VETERAN’S CRICKET
Finally, after six weeks on the sidelines, Pakenham and District Over 60’s were able to play a game of cricket on Sunday and made up for lost time; winning off the last ball of the match.
Wash-outs and forfeits meant that the last game played was on October 27, so Pakenham players were refreshed and ready to play against Essendon at Airport West.
Pakenham won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Peter Ross took the first wicket when he caught and bowled Michael Goldsmith 14 (25) to make it 1/39 in the tenth over.
Bill Wigmore 17 (30) retired before Paul McDonald 10 (20) was brilliantly stumped by Warren Dummett off the bowling of Les Jones.
Les Quarrell scored one run off eight balls before a great catch by Alan Reitman off the bowling of Gaya Suriarachi dismissed him.
Essendon was 3 for 65 at drinks; with Craig Hodgson 19 (30) retiring before Maurice Boyse 3(6) was caught by Phil Brook off the bowling of Carl Muscat.
Essendon was 4 for 95 in the 28th over before a devastating spell of bowling by Muscat dismissed three batsmen for one run in six balls.
Graeme Hunichen 4 (12) was caught by Jones, Neil King 4 (12) was bowled and Patrick Taylor was bowled first ball.
Essendon was 8 for 101 in the 32nd over when Randall Biggs 0 (8) was bowled by Ross.
The last two wickets fell in two balls, both involving bowler Ross and wicketkeeper Reitman.
Craig Hodgson 19 (35) was not out and Essendon was all out for 107 off 34.1 overs.
Ross (4.1 overs 4/7) and Carl Muscat (6 – 4/15) were outstanding for Pakenham while Gaya Suriarachi (4-1/15), Jones (8-1/17), Greg Johnstone (4-0/14), Brook (4-0/18) and Dallas Wyatt (5-0/14) all bowled well.
Pakenham lost its first wicket in the second over and was soon 3/32 in the 11th over after Warren Dummett 1 (6), Greg Johnstone 3 (16) and Carl Muscat 11 (25) were all dismissed.
Brook 19 (30) retired, but Pakenham lost two wickets with the score on 45 when Gerard Healey 0 (6) was LBW and Ross 6 (17) was run out.
At drinks Pakenham was 5 for 57, needing 51 runs off 20 overs, the game evenly poised.
Jones 4 (7) was then caught and Wyatt 13 (30) retired before an excellent 22-run partnership between Gaya Suriarachi 8 and Alan Reitman 14 only ended after both retired after facing 30 balls.
When John Moore 3 (5) was bowled by Paul McDonald, Pakenham was 7 for 89 in the 36th over.
It was time for the retirees to return and by the end of the 39th over Pakenham needed 11 runs off six balls…the over to be bowled by Bill Wigmore.
The first ball was a wide and the next ball a dot, before Wyatt was caught by Craig Hodgson leaving four balls remaining in the match.
Reitman added a single on the third ball, but was run-out on the fourth, with last-man Gaya Suriarachi walking to the non-strikers’ end with Pakenham needing eight runs off two balls.
Brook then took a mighty swing, hitting for six, leaving two to win off the final ball of the match.
Brook then hit a straight drive, which just passed the outstretched hand of the bowler and they run three.
Brook, who was named man of the match, finished 30 not out – off 45 balls – and Suriarachi did not face a ball.
Pakenham had just won a very exciting match by two runs and were 9 for 109 after 40 overs.
Pakenham plays its final game for 2024 against East Doncaster at Pakenham.
-John Moore-
