PAKENHAM VETERANS
Pakenham and District veteran cricketers played Geelong Blue on the turf wicket at the J.T. Gray Reserve in Williamstown on Sunday.
This was only Pakenham’s second game in four weeks after both Kooweerup and East Doncaster had forfeited to Pakenham in recent times.
Pakenham skipper Bob Phillips lost the toss and Geelong decided to bat first.
Geelong lost its first wicket in the third over when Phil Brooks bowled Colin Baulch 2 (11). Geelong then took their total to 1/80 off 20 overs at the drinks break.
By this time, Phil Cresswell 17 (25), Jeff Cole 18 (25) Andrew Barr 25 (25) and Cameron Dodd 11 (25) had all retired.
In first over after drinks Phil Brooks claimed his second wicket when he bowled Ian Fergusson 5 (8).
John Costello 14 (25) retired before – with the score on 120 – Geelong lost three wickets in three overs for the addition of three runs.
John Graham 14 (23) was run out by Maurice Esmonde – who was fielding on the boundary and returned the ball to bowler Peter Ross – then next ball Ross bowled Don Everett 7 (15).
Carl Muscat then ran out Laurie Gay 3 (12).
Ian Holliday 3 (13) became Muscat’s second run out victim.
Geelong lost their seventh wicket in the 37th over when Bob Phillips bowled David Jefferson 6 (17).
At the end of 40 overs two retirees that returned were not out…Phil Cresswell 28 (36) and Jeff Cole 25 (30) and Geelong’s total was 7 for 153.
Pakenham Bowling: Phil Brooks 8-2/37, Bob Phillips 6-1/20, Peter Ross 7-1/25, David Leach 4-0/18, Alan Ross 3-0/13, Carl Muscat 4-0/13, Jim Gregory5-0/20, Michael Barrow 3-0/5.
Pakenham’s top order batted well against the tight Geelong bowling attack and did not lose a wicket before drinks when the total was 0/66 – 14 runs short of Geelong’s total at the same stage.
The retirees at this stage were: Phil Brooks 9 (25), Carl Muscat 19 (25), Michael Barrow 4 (25) and Peter Ross 12 (25).
Three overs after drinks Pakenham lost their first wicket when Davis Leach 6 (15) was out LBW to the bowling of David Graham.
Bob Phillips 12 (25) retired before the fall of the second wicket, with the score on 80 in the 27th over, when Alan Reitman 4 (9) was bowled by Cameron Dodd.
Jim Gregory and Alan Ross tried to push the run rate up before they were both bowled; Gregory 11 (10) by Ian Fergusson and Ross 11 (21) by John Costello.
The score was now 4 for 104 in the 32nd over.
Pakenham needed 50 runs off 46 balls with the last pair at the wicket, John Moore and Maurice Esmonde.
They took the total to 120 before Esmonde 8 (21) retired.
Phil Brooks 9 (27) returned and was bowled by David Jefferson without adding to his score. Carl Muscat joined Moore and they took the total to 138 in the 39th over before Moore 18 (17) was bowled by Jeff Cole.
Pakenham now needed 16 runs off seven balls, with Michael Barrow joined Muscat, but they were only capable of adding six runs…therefore Pakenham fell nine runs short of Geelong’s total.
Barrow 7 (30) and man of the match Muscat 32 (39) were both not out.
Geelong’s bowling: Cameron Dodd 6-1/14, David Jefferson 6-1/23, Ian Fergusson 6-1/23, Jeff Cole 5-1/18, John Graham 5-1/14, John Costello 8-1/25, Colin Baulch 2-0/13, Laurie Gay 2-0/11.
This was another great game of over 60s cricket that could have been won by either team, but superior bowling and fielding by Geelong got them over the line.
Next Sunday, Pakenham and District plays its first ‘home’ game at picturesque Pakenham Upper against Yarra Valley.
-John Moore-
