by Rog Moore

A mid season road trip to the Eastern Suburbs began with a narrow 183 run win to the Breakers, led by a storming game from Angivan Gunasehar, and a series of punishing knocks from a near full-strength batting line up.

The sun was out, several horses were almost run down (affluence, huh?), and Chris Sweet was off in the Blue Mountains (as he had when on tour a few years back with Burke and Welles). Lloyd Walker mad his winter debut, with an excellent innings of 41*, and a sharp bowling spell of 2-23. Matty Fisher also returned, and Roger Christie was added as super-sub batsman, sensibly shifting the other Roger (Moore) away from willow wielding.

Angivan Gunasehar: Top Gun(a) in Round 4 with 39 runs and 4-19

That Lloyd didn’t receive any player’s points was an indication of how well the Breakers rebounded from their previous week’s match. Nathan Williams and Angivan provided the starch at the top of the order, putting on 52. Guna almost reached his first 40 in a clean striking innings: some thought it was a six, others - including the umpire - thought the ball bounced short. As invariably happens in these situations (think of Big Al’s missed-single-followed-by-duck-dismissals in 2006/07), Angivan fell to a nick to the keeper for his top winter score of 39, just shy of retirement.

Oli Thomas: Hurricane innings of 59 n.o.

It was a platform, and Oli Thomas seized the moment. TLF and aggressive, Oli kept his promise of Alpha Male status as the Breakers innings went from hang-glider to Concorde. Bowling Cumming probably wished he hadn’t, as Mr Thomas faced up to his first over - and pillaged 22 runs off it.

Oli raced to his 40, (only his running between wickets was quicker), and the Breakers were up and running. Bally and Nathan, picking up his innings after a testing encounter with the possible Master Bowler of the Master Batters, took the innings to the break.

Lloyd Walker: Top Bunk, Top Shelf winter debut

Both players fell soon after: Nathan after a lucky escape off a no-ball that, height wise, possibly wasn’t, and a run out that was plain unlucky. Whether the fielding side were happy about this was debatable. Rob Lavery (40*), Lloyd Walker (41*, including the action photo of 2007) and Roger Christie (a smooth 33, after finally locating the ground) led the carnage. Matt Fisher smashed 14, and then Oli returned to belt out the innings with keeper Skid. The Breakers reached a mildly competitive total of 291/5 off 36 overs - only just enough to give their bowlers something to defend.

A knife edge game was wrestled back in the Breakers favour. Guna, whose bowling had hardly received the rewards it deserved tbhis winter, ripped apart the Master Batters lineup, supposedly including a number of grade players. Openers Walsh and Frazakas were efficient, if becalmed, against testing opening bowlers Fisher and Williams. Enter Angivan. In 6 testing overs he ripped out 4 players for only 19, one of the best MBCC winter bowler figures on record. Lloyd Walker, deceptively quick (as Skid's hands discovered in his keeping duties), ripped out 2-23.

The game plan was slightly altered when Rob was forced to use a couple of extra bowlers (including a reluctant R.Lavery) to claim the last two wickets. Rob claimed one with a stunning catch (the ANZAC bowler deserves no credit, and shall receive none), and the bowled the last man temporally standing, to leave the Master Batters agonisingly close at 108.

Angivan, long over due, was the "3 point" player, with Oli filling the placings. (2 points must be awarded to the losing side).

TLF, TLG and Giddie Up!!