Saints hot start to the season continued with another clinical win in their limited overs Round 8 match of the NSW Premier Cricket Men's First Grade Belvidere Cup at Hurstville Oval on Saturday. Undefeated and now sitting comfortably on top of the table at the halfway mark of the competition the St George faithful should start to dream about once again winning the competition that began in 1893. The St George club has a fantastic record and it has won 17 first grade premierships, most recently in 2012/13 but today's players are not getting ahead of themselves and aren't focused on the past with captain Nicholas Stapleton saying the whole team is buying into the process of winning. On the hottest day for four years St George won the toss and elected to bowl as temperatures soared past 40 degrees and dozens of fires burned throughout the state. It was a tough start with the Parramatta openers digging in and punishing any loose ball with a couple of near or dropped catches and 18 extra's adding to some early pain for the home team. It was 0-50 before Luke Bartier took the ball for his first spell and immediately knocked over Ryan Hackney to start the visitors demise. It was soon three for 63 and the Parra batsman never really got on top with Jonathon Craig-Dobson bamboozling their attack and taking 4 wickets for only 18 runs in his 9 overs. Craig-Dobson might have set up the 1st Grade win over the reigning premiers Parramatta but it was St George's English signing Ed Pollock who stood up and delivered the final blow. It was a far cry from the temperatures back home but Pollock batting for the first time at Hurstville Oval turned the heat up further. With the Saints sitting at 3-58 and under pressure Pollock combined with Skipper Nick Stapleton to give the home team a 7 wicket victory with a brutish innings of 82 not out from 89 balls (3-179). Pollock, who has been here since early November hadn't faced a ball at Hurstville Oval due to the form and dominance of their openers, said he was 'Just here to enjoy my cricket and help win some games for St George '- he is definitely on the right track. Saints now play a limited overs match against Randwick Petersham away.
