Twenty - Weston Creek Cricket Club

Weston Creek, Cricket Clubin fours and sixes that landed on Namatjira Drive. WhenCampbell went in to bat they were chasing approximately 250,in 30 overs, and they faced the daunting task of contendingwith an opening attack of Ian Arthur and John Mitchell. Ianwas immensely strong and a natural sportsman. He was anexcellent Australian Rules footballer and, for a time,Australian junior discus champion. Ian was fast and accuratewhile lanky, left armer John Mitchell was dangerously fast.He too was a good sportsman, an ACT representative soccerplayer, but as a bowler his best asset was his unpredictability.This unpredictability gained us many wickets and his speedand bounce rarely allowed the batsman to get hold of theloose ones.I was to pay for his unpredictability once though. It was in asub-district B game at Waramanga. He was causing thebatsmen a lot of problems and a number of defensive strokeswere travelling in the air on the leg side. I decided to putmyself at silly mid-on and told John to keep it just short of alength, on or about middle to leg, with the occasional shortone straight at him."Whatever you do, don't give him a half-volley on his legs!"was my final instruction. That, of course, is precisely what hedid and the grateful batsman belted it straight at me. I hadjust enough time to turn my head so that the ball didn't hit mebetween the eyes, instead it hit my cheek and flew off downtoward fine leg. I was knocked completely off my feet andmomentarily dazed. However, I soon concerned myself withwhat was happening in the field.It was the shocked expressions on the faces of my fellowteam mates that alerted me to the fact that all was not well.Their concern fuelled my anxiety and it was then that Irealised that something was hanging off my cheek. A sectionhad been ripped out and was hanging by a piece of skin.36