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DOLPHINS GAIN HIGHER HONOURS
The club extends its congratulations to the following players selected in representative teams this week;
Tim Armstrong in the NSW U19 Side that will compete in the national championships to be held in Newcastle in December.
Also, Leah Poulton, Sarah Andrews and Erin Osborne in the NSW Breakers. Good luck to them all in their respective tournaments.
By Jim Courier
The infamous Wimbelphin rain halted play on day 4 of the world's most prestigeous mini-grass court tennis tournament. Before the rains came Zac Zinman was able to make his way to the second round with a 21-9 victory over Wayne Geber. Zinman will now face up to Greg Clarence in what will be a blockbuster second round. Clarence outfoxed Ed Zelma 21-14 in an efficient display.
Chris Coen also made his way into the second round over a fiery Bernhard Ballin. A total of eight faults cruelled Ballin's campaign as he went down 21-18. The following matches are scheduled for Day five:
Adam Ezekiel v Nathan Loveday
Nick Berry v Tim Armstrong
Tim Doyle v Luke Bower
Anthony Pratt v James Galbraith
The rest of round one matches will be completed the following Tuesday.
WIMBELPHIN UNDERWAY
TIM Cutler and Justin Waller both made their way through to the second round of Wimbelphin after day one. For Cutler an injury to Nick Leyden allowed him a walkover victory without a point being played. The forfeit was a devastating blow for Laydo he had been labelled a potential dark horse.
In the first played out match Justin Waller defeated Ben Murphy in a gripping match 21-17. Murphy led early but Waller charged home to take out a clearly devastated Murphy.
Cutler and Waller will now take on each other in round two in a couple of weeks. Next Tuesday will see the largely unknown Wayne Geber taking on Zac Zinman and the self appointed number one seed Greg Clarence taking on Ed Zelma. Could all players inform the tournament director if they are unavailable at least 12 hours prior to commencement of training.
WINTERTON COUNTDOWN UPDATE
Despite making it on time in week one against the Hawks Phil Winterton was late by 3 minutes taking the count to ...
WINTERTON COUNTDOWN - 00:27
TARDY WINTERTON FACING CLIPPERS
THIRD Grade seamer Phil Winterton is facing the possible indignation of having his sandy locks shaved off by his captain Lee Kirk at this year's Christmas Party.
After clocking up 25 minutes in lateness over the first two rounds of the season it was decided by senior members of the Third Grade team that should Winterton clock up an hour over the season, his head will be shaved Lee Kirk.
This website will now begin a Winterton countdown and already the clock is ticking with the man affectionately known as 'filthy' racking up another five minutes last Saturday.
Sources close to the team say it won't be long before Winterton gets the chop with Lee Kirk predicting it will be sooner rather than later.
"I reckon he'll be over his hour before Christmas," Kirk said.
WINTERTON COUNTDOWN - 00:30
EASTS CHANGES EXCITING: CAMPBELL
By Max Abbott
Season 2008/09 is a year of change for the Easts Dolphins and it is for that reason that Club Coach Alan Campbell is "excited" about the possibilities ahead.
Campbell has highlighted the numerous possibilities that will be available to all players this season after the departure of a few first grade regulars from last year.
"For various reasons there are only six players who played in the one-day final last year that are still with us this year, so there is some exciting opportunities for guys in the lower grades," Campbell said.
Whilst many players have left the club there has also been some exciting additions to the playing roster at Easts this season. Paceman Ed Zelma and wicketkeeper Peter Neville have replaced the departures of Tim Murtagh and Roger Smith in the first grade side.
While in a continuation of the club's strong ties with Northern NSW, off-spinner Mitch Power will play his first season in Sydney and join a pool of spinners that will be vying for the vacant spin position left by Aaron O'Brien.
These are just three of many new faces that have come to club and the influx of these arrivals will hopefully see the club's depth improve right down to the lower grades, where Easts have struggled in previous season.
The addition of Ben Murphy as captain of fifth grade also promises to be a massive boost to the club, which has had an inconsistent record in the bottom grade over the past five seasons.
Murphy, who would definitely have been graded higher, is keen to develop the younger brigade of Dolphins coming through from the Green Shield ranks.
And it is within the younger ranks of the club that the feeling of opportunity is most present.
Three seasons ago the club's only first grade player under 25 was an 18-year-old David Warner. Now Warner is joined by Sam Robson, Greg Clarence, Adam Ritchard, Justin Waller and Peter Neville all as players under the age of 23 in the first grade side.
This season these players will have to take on a greater amount of responsibility and begin a fresh culture within the team that can hopefully foster many premierships in the years to come.
EASTS UNDERWAY AT MANDALONG
The Easts Dolphins opened their 2008/09 campaign with a trial match against Gordon at the picturesque setting of Mandalong Oval. Despite heavy rain to the north and the south the gods spared the rural suburb and a full match of 50 overs each was played.
Easts on a slow outfield and pitch were bowled out in 42 overs for 120 with new arrival Michael Foster impressing with a confident 63 at the top of the order.
He and Pete Neville (23) provided the only real partnership of note as Easts lost wickets at regular intervals.
In the field, the bowlers and fielders produced a tidy performance as Gordon passed the target with five overs to spare and with six wickets in hand. Wickets were shared by Max Abbott, Rob Wilson, Nick Berry and Greg Clarence.
It was a timely wicket for Clarence, who advertised his bowling prowess throughout the day after he had earlier let one go that nipped back with his batting score on 0.
DOLPHINS PUT INTO SHAPE
The younger brigade of the Easts Dolphins have been put into shape this off-season through personal trainer Wayne Geber.
Wayne, who has officially joined as the club's fitness co-ordinator this season has put the players through their paces in the very early hours of Tuesday mornings, combining speed, endurance and strength training elements in the one hour sessions.
Despite the regular complaints of cold mornings and gruelling work-outs, the group consisting of Sean Paul McGoldrick, Brad Chilko, Justin Waller, Tim Doyle, Angus Watson, Angas McDonald, James Gailbraith, Max Abbott, Dan Mitchell, Zac Zinman and the speedster Tom Petrie have all seen big improvements much to the delight of the ever enthusiastic Geber.
"I couldn't be happier with the efforts over the winter, it will turn 50's into hundreds," he said.
Wayne has also been leading the club's Sunday morning sessions and will run some short programs at training throughout the season.
Welcome W!
The club extends its congratulations to Paul and Sarah Byrom on the birth of William.
Dolphins Vs Roosters 20/20 match 7 March 2008
Easts Cricket took on The Sydney Roosters last week in their annual 20/20 Cricket game at Waverley Oval….
The Dolphins batted first and scored 220 off their 20 overs with David Warner scoring 71 and Aaron O'Brien 50.The best of the Roosters bowlers was Braith Anasta with 1-13 and Craig Fitzgibbon 1-25.
In reply The Roosters scored 160 with Brad Fittler scoring a hard hitting 53 and Braith Anasta 22.
Simbledon Tennis Tournament
The inaugural Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club Simbledon Tennis Tournament was held on Sunday at The Palms Tennis Centre Paddington….
It was a interesting start to the day when there was much confusion at the pre tournament brief conducted by organiser "Steve The Sandman Enterprises" …all left the brief knowing less about the rules than they did before they had got there…!!
Evidently tennis not one of Sandman's strengths…up until yesterday he thought the tennis term deuce was spelt "juice"!!...Mmmmm…
With the pre tournament brief done and every-one walking away scratching their heads, the games commenced……there were some epic matches on the outside courts whilst the early favorites in the Tim Murtagh / Tracey Heite pairing cruised through their earlier rounds on centre court…(Tracey,an ex professional tennis player on the USA circuit, being Jimmy's new girlfriend…..and hasn't Jimmy's tennis improved since they have got together…so much so that members
of his 4th grade team were asking what a shame it is Jimmy wasn't dating an Australian women's cricketer!!)…
Paul Simonson showed some good form and touch, but alas his partner (R Wilson) was still suffering from Jimmy "Corey" Smiths party the night before..!!!..
The Justin Waller/ Zac Zinman team showed some great touch and looked fantastic in their Culture Club tennis gear!!..(and whilst we are on the topic of 2nd grade players it was suggested that we should have cricket training at The Palms Tennis Courts next week and set up one cricket net…no doubt it would create enormous confusion for the 2nd grade team)..
The Peter Lovitt / John Carlaw team were in great form, and were in the pool of death…only beaten in a tough tie breaker by the eventual Simbledon winners….(Lovitt still consoling John over the 2002 grand final when the mighty Roosters beat the Warriors)…
The Luke Bower / Danny Mitchell "Gaza Strip" team struggled….not surprising given a Cranbrook/ Waverley pairing…Steve Warner was there…and gave the world record for bbq sausage eating a real shake…
Sean Paul Mc Goldrick did his best Dirk Diggler tennis player impersonation whilst unfortunately for Kate Oakenfold she was paired with Kirky Rimmer…
The Adam Ezekiel / Mark Foster team performed well but had their pants kicked by the Max Abbott / Nick Leyden team…whilst Rick Andrew, Andrew Rollins and Brad Chilcoe enjoyed the beers!...
So with the preliminary rounds out of the way the semi finals were set….N Berry / J Dooley v T Petrie / G Leipnik and T Murtagh / T Heite v M Abbott / N Leyden…
The Dooley/Berry team cruised through their semi final….(is there a greater difference in service speed downwards in world tennis between T Petrie's first and second serve??)..
The other semi final was an epic …and was great to see Nick Leyden back at the club…..but unfortunately for the Leyden/Abbott team they bowed out ..( with Max's father shattered that an off spring could "choke" so badly…unfortunately for Max it is something about the genes!!)…
So to the final it was….and with the Murtagh "Henman" Hill set up…the final was a ripper…..with the Justin Dooley/ Nick Berry Team winning through and named the 2008 Simbledon Winners …with Justin named Player of the Tournament….(..for those of you who may have forgotten, Justin also owns the record for the fastest skull ever seen in the back-room..)
Steve presented his 1969 School Boy Swimming Champion Trophy ( ..go figure!..) to the Berry/Dooley team for their win…
So to next year we look forward to a bigger day..and a special thanks to Steve , Zambela, S.P and Jimmy for organising such a great day..
See you next year!
