 Stobo Salute v Penrith
Penrith this round. In the foothills of the Blue Mountains. It used to be quite a trek from the Gordon district, but now the M2-M7-M4 combination works well.
I’ve no idea what it costs, but I do know that the e-tag thingy makes that funny little ‘biddle-iddle-ip’ sound at regular intervals, so it must all add up.
John Benaud endangering the life of the keeper
In fact, Penrith must be one of the more expensive away games for Gordon players.
It wasn’t always thus. Before freeways, Penrith was toll free, but you did have to fill the car up a couple of times along the way.
I’m not sure what it’s like now, but Howell Oval used to be a batsman’s paradise. And days there were often HOT. Furthermore, the Penrith batting way back when was strong: Ian Davis, John Benaud , Graham Beard, Rod Bower, Brian Wood, Trevor Bayliss, … And their bowling line up included quicks Phil Blizzard (one of the more slightly bizarre individuals that I came across in Grade cricket) Peter Clough and Graham (‘Watta’) Pitty, and spinners Beard, Barry Thebridge, and Tom Shiner. They were formidable, particularly at home.
They belted us one year – about 1984-85 – in one of the more bizarre games that I can recall. We bowled first at Howell, and Penrith scored about 1000, on a blisteringly hot day.
 I forget who plundered us to begin with, but do I remember Mal Cobcroft batting in the last session, and hitting one ball from me across the road, over McDonalds, and deep into Panthers. For all I know, it’s still rolling.
Current NSW Coach and former Panther, Trevor Bayliss
It might have been the biggest six I was ever hit for, and that’s saying something, because there’ve been plenty.
I think Cobby hit a century in that session, or close to it.
We trudged off the field, and made the long drive home with the Captain Macgregor’s words ringing in our ears, “Don’t worry boys, our turn next week …”
It rained all next week.
We turned up, and the wicket was sodden. We weren’t going to score 100, let alone the gazillion we needed.
Most of us were packed up, ready to go home, when we were informed, to our utter amazement, that we’d be waiting to see if the wicket would dry.
The logic of Ro Macgregor, our beloved captain, was, ‘well, we’ve driven all this way, we might as well have a game.’
Well, bugger me.
We sat around until about 3.00pm, to be told that play would start soon thereafter.
I think it was the day that someone knew someone who had a cousin who owned a helicopter nearby and, lo and behold, the bloody thing hovered a couple of feet above the wicket, for a little while, in an effort to dry it.
It looked impressive but, from what I could see, did diddley-squat.
An extra hour was added, meaning we had about three hours to score the gazillion. We’d need to keep wickets in hand, so that we could score the requisite 28 runs an over in the last hour. And even then we’d probably fall short.
Furthermore, the pitch was far from ideal, and they had a first class attack. Blizzard, Pitty, Beard, Shiner ….
 Amazingly, apparently batting for sheer survival, Mike Falk and Ro Macgregor helped us to get to 1-87. Never a chance of winning, but there was a chance that we might not lose.
Captain Macgregor was working especially hard, probably because it was safer in the middle than it was having to answer to the wrath of his team mates in the sheds.
Is there any article where this man doesn't get a mention?
The pair batted with dogged determination, guts and spirit, in the face of overwhelming odds. It was like the Australians storming Broodseinde Ridge in November, 1917.
Or so I thought. For over twenty years.
Until yesterday.
Discussing the game with MN Falk just yesterday afternoon, he readily recalled that Penrith made the big mistake of believing that the quicks would do the damage.
So they persisted with them.
However, the quicks merely made the ball balloon through to the keeper – not a threat at all. Indeed, as harmless as a butterfly.
For 87 runs.
“It was actually very easy …” were Falk’s words. There were a number of witnesses.
BUT … then the spinners came on; skill was now required.
 Falk was out very soon after.
It all went pear shaped. I think it was Beard’s offies that did most of the damage, but a little while later we were 7-87.
Graham Beard - the Panther's off spinner
Well, bugger me.
Somehow we managed to dig in but, in fading light, I went out to bat at No 11 with Beard and Shiner bowling. We were hanging on for grim death.
They were bowling beautifully.
Because they had to. With nine blokes crowded around the bat, it took enormous skill simply to deliver the ball to the other end without hitting any of the Penrith fieldsmen. It was like threading a needle.
We lost.
Interestingly, the current Shorter Oxford English Dictionary has the following definition:
Collapse
1. to fall or cave in; crumble suddenly (verb)
2. see Gordon v Penrith, 1st Grade, Howell Oval, c. 1985 (noun)
And, just for the record, Stobo might have been the not out batsman, I think. Yet again.
That was a low point, but all in all we had our fair share of good days against Penrith.
…can’t think of any in particular, but I’m sure we did. Must have.
However, Penrith were always tough to beat, and particularly in their lower grades. This will be a big round for the Club, with a host of important games.
Good luck, one and all, and have a very merry Christmas.
Remember, it’s a particularly good time of year to be a reindeer.
See you all at the Chrismas Party this weekend at the Greengate Hotel; Sunday from 6pm
Cheers.
RMS
PS. By the way, Santa, how do you define ‘good’, exactly?
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