Second Grade’s lowest score in memory
While no one really wants to know what happened with the Second Grade side this weekend who were taking on Timaru (last season’s Senior Reserve winners), I need to add a few notes so that Smarty doesn’t think I whinge forever.
A phone call to play during the week meant I knew Waimate were obviously struggling for numbers, and this weekend was no exception with the Second Grade B team being forced to default as several of their players filled in for one or other of the higher two grades.
As it turned out Waimate could only field nine players, but at least they were good enough to still front up, despite the loss of their main players.
Pete “the wily campaigner” Wallace took on the captaincy duties for the day and began well by winning the toss. This gave Waimate the chance to bat first and not spend a whole afternoon chasing leather.
Ryza Manson gave us hope as he opened and smashed the first ball he faced for four. Unfortunately, he didn’t really repeat that shot until his second innings, and wickets fell at regular intervals – one opposition bowler only got it close enough to hit 3 times in 3 overs and got wickets each time.
It became a bit of a scramble, as umpires were suddenly next in, or scorers needed to pad up, but all the guys had a smile while they did it.
Well all except some old bugger who could only manage to get his pads in front of the ball, but when trying to play a shot with his bat usually swung at the ball as the keeper passed the delivery to first slip. When he finally did get the bat on one it was after it hit the pad first and he was given out lbw. At the time he whinged (once off the field), but this is mainly because of his own frustration at not getting any bat on it, nor getting a run – so to be fair, I normally always say that if you get given lbw by a player umpire, it has to be a pretty good call, so I have to follow my own opinion and stop giving Smarty a wind-up.
Now that we have the fun parts out of the way, the bad news is that despite Timaru generously letting us bat both openers twice, we still only managed 31 all out.
With a short chase on offer, Kerry Weir found some enthusiasm to bowl quick (relying on the fact it would be a short spell), and bowled well to take one wicket, and if the first slip hadn’t been checking his new toy (iphone) would have had two, or if the Timaru fielders helping us out had made their minds up a bit earlier could have had three, so it was a good spell.
Good on ya mate
So match all over early, meant we got to check out the Timaru clubrooms, and see a wall almost dedicated to our own ‘Wily Campaigner’ as the 1980s Bowling Honours Boards seemed to be full of a certain P Wallace!
Written by Mark (ok Smarty that was an apology for whinging)
