Rangers Vs St Barts
October 19th 2008
State Shield
REPORTS
PAGE
On a beautiful Saturday for cricket, the Rangers (not Ramjets) headed to Balmoral for what would prove to be a rollicking one-dayer against St Bart�s. After a brief warm up consisting of kicking around a footy (followed funnily enough by throwing cricket balls at a footy stuck up a tree) we headed to the middle for what has become our traditional mid-pitch pre-game chat. The goals of the day were clear � to give players who had so far not bowled or batted some much needed game time, whilst still putting on a score to ensure victory. Skipper Cameron stated that he expected a score over 250, and after he won the toss it was over to the Ranger bats to show what they were made of.
The unchanged opening partnership of Mickey and Doc strode to the middle salivating at the prospect of big runs on a pitch significantly less wet underfoot than that of the previous week. Whether the puddle of drool impaired his stroke play or he received an unlucky umpiring decision is your guess, but either way Elliot was back on the sidelines early, adjudged LBW. In strode strapping South African Gavin, with the smart money on a powerful batting display. On what would prove to be an unlucky day for Gav, his first ball swung in to hit him square in the Souravs! With his confidence (and possibly box) dented, he was dismissed soon after, a full toss from Bunyips captain Daniel Viles knocking back the pegs.
Out came OP, who was forced to make the transition from Hanse Cronje impersonator to batsman quite quickly. Or possibly not, as he impulsively threw his wicket away with a skied pull shot after a comfortable 14 � had bets been made on a score under 20 runs?
Up the other end Mickey had dug in for a rescue mission, but after doing the hard yards he was bowled for an OP-esque (if I may say so myself) 5 off 25 deliveries. Enough of this proton-collider business in Europe, lets invest some taxpayer money into scientific research as to how that cricket ball passed through his bat!
Gihan hit a few good shots in his innings, but his dismissal bought The Chad and Michael �Junior� MacDonald to the crease in the precarious position of five for 50-odd. We need not have worried. Both played their way into the innings beautifully, taking their time to gauge any movement still present. Then the shots started to come, with Chad in particular landing some lusty blows. After drinks (at which the coveted word �century� was thrown about rather carelessly), the partnership continued to flourish, with Chad passing his 50 in a comparatively slow (by his standards) 30 balls. When Junior was dismissed for a staunch 21, the partnership had pulled the Rangers from batting collapse onto the path of a big total. Chad continued to hit big shot after big shot, with partners Rhys then Undies watching in awe from the other end. With an easy flick off his legs for another 6, Chad bought up an incredible hundred off 47 balls. Without wanting to insult your maths skills, rather highlight the amazing scoring involved, the second 50 came up in a mere 17 balls!
A few balls later the man of the hour was dismissed for 106, but the damage had already been done. Cameron and Undies polished off the innings, with the later dismissed in the second last over for 20-odd, and the skipper cruising his way to 29 not out. Arguably the best number 11 batsmen in the comp, Shandy Harris, finished the innings on a respectable 0 not out off 0 balls.
St Bart�s were set the unenviable winning total of 229 off the 35 overs. With former Ranger Paul Joseph opening the batting, and Undies and Rhys bowling beautifully with the new ball, the Ranger fielders were fired up. Undies claimed the first scalp, with Rhys sharing in the accolades for his tight bowling efforts (as well as buns) up the other end. Gav was used as the first-change bowler, and (much to our delight) bowled a few rippers to Paulie. Remember the unlucky day I mentioned earlier? Well, here was the final straw � the big quick twisted his ankle on the side of the pitch, going down in severe pain, and had to be shouldered off the field. Now what are the odds of that happening? 100 to 1? 200 to 1? I bet you that�s never happened before on that field. A thousand bucks. Go on, what are you? (You know the rest).
In a like-for-like change, Junior was thrown into the attack to replace Gav, bowling a very tidy three overs. At the other end OP bowled long enough to add several new nicknames to the repertoire, with the connection made to namesake Wayne Bennett, then all 15 other NRL coaches (really, Mickey counted). At drinks the Bunyips were one for 60 odd, with a win seeming unlikely.
In a glass half full situation, OP then claimed his first wicket of the season after leg stump was sent flying (though at that pace I�m surprised the bails were even dislodged). In the glass half empty version of events, this bought CCAQ Sportsman of the Year Cameron Lenton to the crease. Needless to say, the run rate increased, with Paulie also kicking it up a gear to notch his first fifty for St Bart�s. It was determined and powerful innings against his old club, and we wish him many more (just against other teams next time!) Wickets did begin to fall though, with Cameron and Gihan picking up two apiece, along with a well deserved one for Rhys. With the sun setting fast, the innings came to a close after 35 overs with the Bunyips around 60 runs short of the target.
This was, as always against St Bart�s, a very enjoyable game of cricket played in great and often hilarious spirit (the image of Daniel Viles playing swimwear model at square leg will stay burnt onto my retina for a long and disturbing time). It was also great to see some Ramjets players swing by to spectate after their win. Many congratulations to the centurion Chad. Let�s also wish Gav�s ankle and Souravs a speedy recovery.