One team walked of the field more positive than the other. You would expect this would be the winning team. Not this time. It is possible to loose a game and still walk off winning in other ways. It happened to my team this Saturday.
Winter Cricket Anyone?
The Mid Year Cricket Association hosts multiple competitions for over one hundred clubs in Melbourne. What began as a few teams playing during winter has become a huge enterprise. So big that Cricket Victoria hosts the stake holders meeting at their Lakeside Drive Headquarters.
My team play in the Eastern Division. Last winter season we barely won a game. This Saturday we had two wins with three games to play. Five wins could have us playing finals. In our way was Doncaster. A team I do not think we have beaten before. Ever.
Having won the toss we decided to bat first. Our minds were made up when the Doncaster players began a net session before the game. It is not that we are against professionalism. It is just that this is winter cricket, its not the IPL. Even on a dry day the dew does not leave the grass till after 2:30pm.
Not Enough Runs
Unfortunately for my side, we lost too many wickets for not enough runs. The average winning score is around 130 plus runs over thirty five overs. Wet grounds equal a wet cricket ball. If you can clear the boundary more than the other team you are probably going to win.
After only making 95 runs it was a big ask. Stranger results have happened. However when one of the opening batters makes 44 runs off 17 balls, it was almost all over. Almost because there had only been three overs. There was enough time to challenge them. And maybe win?
A certain leg spin bowler was brought on and the runs stalled, a bit. In the games fifth over the opener was caught attempting another six. 1/59 off five overs. It was a good moment. A chance to stave off the darkness of defeat with a little win.
It’s All About Family
In this game we had a father and son playing. The son is a very good batter for that age of fourteen. His dad said he was a bowler. Due to injury the Dad was not able to bowl till this game. It was suggested why not give him a go now.
Six runs off the Dads first over was not brilliant. It was better than the opening bowlers attempts. In the next over, while our Dad was resting at mid on, a skied ball came his way. Caught. Second wicket down 2/70. Our leg spinner was very happy. So was the team.
Our Dad’s second over wicket maiden. Doncaster were reeling at 3/71. Batters were nervous. Run rate slowed even further. Chances were given but were not taken. A missed caught and bowled what does a good captain do? He gives a chance to another bowler.
Stalwarts Can Be Any Age
The fifth bowler for the day is only fifteen and has been an absolute stalwart. When we needed extra players he brought a friend to play. That friend made fifty hitting the winning runs last game. Young bowler only ten runs for the opposition to win. Second ball of his first over is skied, caught.
Third ball of the same over goes for two runs. Fourth ball of the over also skied, caught again. Two wickets for two runs. As a group we were laughing. Just hoping another wicket would fall. It did not matter we would probably loose. If we gave the opposition a hard enough time it was worth it.
Voices were up. The talk was positive and the batting side only had nine runs to win. The Dad was still bowling and not going for many runs at all. During Dad’s fifth over his Son told me he was dreading the drive home. He knew his Dad was going to be talking about this all the way home.
Still Laughing
Dad finished with figures of five overs, one maiden, one wicket for sixteen runs. Not shabby. Doncaster still had six runs to get. Our young stalwart was bowling. First ball, bowled. Since the fall of the first wicket, Doncaster has only made 31 runs.
Out comes the batter who was having a net session at the start of the game. He was good. Three heaves to the leg side and the runs were made. Game over. Two of those heaves were just short of fielders. You never know what could have happened.
We were still laughing as we packed up. Our Dad was smiling. His Son knowing what was to come on the drive home, was not. For myself I cannot believe this was a bad game for us. We held on despite a very good batter making quick runs early. Most importantly, we had fun. And I am still smiling as I write this down.
Phillip Hall has been too long in Melbourne to see AFL in the same light as those back in Fremantle. East Fremantle born and bred, he would love to see the Dockers back in the eight. But would settle for just beating West Coast twice a year.
