Old Scotch Cricket – Perfect One Day, Better the Next!
1st XI Match Report
The 1st XI stepped kicked off their year at Fawkner Park on Saturday. Greeted by hot and humid conditions, the boys were eager to get the job done quickly against the MCC XI. Mystery surrounded whether Captain Rob Ashton would lead the boys out, with rumours swirling that his better half had in fact grounded Rob from all activities that didn’t involve them as a couple and had instead arranged a “shopping crawl” at Pottery Barn, Ikea and General Kitchen…
The boys were sent in to field early and it wasn’t long before the ever aging Gary Bennett was up to his usual tricks, causing complete chaos for the opening batsmen and showing no signs of tiredness after completing the HALF marathon the week before. Bennett struck in overs 1 and 3, whilst fellow opener Andrew Mitchell wasn’t far behind, collecting an early wicket himself and getting that bit extra from the pitch that has been asked of him. A run out in the 6th left the MCC squandering at 4/17.
The Age Young Journalist of the Year Ben Doherty was thrown in to the attack and proved that last year’s bowling award was in deed a complete fluke, as he failed to threaten the batsmen in any capacity. In more positive news, OSCC’s search for a decent spinner (after the unexpected loss of spin legend Sam Lake) may be over, with all round nice guy Daniel Wolfe bowling a superb spell, tieing down the batsmen and looking dangerous with most deliveries, leaving team mate Andrew Mitchell to comment; ‘yeah look Wolfie is one of the hardest working players at the club, first to training and last to leave. He looked very dangerous today and full credit to him”.
Travis Orr and Simon Dick were the next two introduced in to the attack with some success. Fast becoming somewhat of a club cult figure, Orr showed exactly why, bowling a menacing line and length, picking up 1/9 in 6 overs, whilst Dick was able to contain the batsmen well from his end.
MCC eventually batted out their 40 overs for a measly 8/126.
After lunch and the arrival of some social club members, opening pair Scott Haines and Tom Whitelaw set out to knock off a good chunk off the run chase early and set the side up for a comfortable victory. They certainly achieved their aim, with both batsmen (Whitelaw included) opening their shoulders and picking off the opening bowlers with ease. The pair put on a quick fire 62 before Haines was caught on 33 and Whitelaw followed soon after for 32.
This bought Rob Ashton and number four Travis Orr to the crease, who were determined to put on a show for the crowd. Put on a show they certainly did, with the pair demolishing the attack to all corners of Fawkner Park (and in Orr’s case, the Alfred Hospital). Between them they had obviously decided it was to hot to run, as neither of them scored anything other than 4’s or 6’s. Ashton compiled the pedestrian 5 boundaries for a quick fire 20, whilst ORR took a more aerial route; smashing three sixes and four four’s on his way to an unbeaten 34. The boys wrapping things up in the 14th over, on 2/127 with a comprehensive 8 wicket victory
Old Scotch 1st XI 8/127 (14 overs) def. MCC 8/126 (40 overs)
The Bridge Hotel Player of the Match & $25 Voucher:
Gary Bennett
2nd XI Match Report
In far colder and more blustery conditions, the 2nd XI were assigned the task of defeating Old Caulfield out at Fawkner Park on Sunday to make it two in a row. The 2’s were hit hard with omission this week with Nick Spargo (girlfriend duties) and Andrew Penman (study) both unavailable.
Plugger did the honours with the toss and set the boys in to bat, on what was described as an absolute road and a pleasure to bat on. With those words ringing in their ears, Sam Cruickshanks and Scott Haines were under no illusions as to what was required. Cruickshanks may not have been listening during the team meeting as he was sent back to the pavilion early, caught LBW for 2. This brought Chris Wood to the crease for his first hit for the year, and in very unfamiliar territory at number 3, the side was less than confident of a big partnership. With his flawless technique Wood, along with Haines began to lift the tempo out in the middle, finding the boundary with ease and motoring the score along to 62 before Haines let one sneak through his gate on 34.
Social club kingpin Pat Butler came to the crease after declaring, “I’ve got a hundred in me easy today”. Well only 97 short of that magical mark, Butts was sent packing after lobbing one to gully for a regulation catch after only 4 balls. George Dick strode to the crease with a sense of purpose, and along with a reasonably comfortable Wood, looked to kick things along. Twenty runs later and only a ball before lunch and the partnership was broken, with Wood swinging at one hitting half way up middle, out for 33
Will McMahon’s first innings for the club didn’t last long, dismissed for 4. Richard Eva was next in and combined with the increasingly confident Dick for a critical partnership. The pair took the long handle to the Caulfield bowlers, notching up a 70 run partnership and Dick registering his half century. Eva’s rapid fire 18 came to an end whilst Dick was still very much in the groove, dismantling the Caulfield attack and edging closer to his century. With balls running out Dick was eventually dismissed, caught behind on 91.
After months and month of pleading with selectors to bat higher up the order, Nich Hildebrandt was given his chance to pick off some cheap runs against a dismal bowling attack, only to be embarrassingly bowled for a duck on his 2nd ball. We can ensure all supporters Nich will be anchored at number 9 for the rest of the year… Captain James Simon left stranded on 4 not out and the team clocking up a very respectable 8/214 off 40 overs.
With conditions deteriorating quickly, the boys were determined to roll Caulfield quickly and get home. Andrew Mitchell and Nich Hildebrandt were given the honours with the new ball and combined beautifully to have the Caulfield boys on the back foot early. Hildebrandt picked up a wicket with his first ball of the season, whilst DAK Mitchell was rewarded for a magnificent spell, picking up a couple himself.
With Caulfield reeling at 3/27, Pat Butler and Richard Eva were introduced in to the attack to put the clamps on. Buttsy certainly made up for his dismal showing with the bat, terrorising the Caulfield middle order, picking up three wickets, whilst the Dominator was keeping things very economical from his end and picking up a vital wicket in the process. The pair virtually put the game out of reach, plummeting Caulfield to 7/75!
Hamish Taylor was then introduced and bowled a couple of very tidy overs with little luck, whilst George Dick set about brining Caulfield back in to the contest from the other end. Despite some extremely sharp wicket keeping, Dick was unable to trouble the batsmen and was eventually removed from the attack, much to the delight of his team mates. Opener Mitchell and Hildebrandt were brought back in to the attack to finish the job, and this they did.
Caulfield lingered things out until they were eventually all out for 180 in the 38th over, leaving the 2nd XI on top of the ladder and more importantly ahead of the currently under performing 1st XI! Special thanks also to new Social Club Presidential Candidate Ed Moffat for his support and photography work on Sunday!
Old Scotch 2nd XI 8/214 (40 overs) def. Old Caulfield 180 (38 overs)
The Bridge Hotel Player of the Match & $25 Voucher:
George Dick
Other Matches
Old Trinity 153 def Old Melbourne 149
Old Wesley 7/169 lost to Old Xavier 1 5/170
Old Haileybury 184 def Old Xavier 2 152