VETERANS CRICKET
Sunday 12 March was the final game of Over 70’s cricket for the West Gippsland Wombats, who played Geelong at a windy Williamstown.
Wombats skipper John Moore won the toss and elected to bat first.
The openers, Carl Muscat 14 (25) and Fred Debono 17 (25) both retired.
Geoff Birne, who was playing his first game of over 70’s cricket, did not have an ideal start to his veteran’s career as he became the Wombats first wicket’ to fall when he was caught by John Graham off the bowling of Ian Pritchard for one off four balls.
Pieter Loos 23 (25), Jeff Phillips 10 (25) and Jon Martindale 10 (25) had all retired before the 20th over, when the Wombat’s total was 1 for 76.
In the 25th over the Wombats lost their second wicket when Brendon Thomas was caught by Ian Pritchard of the bowling of Rob Foster for a third ball duck.
Bob Phillips 13 (25) retired before David Wells 9 (8) was caught by John Graham off the bowling of John Costello.
With the score on 122 in the 32nd over Costello claimed his second wicket when he had Ron Milnes 6 (15) caught by Guy Eastwood.
When Jim Gregory 9 (25) retired in the 35th over Fred Debono returned to join John Moore.
This pair added 29 runs of 27 balls before, on the last ball of the 40th over, Moore 20 (19) was bowled by John Graham.
Debono remained 37 not out and the Wombats had scored a respectable total of 5 for 165
Geelong bowling: John Graham 6-1/20, John Costello 4-2/21, Rob Foster 4-1/17, Terry Mortimer 4-0/16, Lindsay Fisher 5-0/21, Ian Holliday 2-0/7, Guy Eastwood 4-0/10, Ian Pritchard 6-1/23, Colin Baulch 5-0/24.
Don Everett, playing his 200th game for Geelong, opened the batting with Rob Foster.
Everett lasted seven balls in making three before he was bowled by Brendon Thomas.
Foster 23 (25) retired before John Williams 28 (22) was bowled by Pieter Loos.
By the 20th over Geelong had taken its total to 2 for 93 with Ian Pritchard 9 (20), John Costello 11 (25) and David Lamb-Jenkins 10 (25) all retiring.
John Graham 18 (24) and man of the match Guy Eastwood 35 (24) put on a 50-run match-winning partnership before they both retired in the 31st over.
Lindsay Fisher then made a golden duck when he was bowled by Carl Muscat.
Muscat claimed his second wicket when David Wells caught Colin Baulch 9 (19) off his bowling.
But unfortunately the ball before the dismissal of Baulch, he had hit the winning runs to take Geelong’s total to 4 for 167 off 36.3 overs.
Terry Mortimer remained one not out off 15 balls.
Wombats Bowling: Brendon Thomas 3-1/12, Carl Muscat 3.3-2/16, Pieter Loos 6-1/26, Ron Milnes 2-0/15, Fred Debono 7-0/19, Geoff Birne 6-0/25, Bob Phillips 5-0/14, Jim Gregory 3-0/25, Jon Martindale 1-0/4.
This was another close game of over 70’s cricket, just lost in the 37th over.
The Wombats played nine games during the season, winning three, losing five and one match was washed out, when the Wombats were in a winning position.
The season could be described as a success, because the Wombats were able to field a team of over 70’s players every game.
The players were drawn from the three clubs that make up the West Gippsland Wombats, South Gippsland, Iona and Pakenham.
For four days at the end of March, three of the Wombats players, Jim Armstrong, Jeff Phillips and John Moore will represent Victoria in the inaugural Over 75’s cricket carnival in Albury.
-John Moore-
