Round 1 - B8's perform like Australia in the Ashes!

Last Updated (Sunday, 01 November 2009 20:17) Written by The Writer Monday, 21 September 2009 15:19

Engadine Dragons 6-151 defeated St. Patricks 124.

Well, welcome to another season, the B8's without several of their players, due to a badly planned end of season football (soccer for those Americans) trip, we started the season well, with Capt Mick taking up the challenge on the first toss, winning and taking the option of batting at the rather large Heathcote No.1, where you need a bus to get to the wicket.

Capt and Train took the crease with some fire coming in from a new youngster from abroad (i.e. England) prepared to bowl 30 + overs for Engadine. He looked the part and certainly found line and length quickly. Things were striding along slowly early and then Train went for one outside off and played the forehand lob to be caught off a no-ball, maybe this was to be our lucky day. Not long after Capt Mick then placed a nice shot into the covers, with a quick two and then Train asking the stupid question of whether Mick wanted the third, and of course he did safely. Whilst Train took guard to lean on the bat he quickly found exhuasted energy to sky one to backward square for the first wicket of the day. The ill fated 3 run curse had struck early in game one of the new season.

Matty then kept things rolling along before Mick fell victim to an LBW where he was a good 3 metres down the pitch and trigger finger had no hesistation. Laurie then tried to find boundaries and found they were a long way from the wicket, before Matty glanced one to the keeper and Laurie found third man waiting to swallow one! Walshy and Mood then set about building a partnership and despatched several around for a credible 40+ partnership before Marty found one escaping through to bat to remove his castle.

Walshy then struggled to find any one wanting to stay with him for a decent amount of time to continue building his score which when he was given out for a good knock of 43. A short and early finish to our 1st innings for the season at 124. Not great, but defendable if we could take some early wickets.

Anyway, we took to them and finished the day with 1-30 after Train snaring an LBW using all the powers of the umpire to make the decision despite the batsmen hitting the middle of the bat onto his pads. Early on the new day Engadine  then struck a good partnership together of 70+ and that really put an end to any defendable win and now it was to contain and try to slow the game down to avoid what could have been an outright attempt.

Within this partnership, catches went astray on several occasions and not many players escaped the wrath of that great feeling of dropping a catch! Marty finally snared one, then Sean got one in the middle, before another bowling change seen Andrew on a hatrick ball, with two quick good wickets and then just missing the hatrick with a good follow up. Walshy, after he had done most of the work with the bat, also chipped in with a wicket and bowled very tight. Engadine strolled past the score with ease, but with us snaring the odd wicket every time they tried to go for it, they decided to call it quits realising an outright may not be feasible.

Overall, a good competition in the first game and great sportmanship by both sides, making it an enjoyable game, despite the loss.

Much improvement is needed and to sign off, A Mona's, Mood, Train and Walshy have more wickets than Melman and Shara put together and if this doesn't fire them both up, Shara bowled with his handbag when called upon as 12th man on the second day of this game (but we won't mention the dropped catches or have we!).

Signed the Writer!