We are up and running! Well, at least most of the junior teams are – U10 Cubs, U11B & our new U18 are scheduled to commence this weekend ☔️🤞🏻. As per last season, here is a snapshot of the memorable moments from our weekend junior matches:

U13A Friday Yarraville all out 111 def by Williamstown Croft 3/174
On a very small Williamstown oval the boys batted first, Ayaan Gupta got us off to a flyer scoring 27 off 13. With some good running and both retiring Thomas Kelly and Thomas Janssen got us up to 111 before we were bowled out.
We started slowly in the field, and with the ball but picked up momentum and took 3 wickets in succession. However, the game concluded with the opposition chasing our total down. Alex Wood.

U15A Fri Williams Landing 8-104 def by Yarraville 4-106
O Howell 2-9 (2) T Laverty 2-13 (4) E Brown 1-4 (2)
M.McMahon – 41 N. Suresh – 31no K. Sheather – 18
A cracking game of cricket to start the year.
After losing the toss we were fielding and very quickly put under pressure with some impressive striking from the Williams Landing openers and at 0-71 off 9 overs we were in trouble. Tight bowling from Otto and a sharp catch from Connor started an impressive fight back where we took 8-23, including 3 great run outs and restricting them to 8-105.
Kade and Mick set the tone with some strong counter hitting against an impressive bowling attack. The change to spin bowling restricted us somewhat and a steady flow of wickets fell in the middle overs.
When Mick departed for a strong 41, we were left needing 30 off the final 3 overs. Nikhil, in his first game for the club played an innings beyond his years, controlling the middle and accelerating with strong blows, including a towering 6 in the last over to get us over the line!
Great start to the year and some opportunity for improvement which we will work on. Ben Laverty

U13B Saturday Yarraville 7/74 def By Willy Imperials 7/104
Caleb Beale 27 (49) Louie Lewicki 16 (16) Willy Honisett 1/4 (2) Noah Lathleiff 1/7 (3)
We won the toss and elected to bat. After 3 overs we were 3 down for not many runs. With 3 talented batsmen out it was looking like we’d struggle to bat the 24 overs. To our credit the boys dug in and batted the overs to make a score.
In the field we struggled a little to bowl a consistent line and length although the fielding was very good which kept us in the game. Unfortunately one of their batsmen got away with 46 runs which proved to be the difference. David Giampa

*U15A Saturday Yarraville Club 9/131 (23) def by Yarraville 1/224 (23). *
Rohan Sood 2/16 (3) Ayaan Gupta 2/17 (4)
Jack Court 47 (38) Rohan Sood 51ret (46) Elliot Brown 53ret (35) Jed Gilder 47no (28)
A big turnover from last year’s Sat 15’s comp Runners Up with 6 continuing players joined by 6 new ones, so creating our “FIFA chemistry” was discussed in the lead up.
Oppo chose to bat first and got a start, but good disciplined bowling led to both our first & second wickets at 18.
Runs then built up but clever captaincy from Sam Thaus (& intel from Fri U15 coach Ben Laverty) saw a change to spin yield immediate & ongoing wickets and whilst we conceded 19 boundaries from the 23 overs (too many) the total of 131 seemed achievable for our “bowling-heavy” team.
Club-debut wickets to Nikhil Suresh, Ayaan Gupta & Harrison Berenger. A clever run out & stumping from WK Harry Denning & good catching all round.
YCCC bowlers started well, plenty of dots early with loose balls getting the treatment, but once the bowling change came our openers cashed in with Jack Court making 47 off 38 & Rohan Sood 51 ret off 46, an opening partnership of 83 & 14 boundaries between them.
Elliot Brown & Jed Gilder provided the oppo no respite, in fact possibly less as Elliot posted a 53 ret off just 35 and Jed 47no from 28. In total we accomplished 33 boundaries in our innings of 1/ 224 which is a higher score than any of our matches from last season – so much for being a bowling team!
Solid start. There’ll be tougher opposition for sure, but I’m looking forward to the growth in this group over our season’s journey. BD

U13A Sunday Yarraville 8/125 (23) def by Willy Colts 7/149 (24)
Sent in to bat & the boys delivered a great top order start, highlighted by Hamish McCluggage 28* Teddy Tindall 20* & Tom Kelly 17.
Few wickets fell quickly in the middle, but we still set a target that gave us something to bowl too.
Despite some great pace bowling by Ryan Garcia 0/11 (3) we only took 1 wicket in the first 12 overs & despite a few wickets falling late to Tom Kelly 3/12 (3) and Jimmy Horvath 2/21 we couldn’t contain a strong opposition. Plenty to like for the season ahead though. Scott Tindall