey Rec Reserve
Nickname: The Tigers
Last Season: 2nd Place / Semi Final
7W - 1L - 42pts (0995%, 1909 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Bernadette Black - 259 runs @ 64.75
Leading Wicket Taker:
Kaitlyn Roleff-Woolhouse9 wkts @ 13.44
R4
Park @ Fair Park
VETERANSSEASON PREVIEW
The old boys are gearing up again in Season 2024/25, with the freshly minted Premiership Baggy Browns a sign that this team intends to carry its form into the David Clark Shield
A significant portion of the side will have a choice of hat to wear after also featuring in the 2nd XI Premiership, however have been forced to wait after Round 1 against South Belgrave’s 3rd XI was lost to the conditions. This match, however, is expected to occupy the reserve day built into the fixture, with more details to be advised.
October 20th will see the resumption of the season as the Gators travel to Knox Gardens to take on the Falcons on the back oval. An extended break will allow for the inevitable rehabilitation of bodies, before the Gators unfurl their Premiership flag for the first match at home against Upper Ferntree Gully on 17th November
It will be back-to-back away games in Rounds 4 and 5, with trips to Lakesfield Reserve to take on Lysterfield on 1st December, before concluding the calendar year at Narre Warren East Reserve against Auravale on 15th December
The summer of cricket continues on with a 19th January return to host Eildon Park at HV Jones, before a final-round trip to South Belgrave to round out the Home and Away season against South’s 4th XI on 2nd February
Dave Tulloch was not here for a haircut, facing just 17 overs all season for 184 runs
Doug Barton featured many a time on doubleduties in the grades and the veterans - resulting in plenty of practice in scoring runs Barton reached 193 runs at an average of 3217, retiring not out against St Johns Tecoma (41*) and South Belgrave (42*)
Likewise, the quickfire approach of Dave Tulloch at the crease proved an X factor for the Gators to accelerate away, with Tulloch scoring 184 at an average of 9200 But it was the pace of which that was the standout, with the runs coming from a total of 102 balls faced at a strike rate of 18039
Also in the arsenal is the likes of Bert Pearce (144 runs @ 14400), Lyndon Rowlands (131 runs @ 4367) and Mark Lieversz (130 runs @ 6500) who on any given day can change the complexion of a target or a run chase
With the ball, its a dynamic duo of Gator years past with Rob Gough (10 wickets @ 6.20) and Mark Argus (10 wickets @ 11.70) leading the attack. Gough took multiple wickets in every match played in Season 2023/24, with a best return of 2/7 from 6 overs against Lysterfield, whilst Argus claimed in bulk, the best return being 4/25 from 6 overs against Johnson Park, and being the strike bowler in the Gators Premiership win against South Belgrave, claiming 3/28 from 6 overs
Rob Gough’s consistency with the pill was a key feature to the Gators efforts last season
Auravale
Home Ground: Narre Warren East Reserve
Nickname: The Lakers
Last Season: 4th Place / Runners Up
4W - 3L - 24pts (1017%, 0576 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Brad Richards - 269 runs @ 8967
Leading Wicket Taker:
Jeremy Hill - 11 wkts @ 1173
EildonPark
Home Ground: Eildon Park
Nickname: The Panthers
Last Season: 5th Place
3W - 3L - 21pts (0664%, -0686 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Adrian Baltruschaitis - 146 runs @ 48.67
Leading Wicket Taker:
Pankaj Kashyap - 6 wkts @ 24.83
KnoxGardens
Home Ground: Knox Gardens Reserve
Nickname: The Falcons
Last Season: 3rd Place / Semi Finals
4W - 2L - 27pts (1054%, -0152 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Ben Rupert - 192 runs @ 4800
Leading Wicket Taker: Dipak Kubal - 7 wkts @ 12.00
Lysterfield
Home Ground: Lakesfield Reserve
Nickname: The Beavers
Last Season: 1st Place / Semi Final
6W - 1L - 36pts (2.736%, 2.248 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Steven Crane - 143 runs @ 35.75
Leading Wicket Taker:
Callum Doherty - 12 wkts @ 700
SouthBelgrave(3rdXI)
Home Ground: Belgrave South Rec Reserve
Nickname: South
Last Season: 7th Place
1W - 5L - 9pts (0502%, -1806 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Alan Petersen - 46 runs @ 2300
Leading Wicket Taker: Billy Neasey - 5 wkts @ 1160
SouthBelgrave(4thXI)
Home Ground: Belgrave South Rec Reserve
Nickname: South
Last Season: 1st Place / Runners Up (Tom Jackson Shield)
6W - 1L - 36pts (1165%, 0831 NRR)
Leading Scorer:
Bret Sheehan - 183 runs @ 6100
Leading Wicket Taker: Bret Sheehan - 7 wkts @ 1600
UpperFerntreeGully
Home Ground: Kings Park
Nickname: The Kings Last Season: Did not play
Mountain Gate Cricket Club endorses the new Victorian Cricket Integrity Policies and procedures as follows:
1 2024 Member Protection Policy; and 2 2024 Complaints and Resolution Policy together with re-endorsing Australian Cricket’s Child Safeguarding Framework policies: 3 Commitment Statement; 4 Looking after our Kids Code of Behaviour; and 5 Policy for Safeguarding Children and Young People
Time to update the wardrobe? Want to wear the most fashionable designs this season? We’ve got you covered
Mountain Gate Cricket Club have teamed up with Sporting Fine Art to offer the most complete range of Gators apparel
Whether rolling the arm over on a Thursday, scoring One Day half centuries in one day matches or centuries in two day matches, look the part whilst you represent!
And it’s simple to order: Visit the Club Portal, select your items, pay and it’s on its way
iPODSHUFFLENIGHT-26OCTOBER
Yee hawww!!
Dust off those old R M Williams, get on your long sleeve Wrangler and head on down to the Saloon at HV Jones Reserve on Saturday 26th October as the Annual iPod Shuffle night takes on the best Western theme!
Enjoy the tunes of some of the best to ever do it as the iPod eliminates songs by random, with the last lone star winning $500. Besides the music, there will be epic prizes for best dressed and the best boot-scooting-est line dance ever seen!
Entries will be $30 per song (or $15 each for Club 200 members), with the first song kicking off at 7pm sharp!
For more information, or to book your song, contact Kaz on 0407 175 824
GATORKNIGHTSOFF TOTHEPERFECT STARTIN16S,14S
The Gator Knights started their seasons last weekend, with both the Under 14s and Under 16s enjoying first-up wins to start Season 2024/25
On Friday evening, the Under 14 Gator Knights took on Rowville at Liberty Reserve. Batting first, the Hawks started well with batsmen retiring not out after their allocation faced, with runs on the board to reach 5/76 from their 20 overs
with the bowling duties shared, a combination of tight bowling along with wickets worked wonders into the gameplan. The best bowling on the sheet was 2/4 from 2 overs, with Connor MacLeod (1/12 from 3 overs) and Mason Lijnders (1/5 from 2 overs) the other wicket takers
In response, the mixed team batted to the task at hand, batting through the 20 overs to bring up an opening win at 6/90 Mason Lijnders (13 not out from 25 balls), Daniel Stapleton (12 not out from 20 balls), Oliver Wright (15 not out from 20 balls) and Wiehann Van Staden (13 from 11 balls) all adding their stamp to the batting scorecard
The Gator Knights sit 2nd on the ladder after the opening weekend, and will take on ladder-leaders The Basin next Friday evening at HV Jones
At Fair Park, it was a successful Saturday morning for the Under 16s Gator Knights, defeating Johnson Park by 35 runs
The visitors elected to bat first and after losing an early wicket, rebuild the innings from 4/33 with Srihaas Esarapu (18 from 32 balls) and Jayden Lavender (26 not out from 40 balls) the backbone, before Mark Stapleton (18 not out from 15 balls) helped propel the scoreboard to a healthy 7/113 from 25 overs
With ball in hand, the Gator Knights were just as restrictive, sharing the wickets around with Dev Gupta (2/10 from 4 overs) and Jayden Lavender (2/10 from 3 overs) the pick as the Sharks were held to 9/78
The Under 16s will take on Belgrave at HV Jones on Saturday morning
