THE MOOSE CRICKET CLUB

The Moose lost the toss and having been put in by the Dillos captain (Archie Colville) got off to a decent start (86-0 off 17). The majority of the runs flowed from the blade of young Harvey Nolan (49) who made batting on a tricky, sticky wicket look a lot easier than it was. His partner Alex McDonald offered some support (27) but after McDonald departed, Dan Bailey (50) ably rose to the task and looked a totally different player from the ponderous rabbit who had bagged six runs in the last three years. Young Hong’s stay (4) was too brief for his talent, but the Moose found some mustard in the middle order with the Chairman’s progeny batting well for a breezy 36 not out. He steered the Moose to a defendable 191 for 9 off the allotted forty.

After an excellent tea (in spite of non-hulled strawberries) one of the great opening spells was duly sent down by the evergreen Jeremy McGahan (8-3-21-1). JM seemed to have the ball on a string and was unlucky not to have another when sub fielder Archie Colville, accidentally-on-purpose, shelled a high one. Jeremy was well supported by his least favourite nephew Harry McGahan (8-1-31-2) whose pace and accuracy was a constant discomfort to the dillos. Another excellent family performance was assured by the bowling of my Cousin Vinny (Marten) whose searching googlies (8-1-41-2) had the Dillos in all sorts of bother, finding a bit of turn to pick up two wickets with some good grabbing from Hong and co. 

The opening dillo (H. Park) had batted well for 47 but, flummoxed by Stephen McBean’s shoelace ticklers, managed to hole out for a well-played 47 and the Dillos were quivering at 96 for 5 after 26. Enter boys-own hero Colville who thwacked and smashed it about the park with minimal support from the other end.

Ogden Jnr and Nolan bowled well in the middle overs but as the finish line approached Colville was getting hold of enough balls to have the dillos right where they wanted to be come the climax. Needing a fair few off the last over, Ogden Jnr. eschewed his excellent medium-pacers for some half-track offies and Archie PS thumped a long-hop out the park to bring the game to an end. 

An exciting game played in good spirits with some lovely performances from faces old and new. Roll on Waldron 🥳