Bears,
Before I get to the match report that you’ve all (or at least GT) have been waiting for, there is some important Committee business that needs to be covered off…
As many of you would be aware, through the efforts of chocolate sales and most recently, fundraising BBQs, the Bears are in a position where we are able to keep match fees at just $10 per player. Unfortunately, this season we’ve had a few instances where only $80 or $90 has been collected despite numerous broadcasts that match fees need to be handed over. If you know that you haven’t paid for a particular match, the Committee would greatly appreciate it if you could pay $20 next match or alternatively, transfer money into the Bears account.
Now onto the serious stuff….. Where to begin talking about Sunday’s match??? A game that really did have it all – fifties, a hat-trick, last wicket stands (both teams), some umpiring howlers (not mentioning any names Howie), some brave umpiring (kudos to the opposition umpire for calling the LBW on hat-trick ball), our very own Nostradamus Gribbs on the sideline and not to mention something that hasn’t been seen since 2013 and no, I’m not talking about a GT wicket, I’m talking about Spooner winning the toss….
Yes, that’s right, Spooner won the toss. Was it because Pope and his gypsy curse weren’t present? Regardless, Spooner almost forgot to tell the opposition skipper that he wanted to bat first. On the topic of forgetting things, DB had forgotten the kit, so having dropped off Josh, the gyspy curse was sent to DB’s place to retrieve it.
With no Pope, Spooner put it to the people who should team up with DB at the top. Everyone but Howie was in agreement that it should be Howie who opened, so Howie was sent out with DB. Clearly the gypsy curse felt that this was the wrong decision as Howie returned to the Bears dug out shortly after (his first mistake), with a kit-packing performance (more on this later…)
With our ‘star’ #3 batsman a no show, Radic joined DB and looked the goods. At this point in time, our very own Nostradamus on the sidelines started to reminisce about the injured Pope and the size of the edges of previous bats, a matter of balls later, Radic found a leading edge and was caught. Hodor had issues and a sub fielder was called into replace a injured Hodor (If I was a GoT fan, I’m sure there’s something that be said here…).
The Bears were in Richie Benaud heaven at chew for chwenty chew. Shane Watson, I mean GT, joined DB and the run rate immediately soared. This was partly due to Watto looking a million dollars and partly due to Ian Hodor’s two over spell that contained 21 balls. Given he had figures of 0/12 off no legal balls, I can only assume that the gypsy curse was at play. He had been rather chirpy in the field prior to this, so his own bowling performance shut him up pretty quickly.
With Watto looking nice and set, the Bears dug out started predicting how many he would score and Nostradamus predicted caught and bowled just before drinks. With Watto having compiled a brilliant 30 and drinks fast approaching, Watto hit one straight back to the bowler. Ending a rapid fire 68 run partnership from 8 legal* overs.
Drady came to the increase and immediately upped the run-rate even more so. His momentum was only stopped by a premature drinks break, with drinks being called at 18 overs by umpire Howe (mistake #2). But the Bears were in a great position at 3/112.
Shortly after drinks, mistake #3 came from Howie when he fired Drady caught behind. Now, Drady didn’t think he it, but given his re-enactment of the dismissal resembled Gagnam style as opposed to a cricket shot, Howie could be forgiven for raising his finger. The Gagnam-ing continued shortly after when DB brought his maiden Sunday Social 50 for the Bears. Unfortunately, his knock was over shortly after for a well-compiled 53. Then, Howie did it again, this time, it was clear his motive was to have some share the kit-packing duties as Rankin was fired first ball due to a non-existent edge.
Josh joined the kit-packers a couple of overs later and also claimed that he didn’t edge it and when Ohms fell shortly after the Bears had collapsed to 8/140 – was it the curse, Howie or was it Watto’s dismissal that had caused this.
Then things did get weird, as the unlikely trio of Gribbs, Sha’neo and Spooner put on 73 in as many balls for the last 2 wickets. Although, there was a sense of normality in the way Gribbs batted, well Gribbs normal anyway... Gribbs knock was stagnated by a stretch of deliveries where it appeared as though Gribbs was throwing his shoulder out one ball and putting it back into the place the next ball. After Gribbs departed for 23, Spooner followed Gribbs’ lead, but also took advantage of the some Dhoni-like field placings by Hodor to race to 18 before being the last man dismissed. Bears All Out 213
Drady kick started us with the maiden apology of 2015 and immediately had the ball ducking back into the right-handers. At the other end, Rankin one-upped Drady and had the ball moving both ways and claimed the first wicket of the season. His opening spell should have yielded two wickets, but Watto put one down in the cordon. Drady claimed one in his opening spell as well and the Bears had two early.
Sha’neo was brought on with immediate success claiming a wicket in his opening over. Unfortunately, Sha’neo missed an opportunity to be part of history when he put down a catch that would have been GT’s 50th wicket.
Sha’neo’s next week belonged as much to Spooner and Gribbs as it did to Sha’neo… With one of the many devils (left-handers… gypsy anyone…) swinging wildly, Spooner pointed out to Gribbs that the batter had the same problem as them. The next ball, the devil tried to block one and lost his castle. By the time drinks came around (correctly scheduled after 20 overs), the game was evenly poised with Hodor at 4/70-odd (their words).
Ohms and DB got things off after drinks and it appeared as though we’d come up against the Hodor’s danger man as they quickly added 40 in the first 4 overs after drinks. With both Watto and Radic in his ear, Spooner introduced himself and removed the apparent danger man with a ball that should have been sent to the other side of Drakeford Drive and in the following over, the re-introduced Rankin snared his second.
Then, after 329 days on 49 wickets, GT found an edge and Radic took the catch to finally give GT his 50th wicket. Having waited 329 days for number 50, we only had to wait one more delivery, for wicket 51 as Watto quickly found himself on a hat-trick. With 7 catchers in place, GT lumbered in and produced a full straight one that wrapped #10 Hodor on the pads, the Bears went up, after a painful wait, the finger was raised and GT had the Bears first ever hat-trick.
Throughout Hodor’s innings, they had enquired as to whether they could bat the substitute fielder in place of the injured player, in hindsight, this may well have been the better option. The injured fielder was quite capable and with the #3 still in and having found his form, the final Hodor pairing saw off the second efforts of GT, Drady and Sha’neo and a last ditch effort from DB to claim a victory in the final over.
That wasn’t the end of it though… Howie still had time for one more mistake – disappearing without providing any assistance to Rankin or Josh when it came to packing the kit. The Committee will be meeting to discuss the appropriate sanctions that will imposed for this horrible mistake.
And on the topic of sanctions, I’d encourage all Bears to pop in to Scullin on Sunday where Armface will serve his punishment for his no show last Sunday and make his PBCC debut behind the stumps.
Spooner