Rangers White Vs St Barts
January 12th & 19th
Premiership
REPORTS
PAGE
Due to their great catching efforts of 2007, the captain thought a change in training would be a great way to reward the boys. Out came the eggs and soon the field was soon reeking of egg yoke, and cricket whites soon turned yellow� poor, poor Elliot.
And just to rub further insult, the toss was lost and the Rangers were sent into bat. Dr Elliot got the team off a flyer until Churches QLD representative �Charlie� bowled a peach to have the Doc trapped in front. Fitty was soon having the guys squirming on the bench as he struggled to find form and the middle, but fought through the session while Aaron was piercing gaps at will with the grace of Mark Waugh. Is there anyone bar Sam Batten that makes batting look so easy?
However on the score of 69, Azza fell for a well compiled 31, caught brilliantly by recent Churches rep� Travis Wakefield in the gully. A batting order shift saw Michael Middis take the number 4 and from ball one let his intentions be known by cutting his first ball over the infield for a couple. His 2nd shot saw him pivot of the back foot for an amazing pull shot, and so this process continued, and continued.
Fitty at the other end was finding the form that classed him as Churches MVP last year with his cheeky singles, Laxman like flicks, lip smacking straight drives and trademark tossing of the Grey Nichols to the adjacent train track. You know when Fitty is in form when he reaches 40, for that�s the sign for the next batsman to pad up, and for Fitty to be dismissed, out in the 40�s.. again.. for the 6th time for the Rangers!
Shandy was also in a record breaking mood, and attempted to break Elliot�s efforts of 31 balls to get off the mark. After beating his PB of 20 (against the same team) he finally got off the mark on ball number 22. Michael meanwhile was blitzing, punishing, murdering, pillaging, ravaging and tonking his way to an amazing innings, and after a touch of luck, he proudly brought up his 50 to the roar of the team. The words �start again� were impervious to this kids mentality as he picked up from where he went, and on the way lost a few cricket balls in the grasslands by fine leg in the process.
It wasn�t before long Michael was again raising his bat to the crowd as he brought up his first century, and indeed, the first Middis century. St Barts once again showed their worth by generously applauding with the team, coupled with handshakes and hearty backslaps. Indeed it was a very proud moment for the team, and somewhat emotional, to see a kid, who�s been playing and practising cricket for the last year at every chance he can get, to earn his cricket rewards. Michael now holds the record to be the youngest Ranger to score a century, and if Daniel Viles could help me out, one of the youngest in Churches at the tender age of�.hmmm�. wait, how old is he again? 16?
14 fours and a 126 run partnership later, Keeper and recent Churches Rep� Cameron Lenton made an amazing superman like stumping to catch Michaels� back heel off the crease to have the kid out for an amazing and well deserved 103 and off he walked to the boys making a guard of honour.
In and out came Rhys, much to the pleasure of Fitty who won the stakes. The boys were predicting what ball Rhys would be dismissed on, and on ball 3, the boys erupted into rambunctious laughter! Fortunately for the Bunyips, in form batsman Gazza was quickly dismissed, to bring Bundy who went the tonk to bring the Rangers to 6-252 declared. Shandy not out on 57, and equalling the record for most consecutive scores above 50 in a row.
With 9 overs in the day left, the boys were pumped and it was pure happiness when unlucky Rhys bowled a cracker to have the nostalgic Former Churches QLD keeper, Jim Morton, out to an unplayable Yorker. The team was all over Rhys after having the worst run of luck, and it was great how the boys always back him no matter what.
Fitty, to the calls of Forty from the cordon probed away (mental note, do not say that word around the boys) and found the edge to take his first of many for the game. With the Bunyips at 2-21, it will be a great day�s play coming up�. It always is when u play such a great team like the Bunyips.
Week 2
Rangers White walked onto Yeronga needing 18 wickets to claim their first outright and with only 230 runs to play with, it was going to be a long and hard fought day. Operating with a head of steam and with an extra 3kms of pace under his belt, Fast man and local funny boy, Rhys, ripped through his allotted 6 overs with fire, swing and some ripsnorting bouncers that had Bundy�s wild imagination going overtime of what kind of head hunters he could rip down when his spell came. Unfortunately for him, his glazy eyed look prevented him from intercepting his first catch as Rhys drew the edge to Adam Middis at 3rd, to have Bundy belatedly go for the ball, crashing into Adam and his ribs in the process. Bundy still on negative three.
Rhys� tag team and pay out buddy, Fitty, was sending down an amazing spell of seam bowling and soon drew the inside edge to have middle knocked out of the ground. Soon after Rhys soon claimed another victim by splintering the stumps to have the Bunyips reeling at 5-40
Danger man and School of Rock Fan, Cameron Lenton, was stubbornly holding up the other end. We were wondering if he had the flu or forgot how to bat as his first 30 runs only yielded two fours and a six, however Rangers do what Rangers do best, and that�s put batsman into form as they dropped 2 hard chances as he started opening up at the passing passenger trains.
However the other end proved successful as wickets continually fell, two to Bundy, one to Doc, who also picked up 2 catches, and almost killed himself intercepting a suicidal catch at short mid on. Eli picking up his 2nd catch and Gazza claimed the last wicket to have St Barts 24 short of the follow on.
Top guy, Cameron Lenton top scored with a well played and cracking 63* Fitty bowled extremely well to pick up 2-23 of an amazing 12 overs, Rhys with 3-33, Bundy 2-22, Doc 1-36 and Gazz, 1-1
Enforcing the follow on, the boys had to work harder then ever. To fire up the boys, Shandy and Rhys went through the KFC menu at each other from the polar ends of the wicket reminding everyone how hungry they were.. and what local outlet was the best for service. Bundy was soon taking form of the Statue of Liberty and some of his attempted dives had the boys in stitches. Eli did his best at popping his knee out of his socket and soon movie quotes and songs adapted to include the word 40, was soon ringing throughout the field.
Chances were if Lenton was dismissed, Rangers would have a great chance at outright, and luckily the thick field played into our favour when a mix up ended in Azza having a shot at the bowlers end to have Lenton out for 8 and to give Azz his 3rd run out for the year.
Fitty once again claimed another wicket, while Adam Middis, after missing a few months thanks to Jeff Spaldings slow medium pacers, claimed 2 wickets in 3 overs to put the Rangers in the box seat, including Shandy pulling off a snappy leg side stumping to bring his total of stumpings to 5.
With time quickly fading, the boys needed 5 wickets in just over an hour -things got fired up. Rhys and Shandy were at it again with their poly accents reminiscing over their favourite KFC meals, Clintoff was boring everyone to death with his constant chattering and chirping, the Bundy Hat was constantly being passed around, Fitty was abusing everyone with black gangsta words at those who even looked like remotely misfielding off his bowling, Bundy looked like he was going to throw up every 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th ball of his over, and Gazza took one of the catches of the season.
Fitty was having a great challenge with Charlie that brought oooo�s and ahhhh�s from all in the vicinity, till he drew an edge that flew to Gazza at 1st, who flew and dived full length, towards the ball, arm fully stretched out and hand sliding along the ground; the ball smacked into his palm which brought the boys into a smelly, sweating frenzy of man hugs and love taps.
Fitty also found the fielding form of last year claiming 2 catches in the interesting claim of different positions, yet he never moved for both of them (that�s my riddle for this year) So much was his prowess at the catching game, Fitty has a great chance for taking out the Bundy moment of the year.
With 8 overs left remaining, 1 wicket needed for outright, Bundy beat Tony Treloar for pace with the slowest ball in Rangers history. Up went the ball; in went all the fieldsmen in team. Out of the way Daniel Viles, at the runners end, was trying to achieve. 4 Rangers now crowded in a Koom bai Yah circle staring at the looping ball� silently that is, until Fitty remembering the junior coaching days of calling for the ball, loudly did so�. But then forgot to catch the ball, and so it landed between the 4 Rangers. You would think that with such little time remaining, everyone would moan and silently attempt to hold any verbal frustrations�. The boys fell on the ground laughing and giggling for the next few minutes and sledged the heck out of Fitty.
Fortunately for us, Gazza brought us back into the game with a killer inswing yorker to wrap up the innings at 90 and his bowling figures at 3-5, and amazingly, 4-6 for the match.
Rangers won by an innings and 34 runs. After the game the teams got together to recognise Uncle Jim Archibald with a Glass Trophy for the great effort and work he has done for Churches Cricket. And once again, a big thank you to the Bunyips for the great spirit they played in. highly enjoyable once again.
And may I close in the words of Rhys
�Fire up Rangers White and one black man!�
Well done to the boys for, when they had nothing left, they just played on heart.
