Vets Round 1
And just like that…. No, this isn’t some a sequel that no one wanted to a bad show about chicks in New York. THIS is the sequel everyone had been waiting for: Season 2 of the OXCC Vets team!! (Cue fanfare, release the pigeons, fire the canons!!) Yep, We’re back! Bigger (some aggressive recruiting over the off-season has bolstered our numbers quite considerably- and I think a couple of people may have spent some time either in the gym or at the buffet… can’t be sure), possibly better (a decent pre-season has helped with that) and bolder, for sure. Long meetings over red wine and red meat at the end of the season celebration (thanks again, I’m still gobsmacked at winning the best clubman award) and at the now famous Point Lonsdale Golf Weekend (4kg of eye fillet?? Are you joking Pete?), have led to a new mantra of playing with intent this season. We saw what impact that philosophy had on our last game of last season, so let’s continue. Please note, we thought of it first before those bad sports, dummy-spitting pommy bastards and their Bazball approach. We did have one sad announcement, only weeks out from the start of the season with the retirement of an inaugural OXCC Vet Paul Clarke. Paul decided not to play on due to the long commute to his forever home in Warragul. We wish you well Clarkie and there will always be a spot for you in the team, especially against the mouthy Mont Albert Captain. Maybe a Huddo-like arrival by helicopter….
Anyway, moving on. Game 1: OXCC away to Boroondara at their temporary home paddock, sorry, I mean ground. Although on arrival it was hard to tell if it was a cricket ground or the local agistment paddock for the Scotch kid’s ponies. The only thing confirming it was a cricket ground was the strip of synthetic turf and six stumps in the middle. To say the outfield and the infield were rough, well… just ask Simon who was considering wearing a helmet in the covers after dodging a couple of rough bounces that nearly took his head off and you get the idea. The day was overcast and a little cool- mid-October in Melbourne can be like that- and the ever-present threat of rain hung over the day and kept eyes on the sky and the BOM radar. This would be a good day to win the toss and bat. Dave promptly lost the toss, and we were in the field. Sammy was as usual keen. He’d been there for a loooong time before the toss. Warming up, checking the pitch, and clawing at the ground like a caged animal about to be let loose. So, no doubt was getting the new ball. Must have been the birthday vibes that had Sammy so keen. Kept it very quiet and we didn’t celebrate until post-match- Happy Birthday Sammy!
Before we took to the ground there were a couple of formalities to take care of. We had two debutants (part of that aggressive recruiting, and we will have more over the season) and the presentation of caps was necessary. The first recruit, Mick O’Dea comes with a strong Xavier pedigree and is familiar to many in the team and received his “baggy red” from team captain, David McIsaac. The second recruit is yet another disaffected Kew Vet, John Harden, adding to the growing Kew cohort in our team. Not sure where his allegiances lie though, while he wore the “baggy red” with pride the Kew Cricket Club pullover was a concern. Brian, a fellow ex-Kew player, presented John with his cap. Quick team photo (attached) and away we go!!!
Despite having 16 fully registered and paid-up members on the Vets list, the bare minimum of 11 players took the field. Our bowling stocks had been, decimated would be too harsh, so let's go with thinned, with no Pete (calf), The Heaph (off chasing equine glory), Moorehead (off chasing minerals in Mongolia), and recruit Brownie away we were left with caged animal Sammy (nothing wrong with that!!) and Paul “Me Niscus” Thomas, off 4 steps with a limp. Both bowled well without luck as neither bowler snagged a wicket for the day. It was up to new kid, Mick O’Dea to grab the first breakthrough in the 6th over, thanks to a great catch by Sammy, the first of two for the day. By this stage, Boroondara had made a steady start and were near 50. Not a great start and the next wicket didn’t fall until 122. The second wicket was a great catch by Michael down at deep backward square, from a perfectly executed set-up by Richard (it’s my story, I’ll tell it how I want). And that wasn’t until the 20th over. They had one retire by then and would have another batter make 40 as well. At the halfway mark, Boroondara was 2 (one retired) for 112. Based on those numbers a score of 200+ was on the cards. A drink was what we needed, and we regrouped and came out with a different attitude and a different style. Pace off was the order of the day and the scoring slowed dramatically. The fielding was razor sharp with some fantastic catches to Dave, another for Sammy and a near classic catch of the year from new boy John, unfortunately he grassed an extremely difficult chance but made a run out look simple as he sent the middle stump out of the ground with the batter well short. Jerome as keeper just had to get out of the way. The square-leg umpire had no choice but to give it out (I’m sure that’s a rarity in vets' cricket, almost as rare as LBWs). Nine bowlers were used, John and Michael the only ones not to chance their arm, and the wickets spread amongst four with Mick getting two, one each to Boothy, McIsaac R and Martin, S. Some concerns with the bowling remain as we sent down 2 no balls and 12 wides- an extra 12 deliveries and an extra 12 opportunities to score. The final score for Boroondara after the 36, was 6-199. Very respectable from our side given where they were at drinks.
The new attitude to the game also permeated into the batting lineup. With no sheet anchor in Clarkie, we needed to rejig the opening pair. Good thing John is an opener and he slotted in to pair with the skipper as the new openers. This may well be a short-lived experiment as both batters were back in the shed quickly- Dave failing to trouble the scorers off three balls and John only managing 5. The weather had deteriorated, and rain was imminent. Could we be saved by the rain? Where’s Jane Bunn and Madeleine Sparks when you need them? A 20-run partnership between Michael and Jerome started to restore some respectability to the scorecard before Michael fell for 4. 13 runs later Jerome was gone for 27 (top score), bringing potential Man of The Match Mick O’Dea to the crease. Mick and Rob piled on a 35-run partnership before disaster struck with Mick being run out for 11. Perhaps Rob felt the pressure for the MOTM title because he went on to score a career-best 25 before being given out LBW (the first of three- how does that happen in Vet’s cricket??). There weren’t many other highlights in the batting with only one other score above 10 and that was from “Me Niscus” with 21. The less said about Boothy’s first ball duck as the last man in in the increasingly heavy rain the better. And please, no one mention Sammy’s LB or there could be a death at training. OXCC Vet’s all out for 123 with plenty of overs to spare.
So, what did we learn?
1) It always rains when we play Boroondara (see last year's game as a reference)
2) Rough outfield makes it hard to field (Ask Simon)
3) It is possible for synthetic turf to play low.
4) We leak too many extras when we bowl.
5) The new attitude needs time to bed in
6) The recruits so far are turning into superstars with bat and ball (bowling and fielding)
7) Who needs fielding practice? Hadn’t done a single session up until Sunday when we did a spot of catch and throw and we took four catches and a run out!!
8) LBWs do happen in Vet’s cricket. When you’re out you’re out.
Highlights:
1) Catching and John’s run out!
2) Rob’s career best 25!
3) Mick’s 2 for…
Cheers, Boothy
