WEST GIPPSLAND WOMBATS – OVER 70’S
Sunday 8 January saw the first game of over 70’s cricket played for 2023.
The game was played on the turf at Endeavour Hills between the Australian Cricket Society (ACS) and West Gippsland Wombats.
The Wombats welcomed Pieter Loos to play his first over 70’s game, and then John Moore won the toss and decided that the Wombats should bat first.
Jeff Phillips and Keith Houghton opened the batting and after 10 overs they were both back in the pavilion, after retiring, Houghton 14 (20) and Phillips 6 (23).
Carl Muscat 21 (21) also retired before the Wombats lost their first wicket in the 13th over with the score on 59.
The first gamer, Pieter Loos 5(4) was caught behind by Mike Fogarty off the bowling of Dave McNamara.
The Wombats did not lose another wicket until the score had reached 106 in the 30th over, when Jim Armstrong 0 (6) was caught by Peter Saville off the bowling of David Breheny.
In the meantime, Bob Phillips 12 (20), Barry Cain 3 (20), Fred Debono 16 (21), Ron Lovel 15 (22) had all retired.
The Wombats lost their third wicket, that of David Wells after he scored 14 runs off 8 balls, which included one six and one four before he was out hit wicket to the bowling of Neil Smith.
Jon Martindale 13 (20) and Brendon Thomas 8 (20) had both retired, before Keith Houghton returned to join John Moore in the 37th over…the score was 3 for 133.
The last pair added 14 runs off 18 balls before Moore uncharacteristically took a big swing at the final ball off the 40th over, which was bowled by Neil Smith.
He was bowled for six off eight balls while Houghton remained 20 (34) not out.
The score was 4 for 147, which appeared at the time about 20 runs short of a good total.
ACS bowling: Bob Hopkins 8-0/25, Neil Smith 8-2/17, Greg Watsford 6-0/44, Dave McNamara 5-1/18, Kevin Anderson 3-0/9, David Breheny 4-1/9, John Williams 4-0/9, Phil O’Meara 2-0/12.
ACS started disastrously when in the third over with the score on six, an excellent throw from Pieter Loos to Carl Muscat saw their captain, Ian Gibson 2 (9) run out.
In the 12th over, just after Phil O’Meara 29 (30) had retired, Stuart Stockdale 2 (7) was bowled by Fred Debono.
ACS lost two wickets when the score had reached 46, when David Breheny 1(4) was bowled by Pieter Loos and Kevin Anderson 0 (3) was run out by a throw from David Wells to Carl Muscat.
After opening the batting, Ian Hammet 10 (30) finally retired in the 15th over.
In the 18th over with the score on 60 Neil Smith was bowled by David Wells.
At the halfway point (20 overs) ACS was 5 for 70, still on target needing 78 runs off the last 20 overs to win.
ACS lost two wickets for two runs when Peter Saville 0 (4) was LBW to the bowling of Ron Lovel and Lovel was in the game again when he took a superb catch off the bowling of Carl Muscat to dismiss Dave McNamara 1 (10).
By the 30th over the score had reached 88 and ACS needed a run a ball off the last 10 overs to win. Greg Watsford 14 (34) and Michael Fogarty 14 (31) both retired before Phil O’Meara returned and added a further 12 runs off 16 balls to take his total to 41, when he had to retire.
Ian Hammet returned to join John Williams and they needed to score 40 runs off 30 balls to win the game.
But tight bowling and good field restricted this pair to only 30 runs, with ACS falling short by nine runs.
They were both not out, Hammet 34 (46) and Williams 15 (26) and ACS were 7 for 138 off their 40 overs.
Wombats bowling: Bob Phillips 6-0/14, Brendon Thomas 4-0/20, Fred Debono 6-1/28, Pieter Loos 6-1/24, David Wells 2-1/9, Jim Armstrong 2-0/6, Ron Lovel 4-1/5, Carl Muscat 4-1/5, Keith Houghton 4-0/11, Jon Martindale 2-0/7.
This was another exciting game of over 70’s cricket.
The Wombats next game is on Tuesday 24 January against Essendon/Barkley Street at Iona and the Pakenham over 60’s play Ringwood at Pakenham this Saturday 15 January.
-John Moore-
