Cricket image change for Woy Woy
Woy Woy has set about changing its image as one of the "easy beats" of Central Coast cricket.
With a record of winning one or two games a season, their prospects only looked worse when they lost their captain and a few experienced players.
Adopting a "youth policy", the club appointed 22-year-old Peter Graham as captain, who has set about turning the team into a competitive outfit.
In the last game of last season, Woy Woy lost to the Entrance by 200 runs.
In the first game of this season they lost, again to The Entrance, by just six runs.
In the second game, Woy Woy lost to Lisarow by three wickets.
In the third game, they demolished Doyalson by 180 runs and the fourth was a close one-day game with competition leaders Kincumber.
Only some lusty hitting by a couple of older guys brought Kincumber home in the 48th over of a 50 over game.
With each game, Woy Woy has been getting better.
Going into round five on December 7, against Narara, the undefeated defending premiers, Woy Woy was hoping to again be competitive.
The first week was wet so it became a one-day game.
Narara won the toss and batted, as Woy Woy would have done.
The pitch was dry and cracking.
It quickly became evident to the Woy Woy Captain that it was a slow bowlers' wicket, so his opening bowlers only bowled three overs each before he put Mark Austin on.
Austin took a wicket with his first and fourth balls, and took 4/17 off 14 overs.
Pete Graham took the ball himself from the other end and took 4/25 off 14.3 overs and a very important runout.
Narara were bowled out for 102 from 50 overs, the first time they had been bowled out this season.
Woy Woy batted on the same wicket and had no trouble getting to 70, before Narara put their slower bowlers on.
Under great pressure, Woy Woy passed Narara's score seven wickets down in the 34th over.
Woy Woy's bowling changes were spot on and the bowling was tight, the field placings and fielding were superb and the batting was fearless.
They out-thought, out-bowled and out-batted the premiers.
Round six was played from December 14 to 21, Woy Woy played the local derby against Umina, which was undefeated until the round before.
Umina won the toss and decided to bowl.
John Jewiss and Shane Bardsley had an opening partnership of 54, then Mark Austin came to the crease.
Mark, a gifted cricketer, scored a brilliant 112.
After John Jewiss had started the innings strongly with 48, Jason Moore scored 52 in partnership with Mark.
Four wickets fell before captain Peter Graham and new keeper Andre Orani finished with a very important 127-run partnership.
Graham scored 76 not out and Orani 47 not out with Woy Woy finishing 6/371 off 90 overs.
In the second week, Woy Woy bowled Umina out for 174, winning by 197 runs.
Young Noel Ellis took his inaugural first grade wicket and went on to take 3/5.
David Ridley 3/55 took three of Umina's best batters and some brilliant catching and fielding.
Woy Woy have five games to go but are not getting carried away.
They have three wins from six full games, already more wins than they have had for a long time.
Janelle Graham, January 7