2nd Grade Report vs Manly - Round 10 |
After a large festive season from a number of the lads (no Wilbur, I'm not saying you have put on an extra few kilo's nor Brian am i implying that Jordy drank anything but lemonade over NYE) it was almost a start of season feeling for 2's who had gone into the Christmas break performing very well and sitting in third spot. Some solid wins in the latter games of 2010, the Stags were gaining confidence and playing some very good cricket. Harry 'Hooch' Turner plays a commanding innings to nearly get the boys home When Missy finds a computer and completes his match report, you'll be able to read more about it. With plenty of rain around during the week, Manly Oval looked green which led the skipper to say "we'll have a bowl" after correctly selecting which side of the coin would be facing up. After a solid warm up and the muscles finally feeling better after Thursday's training (ok, that may have just been my muscles after coming back to cricket a year older), the lads headed back to the dressing room to get ready to take the field.
Adair 'Judge' Durie takes apart the Manly batsmen After lunch, the Stags continued to take wickets and with good energy in the field led by Missy, we pretty soon had Manly at 9-162. Sweeney, BG, 'Els' Richtor and Pockets all provided solid support with Judge collecting a 5 for. With JC injuring his back, someone's mate Brad helped out on the field while JC had a lie down in the grandstand. Even with JC's spikes giving Brad the appearance of wearing clown shoes, he fielded well and even completed a very handy bit of fielding which cut a certain two runs to one and enabling Pockets to pick up a caught and bowled next ball. Unfortunately, Manly's final pairing, batsman 10 and 11, decided they would show us how you bat with discipline on Manly oval and proved quite stubborn to remove. They defended good balls and dispatched poor ones. Pretty soon the score crept towards 200 and then they went past. With tea delayed by 30 mins to allow us to get the final wicket, it was a long hot session and with little joy. Finally after tea we managed to sneak an LBW and finish the Manly innings at 226.
Great camera work, but perhaps something Eccles may want to forget Hooch and Els batted superbly and saw us get to lunch still 6 down. After lunch they continued the solid batting and with Judge counting the runs required to win down, victory was back in Gordon's grasp. The partnership had taken the score from 6-82 to 6 -201. Unfortunately, with a new ball taken and some decisions not going our way, the game went Manly's way. It is still amazing we lost the game and I even thought we had the game when batting with JC and needing 13 to win (even if JC was commenting on how his helmet was way to big for his head and maybe he shouldn't have swapped lids with Judge), but that is cricket. |
2nd Grade gets pipped by Manly
As can be seen by one of the photo's displayed on the website last week, the bowling from Judge commanded an impressive slip cordon, even if 'Pockets' Avendano at first slip was hiding behind the keeper because he had a sore left thumb. A good period in the field with plenty of talk (BG said he almost heard Eccles talk) and some good catches by the boys, including 2 by Elliot Richtor at second slip, Manly were in trouble at lunch 5 down for just over 100. Lunch allowed Judge to talk (for the first of many times) about his bowling to the English cricket team on New Years day at the SCG net session which clearly led to Paul Collingwood's retirement. After hearing this for the third time in 30 minutes, i was grateful that Judge bowls and I keep wickets.
I don't know about the two Bevo's and Shayne, but us keepers generally play each week with broken and bruised fingers and there is none of this whingeing.
