 |
| Match Details |
| Round |
Round 5 |
| Opposition |
Ryde Hunters Hill Pirates 3 |
| Date |
29-Oct-2016 |
| Ground |
North Ryde |
| Match Summary |
| Result |
WIN on 1st innings by 13 runs |
| Kurrajong Gypsies 1st innings |
9 wickets, 175 runs
|
| Ryde Hunters Hill Pirates 3 1st innings |
all out, 162 runs
|
| Match Report |
Season 25, Number 5
The Gypsies v Ryde Hunters Hill Pirates
Ladies and Gentlemen we are a club in crisis. With our tilt at a third Gus Bowe Cup in the balance after just one win in our opening four games, the Selectors reacted savagely and dropped some big names – Varinder, who has garnered just 15 ½ Dates votes so far in his quest for the triple-Date. Nick, who scored just 67 following his maiden ton, and ex-Skipper Tap, who denied reports that he was “just too quiet” on-field, among them. Problem was that just 4 players had declared themselves available to the selectors when they sat down to select the team. Chairman of Selectors Tony Masters also refused to confirm if either of Hugh, Batho or Daryl was overlooked for not handing in their Chemistry homework.
Instead, the Gypsies reached back into their new feeder team, the Briars CC P&C Association to provide a makeshift side that included three debutants. Shane Wells ( via Saviour), Ganesh Balasubramanian (via Kimba) and Darren Morris (via Rod) all earned their Gypsy player numbers. There was a danger a few players wouldn’t make it to the game after spotting a woman soliciting in Ian St nearby and a change of the afternoon vigorous activities was briefly contemplated.
Chopper won the toss, his 4 from 5 this year (he’s really good at this tossing caper), and elected to set a competitive target. Then ensued a slight delay to the start while Kimba took 25 minutes to drive the “I’m 10 minutes away” from the ground with the kit. Nathan filled the void entertaining the debutants with further reminiscences of his maximum the week before. The rest of the team waited and wished they still smoked.
The skipper, looking to keep some semblance of stability to the batting line-up, stuck with last week’s opening partnership. Kenny had top scored for the Gypsies last week, but it was Matt’s (67) turn this week. He produced 50 partnerships firstly with Rod (23) and then debutant Darren (33) – all three producing some rarely-seen actual cricket shots through and over the cover region. A brief cameo by Ganesh who was obviously channelling the absent V who after taking two sighters knocked one over the fence for a 6 on his first scoring shot for the Gyspsies. Matt was eventually bowled in the 29th over, having seen off the best of what the Pirates could offer with the ball.
The longest part of Saviour’s innings was the walk off kicking his helmet all the way back to the player’s pavilion. It’d be nice to say the dismissal was stylish but unfortunately the only thing less stylish was Ganesh’s quick retreat into his crease at the non-strikers end when a ball was hit straight back to the bowler. Kitty (17no) added valuable runs at the end of the innings. Tony left another century begging and while Kimba was denied the opportunity to add to his duck tally, the score was a very respectable 175.
A break between innings and another inspiring pep talk from the skipper which I can’t report on because like the rest of the team I wasn’t listening. Ganesh and Kenny responded by trading cigarettes.
Then we started on the RHHPs. Chopper and Saviour opened the attack and finished with respectable open spells of 2-24 (6) and 1-23 (6). Wickets fell at 13, 20, 35, 35, 47 & 65. Everything was going to plan and some dared to dream. Then we ran out of bowlers. The part timers struggled to contain the Pirate middle order, bleeding runs all around the ground. In desperation, and invoking the Gypsy tradition of giving yer mates a bowl, Kenny was bought on to bowl to stem the flow of runs and take a wicket. Just the one over from Kenny unfortunately as he posted 0/20 (6 . 1 6 6 1), however the over did score Date votes for “making a game of it” and prompted many to ask the question “who bowled Kenny?”
Matt’s decision to leave early proved very costly with the Pirates’ big hitting batsman lobbing a ball directly to the very location Matt had been leaning against the fence in the over after he left the field.
With 8 overs left in the game, 20 runs or 4 wickets needed and in-form batsmen at the crease it was the Pirates in the box seat. With Kenny being withdrawn from the attack, the skipper made another bold decision to bring on unseen debutante Darren. He landed his first delivery 3 feet in front of himself and it looped over the batsman for a dot ball. But the captain’s decision was justified with Darren finishing with 1/10 (off 2), stemming the flow of runs but most importantly capturing a prized wicket that opened the door for the Gypsies. Chopper smelled blood in the water and with the opening bowlers having just 1 over a piece left took the brave decision to bowl them both out with 7 overs still remaining and not many runs to play with. With the game on a knife edge this would decide the game…… Gypsies or Pirates?
The reader should not worry. Saviour’s 7th was a beauty, taking 2/0, leaving Chopper to deal with the number 11 whose off stump was cartwheeled in short order - victory for the Gypsies by 13 runs!
The match was finished with beers at the ground and 3 new men learning the Team song which may have put Ganesh’s wife and son into therapy. Saviour should consider himself hard done by in the date votes with excellent figures of 3/23 (7) and 2 maidens in a game dominated by big hitting, the sportsmanship of the Pirates who delivered two LBWs and a couple of caught-behinds that assisted Kitty to a 5-catch haul. One of the club’s better wins put the Gypsies’ season is back on track and it will present an interesting conundrum at the selection table if anyone at all is available.
The Gypsies 8/175 defeated RHHP 162
|
|
|
| Kurrajong Gypsies 1st innings |
| Gerber, Matt |
67 |
| Kencalo, Paul |
3 |
| Gilroy, Rodney |
23 |
| Balasubramanian, Ganesh |
6 |
| Wells, Shane |
3 |
| Morris, Darren |
33 |
| Fenton-Smith, Will |
17* |
| Shanahan, Jim |
8 |
| Cohen, Nathan |
0 |
| Masters, Tony |
2* |
|
| Ryde Hunters Hill Pirates 3 1st innings |
| Shanahan, Jim |
7 overs, 3 for 28 |
| Cohen, Nathan |
7 overs, 3 for 23 |
| Gilroy, Rodney |
4 overs, 1 for 17 |
| Wells, Shane |
3 overs, 0 for 26 |
| Masters, Tony |
7 overs, 1 for 37 |
| Kencalo, Paul |
1 overs, 0 for 20 |
| Morris, Darren |
2 overs, 1 for 10 |
|
|
