User:New Race/Long Reef Cricket Club

The Long Reef Cricket Club or LRCC as it is more fondly known was founded towards the end of 1990 by current President Brad Jones. The LRCC has its home ground,Griffith Park, on the picturesque Long Reef headland which it shares with the Long Reef Golf Club. The colours that represent the LRCC are bottle green and gold, which were derived from the rolling fairways of the golf course. The club played its first official game against the D.A.D XI at the David Thomas 2 ground situated at Manly Vale on the 14 September 1991, which resulted in a win for the LRCC by 86 runs. Half centuries to Matt Golledge(56), Jon Hynes(a.k.a Al O'hara 87) and Tim Hynes(72) gave the LRCC a 1st innings total of 262 all out. The D.A.D XI were never in the hunt being bowled out for 176 with fast bowler Gary Simmons cleaning up the last 3 wickets in consecutive deliveries to also claim the clubs first "Hat-trick". The team that first represented the LRCC is in batting order:

B.Jones(c) I.Gordon M.Golledge J.Hynes(a.k.a A.O'hara) G.Simmons T.Hynes M.Jones R.Dunn R.Caro M.Bruce(absent) B.Waller

After a strong start with two wins from the clubs first 2 games, the teams form fell away and finished the season is second last place with 2 wins 2 draws and ten losses. Some strong individual performances held the club in good stead with Tim Hynes topping the association batting aggregate with 538 runs at an average of just over 31 with a highest score of 152no. Martin Jones contributed well with the ball taking the seasons best bowling figures with 7-71 off 19 consecutive overs. The following seasons brought a more consistant combination of players and the results followed, with the club finishing in the middle of the table in the 92/93,93/94,94/95 seasons. The 95/96 season saw the club have the best finish of its short history by finishing in third place, missing a final birth by the smallest of margins. The 96/97 season saw the introduction of a semifinal system which also included a "oneday" plate competition for clubs not involved in the finals. With the LRCC not in finals contention went into the "plate" competition with a cavilier attitude winning the preliminary game with a great alround team effort against a B2 Terry Hills side comprehensivly by 6 wickets. The semi final was a one sided affair with the LRCC running out victors against the co-B4 side Peninsular by 9 wickets with Jon Hynes scoring an unbeaten half century, David Ralphs wickets and Brad Jones taking a couple of great catches behind the stumps. The LRCC then met the might of the B2 Wakehurst Redbacks in the final. Going into the game with out skipper Brad Jones(wedding)and Pat Mclean(groin)the team still briming with confidence won the toss and sent the mighty Redbacks in to bat. And a fine display in the field, with Sean McIntosh, Martin Jones an David Ralphs all taking wickets, the Redbacks were restricted to 129 from their aloted 35 overs. The LRCC reached the target with the lose of 7 wickets with Tim Hynes posting an undefeated 57 to bring the side home with 6 overs to spare. The season of 1997/98 saw the LRCC expand, with Andy Robinson bringing a team over from the Cromer club to play in the B1 while the original side playing its second season of B3. Both teams performed well throughout the season with both side making the semifinals, with the B# team progressing to the Grand Final. The LRCC squad for the clubs first Grand Final versus SAOBA was:

In Batting order G.Bentley D.Wilkinson J.Hynes S.McIntosh T.Hynes L.DeBien B.Toyne D.Ralphs P.Mclean B.Jones M.G.Jones After winning the toss and batting The LRCC were in trouble almost immediatly with Wilkinson out the second delivery he faced. More trouble was to follow with Bentley recieving a nasty short pitched delivery which hit just below his left eye, forcing the big fellow to retire hurt. The middle order consolidated to take the score to 4-123 before a collapse saw the LRCC bowled out for 145 from 55 overs. SAOBA fininshed the first day in trouble at 2-27 with opening bowlers T.Hynes and DeBien claiming a wicket a piece. The second day started with a stroke of Jones genius by introducing D.Ralphs into the attack with immediate success. Wickets fell consistantly with SAOBA losing 5-7 in the space of 7 overs to take them from 3-79 to be in deep trouble at 8-86. There was a small fight back by the last couple of SAOBA batsmen but this was not enough and were bowled out for 119 giving the LRCC the 97/98 B3 title by 27 runs. Batting honours went to J.Hynes who made 31 and bowling honours were shared by D.Ralphs(15o 2m 4-40)and S.McIntosh(9o 2m 3-16)