WESTON CREEK CRICKET CLUB Magazine

using." His expression, as he said this, was bland and completely
innocent. I gazed at him searchingly, with a feeling
that once again I had been "conned" by a smart Australian airman.
"Let's have a look at it, then."
13
As might have been expected, the two-piecer looked as
if it had not only been run over by a tank, but dragged along
behind the tank for a hundred yards or so. I suppose there
was some cover left, but it looked like the nether side of the
moon, pock-marked with small strips missing. "Are you quite
sure, Ron, that there's not another new ball available?"
With a perfectly straight face: "No, this is the one you're
going to have to use." I went in for some self-congratulation
on the declaration. At least we had a ball that could be used
for at least a few overs, and of course, we had Mike. Rotten
ball or not, if he couldn't bowl this lot out for about twenty
runs between them, I would be grossly mistaken. I tossed the
sad ball to our "military medium", who, after regarding the
ball looked even sadder than it did. He did his best. None of
the airmen would have claimed style, but they were fit, they
had good eyes, and they hit hard in unexpected directions.
Eight from the first over. I had despatched one of our fellows
in the jeep with a message to Mike to get himself up here and
into the bowling line-up immediately. I watched for the return
of the jeep as Drake must have watched the Channel around
Armada time. With no better ideas, and without our star, I
took the second over myself. Ten off that over, and the seam
barely holding the rotten ball in one piece. Just before the
last ball had been delivered, the jeep pulled up in a cloud
of red dust. My heart leaped, then quickly subsided. The
messenger I had despatched returned alone. We met about halfway
and he gave, me the news. Mike wouldn't be coming. He
had been called out on a late strike.
The rest of the tale is an exercise in despair. The ball
held together - just - but we might just as well have been
bowling a wet dim-sim at them. When they'd enjoyed themselves
sufficiently we decided to call it quits, the officers in high
dudgeon, the captain in disgrace and the airmen rightly elated.
I hit my bed that night in a chastened and contemplative mood.
It certainly had not been my most successful cricket match,
but I shall not soon forget it.
* * * * * *
TOOHEYS TWILIGHT KNOCKOUT COMPETITION
" QUARTER "FINAL
WESTON CREEK CRICKET CLUB V A.N.U, CRICKET CLUB
A century partnership for the second wicket between John Abrahams and Todd
Ritchie carried Weston Creek to a convincing win over ANU in the Tooheys Twilight
knockout qu&eter final match, on the 9th of January.
Abrahams was dominant and showed his class with a competent 62 out of the
partnership of 105 as Weston Creek cruised to two for 121 in reply to ANU's
120 all out.
Ritchie displayed some power hitting in his innings and was 45 not out at the
close. The ANU bowlers were powerless to halt the onslaught as Abrahams and
Ritchie took control after the early loss of Roger Lonie. Abrahams was named
the Man-of-the-match.