Well the Victorian Over Sixties cricket season is underway, with four rounds having been played. The Euphoric Cricket Tragic (ECT) can only comment on those games he has been involved in. There have been some remarkable achievements amongst the aged warriors in his games.

In our first game – Bayside versus Whitehorse – there were a number of spectacularities. Graham Cuddons fielding effort on the boundary, sprinting to stop a four, picking up the ball, somersaulting and then an immaculate return, would have left Punter gobsmacked. Geoff Coley revealed himself as a batsmen never seen before – at least by this correspondent – with super aggressive strokes and two sixes. Where has the real Geoff been hiding so long?  Ian Wilson, after pulling viciously (the cricket ball, that is), promptly subsided on his stumps, splattering them everywhere. And new boy, Billy Mirabito, kept wicket immaculately topped off by a brilliant catch lunging forward to get a glove under a quickly falling snick.

Next week, it was down to Mornington Peninsula, to play them in their first game. Club founder, Laurie Hindle, had worked tirelssly to get players, and then, to mow a large sectionof the ground to conquer the spring growth. It was a beautiful setting, but the grass was still long and the hardest hit shots struggled to reach the fieldsman. Scoring was slow, until Ian Longmuir hit high and hard to get over the grass. The ECT batted very slowly and when hitting out was frustrated to be caught by David Haynes, magnificently, with his injured hand. Bowling stars were the elegant Bruce Jenkinson with his left arms spinners, and the doughty Alan Axford with his indeterminate many bouncing imponderables. The ECT took the catch of the match – a mishit fulltoss headed to him at fine leg. Not sure whether to move forward or back, he eventually found it going over his head, and being too inflexible to get both hands up, got one hand up in the air into which the ball stuck.

Bayside played two matches the next week. Sunbury was debuting, and we were there first opponents. The game was at Rupertswood, of Ashes fame. Alan Brebner was making his first appearance for us, and was a bit unsure of his reflexes after many years absence from the green sward. However he took a blinder of a catch from a slash through point. But it caused much consternation, temporarily, for Paul Taylor.  This generous lad – you can still be a lad in your sixties – had loaned a jumper to Alan. Alan fell backwards in taking his catch. The ground was covered by the leftovers of the most recent inhabitants. Geese. Their poo was every where to be seen. Pauls loan – was it covered in it? Miraculously, no.

The star bowler was Max Stephens. Three wickets for five. 

Meanwhile, on the beautiful Sth Warrandyte ground, the other Bayside team was smashed by the very strong Ringwood side.  Most of the bowlers saw their balls flying to the boundary. Luckily for the ECT, one six bound stroke off his second ball fell into the hands of The Claw – David Foskey.  Astute captaincy by David Haynes, knowing the batsmans proclivities, stationed The Claw on the edge of the square leg boundary.

So the year has started with great fun and many highlights – and we look forward to what other amazing performances will stir the passions

Tags: cricket debut, cricket oddities, cricket tragic, Over Sixties Cricket