Fathers Day dawned bright and clear and Lomath Oval was a picture of pertness for the second semifinal of the Shand series, the sporting contest that caters for everyone from the mildly interested to the morbidly obsessed.
Hardy country folk the Left Bankers were coaxed from their bush bunkers to take on the Geckos.
Skipper Scruff of the Bankers called correctly at the toss and, with more heavy hitters than the G20 meeting on his list, chose to bat. Leading from the front Scruff (34no) set about monstering the bowling backed up by the eloquence of Russ (30), as the Bankers, like bankers, charged early and often. Skipper James of the Geckos ran through the bowling options trying to clip the Bankers’ wings but it looked like a Turnbullian task until Peter Wynn-Moylan (1–11) asked the right questions with his intriguing wobblers. Sean (32no) looked untroubled but the Geckos stuck to the task and wickets to Anthony (2–7), Rosco and Merlin the Mysterious capped the Bankers despite some brutal late swipes from Bruce.
After a whirlwind start the score read 167 and the Geckos were in serious contention. Opener Stuart got them off to a flyer with some towering pull shots but tried once too often against Scruff’s rib-ticklers. Wickets to Rob and fab Phil reeled the Geckos in but at the other end the world’s oldest teenager Adeha (33) once again showed he is worth his weight in soy products, providing the fibre that kept the innings in motion. At drinks the Geckos were 3/77 and the game was up for grabs. Anthony (33no) tore into the middle overs and suddenly the Geckos were bunting their way to a win through the industrious Paddy, some magic from Merlin and hard running from Rossco and Mick. Wickets to Russell and Hamish kept the Bankers in the argument and two late runouts ensured the game would go down to the microfibre.
The atmosphere was as taut as Taylor Swift’s blouse buttons when the Geckos needed four to win off Sean’s last over with retirees Captain Soy and Anthony at the crease and the Bankers needing a solitary wicket.
Sean (2–14) kept his cool to concede only two singles and iced the cake with Adeha’s wicket off the last ball of the day to send the seriously startled Bankers to next Sunday’s final against the Byron Full-Tossers. Sports fans aren’t even trying to contain themselves as the anticipation builds.
by Brian Mollet
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