VETERAN’S CRICKET
While the Pakenham Over 60’s enjoyed a weekend off ahead of this week’s home game against Canterbury, the West Gippsland Wombats took centre stage against Endeavour Hills/Bayside in an absorbing game of Over 70’s cricket.
The weather produced the first taste of summer this year, with temperatures in the mid-30s with very high humidity…two items of weather that the players are yet to get accustomed to this season.
Endeavour Hills/Bayside won the toss and batted, by the third over, both opening batsmen were out and the score was only four.
David Baker 0 (5) was caught by Carl Muscat off the bowling of Jim Gregory and Jim Logan 4 (8) was bowled by Pakenham’s Bob Phillips.
Endeavour Hills/Bayside rallied and did not lose a wicket during the next 28 overs, with the following batters retiring: Peter Oakford 20 (30), Joe McMaster 12 (30), Raynor Barkhoff 26 (32) and Bruce Stammers 38 (30).
The score was 146 when Bob Phillips caught and bowled Ron Kasputtis 15 (16).
David Jamieson 10 (30) retired before Endeavour Hills/Bayside lost two wickets for one run both off the bowling of Fred Debono.
Bill Allsop 19 (22) was caught and bowled and Rob Gara 4 (16) was bowled.
Joe McMaster returned and became Debono’s third wicket when Fred bowled Joe after he had added an extra seven runs off five balls to his retired score.
After 40 overs, Julien Jacotine 2 (7) and Peter Oakford 21 (33) were both not out and Endeavour Hills/Bayside had scored 177 for the loss of six wickets.
West Gippsland Wombats Bowling: Fred Debono 7-3/33, Bob Phillips 7-2/21, Jim Gregory 6-1/12, Brendon Thomas 6-0/27, Carl Muscat 4-0/17, Keith Houghton 4-0/13, Jim Armstrong 2-0/21, Ron Lovell 3-0/20 and Trevor Wilson 1-0/6.
West Gippsland Wombats lost both openers with only two runs on the board.
Barry Cain 0 (3) was bowled by Ron Kasputtis and Jeff Phillips 1 (4) caught by Jim Logan off the bowling of Joe McMaster.
Tight bowling restricted the West Gippsland Wombats to only one run an over off the first seven overs.
This put them way behind the run rate, but they also did not lose any more wickets until the 19th over when the score was 65.
Ron Lovell 13 (12) was run out by Joe McMaster.
Carl Muscat 5 (25) Fred Debono 8 (25) and Keith Houghton 29 (25) had retired by this time.
Brendon Thomas 6 (9) was then caught off the bowling of Raynor Barkhoff.
Bob Phillips 20 (27), Trevor Wilson 13 (24) and Jim Armstrong 10 (27) all retired before the score had reached 110 in the 33rd over when John Moore 1 (2) was bowled by Ron Kasputtis.
West Gippsland Wombats now needed 68 runs off 42 balls when the retirees returned.
Carl Muscat added a further 19 runs off 15 balls before he was bowled by Joe McMaster.
Jim Gregory scored 11 off 14 balls before he was run out and Keith Houghton failed to add to his retired score before he was LBW to Peter Oakford.
After 40 overs Fred Debono 22 (37) and Trevor Wilson 19 (27) were both not out and West Gippsland Wombats failed by 17 runs to catch the Endeavour Hills/Bayside total when they were 8 for 160.
Endeavour Hills/Bayside Bowling: Ron Kasputtis 8-2/21, Joe McMaster 8-2/24, Raynor Barkhoff 8-1/29, Peter Oakford 7-1/23 Rob Gara 7-0/42, David Jamieson 1-0/6 & Jim Logan 1-0/12.
Although defeated by the better team on the day, players will have to learn to play in heat and humidity as the summer progresses.
The next game for the West Gippsland Wombats over 70’s is on Tuesday 20 December at Wandin North against Yarra Valley/Ringwood.
Pakenham over 60’s have a home game against Canterbury this Sunday 11 December.
AUSTRALASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
The National Australasian Over 60’s Championships were recently held in Geelong.
After a great week of cricket the men’s championships came down to thrilling finals played across five divisions, with two divisions being played in the Over 40’s women’s championships.
The winners and finalists in each division were:
MEN’S OVER 60’S
Division One Victoria 6/199 def South Australia 6/161
Division Two Victoria Blue 3/160 def Victoria White 6/158
Division Three Victoria White 2/188 def New South Wales 8/180
Division Four New Zealand 3/154 def New South Wales 8/153
Division Five New Zealand 4/124 def Victoria White 8/122
WOMEN’S OVER 40’S
Division One Victoria One 8/126 tied with New South Wales 6/126
Division Two Tasmania 6/104 def Victoria Two 6/103
-John Moore-
