22nd April 2007
Divison 4, Round 01, 20007
Manly Breakers: Manly Breakers v The Bindaas (Parkes Drive Oval)
Match summary: MBCC 162, The Bindaas 178/8
Result: Bindaas "won" by "2" wickets
Toss won by: Bindaas (symbolic)
Winter Comp Woes as Bally and Langy Finally Taste Defeat
by Rog Moore
C2 Premieres Tony Ball and David Lang at last joined the ranks of mortals, tasting defeat after an unbeaten premiership summer in 2006/07,
after the Breakers started the winter comp with a loss in a game that was there for the win.
Not, it should be stated, that either C2s premiership player had much to do with the loss. Bally’s excellent 58 was the main reason the Breakers had a total
to defend, hitting boundaries galore and falling last. Langy batted and bowled stoutly, after his fine 2006/067 season. Langy also wins the
award for best return fire sledge:
Rob Lavery: "... Can you please bring a scorebook for us?..."
David Lang: "Will bring a scorebook. Tea and scones...???"
Various: Atypical MBCC discussion about the relative merits of tea that went on for some time, and is not reproduced here since the author is basically a lazy sod.
David Lang: provided tea (Lapsang, Earl Grey, Soushong, English and Dilmah), an urn of boiling water and also apple cake.
Well done Langy – piss-take of the year.
Much like finding the ground in the first place, the Brookvale Hotel’s team started out confidently, and then lost their way. Rob Lavery and
Angivin Gunasehar galloped along with an excellent opening stand that, statistically, meant of total of 300 was possible. Rob (25) was unluckily
run-out backing up when the ball bounced off the bowlers’ hand. Guna (11) added another poor decision to his bizarrely expanding Breakers’
collection. Since all our opponents all apologised at tea for that particular appeal, why did they go up at at all? (Hiatus of Honesty is suspected).
More on that later - unfortunately.
While Bally was impressive, clean hitting and safe in getting to 40 and retiring, and Matt Fisher looked to have recovered his batting form with a crisp
knock of 18 that included a savage hit for six, and ended when caught on – possibly over – the boundary, the rest of the batting was limp,
apart from a solid 17 from the swaying Richard Smith. Langy (10) and Bally, and then Bally alone, dragged the score to 169, a target at least, though
one we rather rushed towards with 12 overs still remaining, against mainly moderate bowling on a fast scoring ground. The Bindaas' keeper claimed
a stumping and both catches of the Breaker's effort.
The Binda’s strength provided to be in their batting, with Sohail excellent at scoring 62, the game’s highest total. The Breaker’s bowling was
effective enough, the fielding a little rusty, the players got sick of “just over the heads’ chances. Rob Lavery, frustrated with gloves,
effectively unleased his bowling to good effect, leaving Chris Sweet to resume his dream of wicket-keeping again. (And yes, Chris, we note
no byes were conceded). Guna and Fish, once again, were the pick of the bowlers.
As the Breakers fought back late, the game was to hinge on the Bindaas-provided square leg umpire, who was sadly afflicted by previously mentioned Hiatus of Honesty.
The Breakers token Kiwi, Rog Moore, after a hapless day with bat and a frantic one with the ball, threw down the stumps, and everyone on the field observed the batsmen
was out by meters. Everyone except the square leg umpire.
Just quietly, I am thoroughly sick of not being able to shake hands with all opponents after games. We are playing park cricket here.
The decision took the wind out the Breaker’s sails, with the Bindaas winning by 2 wickets. As Richo observed, it is better to lose than win like that.
Karma, please take note when the jostle for finals spots rolls around in a few months.
STUMPS-The Lavery Letter