Well after 3 losses in a row, the All Ords started off on the right foot by all turning up for the game against the top side in the competition. Hopefully that wasnt the end of the good stuff, given the losing streak we were on. Smithy, our tactician, had spied on the enemy during the previous week and reported back that they were very good, bowled and fielded well and had several big hitters. Doc Watson took Captain aside and stated he shouldn't bowl to the guy who kept hitting the sixes. The rest of the team decided this was a good policy, which of course left Captain with a dilemma. It appears that the opposition had two players who liked to belt the ball and did it very successfully the week before, so the challenge was certainly on for the team of Captain, Smithy, Doc, Pinman, Serry Senior and Serry Junior. The big crowd (Mrs Serry and Serry Junior Junior) had come to watch the expected slaughter (says a lot about family loyalty).
The All Ords batted first and the Serry boys strolled in expecting a hostile environment. It didnt help when Serry Senior, in chatting to the umpire, had learned that it was his first ever game officiating. After four balls, the pair was going well having scored three runs. Thats where it ended. Two run outs in the next two balls were a major setback and the first over ended with the All Ords on -3. The bowling was fast and the Serrys were slow, the second over producing only 3 runs after Serry Senior was caught on the back fence going for a six and the score was back to a mammoth 0. The third over against this pace barrage was no better, with another run out and few runs scored and the team was on -1 after three. Despite another run out (yes, it seems to be a habit by the Serrys matched by the opposition never missing the stumps when the Serrys bat), the last over brought 8 runs, including a six from Serry Senior and should have brought 10 but for an umpiring error which cost the pair two runs. They trudged off after a disappointing four overs for a total of 7 runs (Serry Senior 6, Serry Junior 1) and the All Ords were in trouble.
Next in were our stalwarts, our brick and mortar pair of Smithy and the Doc. They proceeded to show what a bit of determination can do. Facing some hostile bowling, the first over produced nine runs without loss. Through some more sensible batting, the second produced another 8 runs without loss and the pair were really building a platform. A hiccup in the next over, with Doc having a brain fade for one ball and going the big hit and getting stumped, meant an over of 1/2 but the final over saw a return to their steady approach which has been so successful and produced a superb 15 runs, the pair finishing with 34 from their four overs (Smithy 19, Doc 18) and the All Ords were looking much more respectable on 41.
The last pair were Captain and the Pinman. The pace bowling had not let up and first ball to Captain bowled him and the All Ords were looking shaky. The first over cost 1/4 but the team steadied, with Pinman seeming to enjoy it more, the faster the opposition bowled. He kept middling the ball and hitting the nets. Their second over brought 7 runs without loss and the third an identical result and with one over to go the boys had dragged us up to 59. In the last over, they showed complete determination and kept hitting the nets, scoring 14 runs without loss and ending with a fine partnership of 32 (Captain 15, Pinman 17). The final result of 73, whilst low, still gave the All Ords something to bowl at, provided the opposition big hitters didn't have their way.
After Smithy's scouting of the opposition, he informed us that their best hitter was starting in the first pair. Given everyone else refused to bowl to him (Serry Senior again claiming problems with the shiny ball), the Captain was left to open the bowling. His pace bowling kept the big hitter completely at bay and the beautifully bowled first over cost a miserly 0/4. Serry Senior was then forced to bowl, and despite the big guy hitting one six, bowled tightly conceding just 1/6 and the All Ords were feeling just a little better. Pinman then took the ball and bowled his best over of the season, taking 2 wickets, both to fine catches in the field, for just two runs against good batsmen and the All Ords were feeling a lot better and actually starting to think they had a sniff! The last over for this first pair was bowled by Doc, who despite a lack of confidence before the start, bowled a fine over, taking one wicket for just two runs, again to another catch in the field. The first pair had made just 14 runs and the game had swung back to level terms, thanks to some good tight bowling and some excellent fielding, a considerable improvement on last week's effort. The opposition needed 60 off the last two pairs, which was gettable but batting last and chasing is always nerve wracking.
The next pair in faced up to Serry Junior and went on the attack straight away. Despite conceding one six, Serry Junior bowled well and took 1/9 off the over. Smithy came on next and with a catch and a run out, managed an exciting 2/2 in a great over, putting the opposition under more pressure. Doc bowled his second over tightly taking 1/9 including a spectacular one handed catch by Smithy, who only saw it at the last minute as it whizzed past the fieldsman standing in close. Smithy, now on a high, bowled the last over to this pair and again had one of the batsmen caught, with the over costing just 1/3. The opposition had scored only 23 of their second pair and were behind in the comparative runs for the first time in the match. The game was on. Unfortunately, the other big hitter had been saved by the opposition to bat last and the All Ords were still very worried but the bowling and fielding had been of a high standard and anything could happen.
The last pair needed 47 to win which was a very difficult task. especially with the All Ords's confidence sky high from some fine bowling and fielding. Pinman bowled the first over magnificently, taking 1 wicket (a run out) for just two runs and putting the game within the All Ords' grasp. Serry Junior then came on and followed Pinman's lead, bowling a terrific over taking two wickets for just three runs despite the opposition trying to score. With only two overs to go, only a disaster could wrench the sweet smell of victory from the nostrils of the All Ords. Serry Senior came on and conceded a big six, one dropped catch off his own bowling, a mankad that was out by 3 feet yet the umpire refused to give it and a missed run out chance where he managed to grab the ball 2 feet from the stumps and yet miss by about 4 feet (he claims the ball stuck in his fingers). Despite 0/13, the opposition needed a massive 19 off the last over but were facing the Captain. Hurricane Hanlon bowled a superb over to squash any faint hopes the opposition may have had, conceding just 1/3 and giving the All Ords victory by a surprising 15 runs. It was a superb all round team effort with some fine bowling and excellent fielding (7 catches and 5 run outs in total) and the All Ords had gone from losing three in a row to defeating the top side in the comp. The victory took the All Ords record back into the positive at 5 wins and four losses.
Bowling: Captain 1/7, Serry Senior 1/19, Pinman 3/4, Doc 2/11, Serry Junior 3/12, Smithy 3/5
Official Man of the Match: Hurricane Hanlon (who is now worried because he just noticed that the "free drink" card he won has an expiry date!!!
Official Umpires Apology to a player: Serry Senior, yes thats right, the ump came up after the match and apologised for not giving the mankad out - he said he had made a mistake and had not been looking at the time - Sery Senior now feels slightly vindicated but would like the extra wicket for his bowling averages - this has been howled down!