Another big hit from Owen. Photo Ross Kendall
Tired of watching backsides bob up and down on French backroads? Seen more endless hit-ups than a junkie’s sleeveline? Maybe you should be watching the Nick Shand Memorial cricket series, the sporting event with more punch than the Aussie basketball team.
Lomath Oval was as frostburned as Alfred’s calf muscles but glowed like a Cartier catalogue for Sunday’s stoush between corporate playboys the Geckos and the boardrashed batters of the Suffolk Park Swingers.
James of the Geckos won the toss and chose to bat. Beno (3/20) took the new nut and caused early havoc with his looping mystery balls. It was not that the Gecko’s top order had no answer to his offerings, but more like there were five competing answers to every question he asked the batsmen. The innings then recovered as dramatically as it collapsed as Drew (31), James (41) and ‘master splinter’ Trent (34no) put on more runs than the bitcoin market.
The score went from 2/1 to 3/138 in a couple of eyeblinks and only a late glut of wickets to Hughsey (4/8) pevented the Swingers being mowed down like the peloton pounding into a wayward spectator. The final total was 179 and the task got harder for Suffo when Drew (2/8) and Rossco took early scalps (1/12).
Owen the barbarian (46no) swung the bat like a broadsword, retiring quicker than a politician with dual citizenship and then Beno and Wortho set themselves for a charge at the big total. Trent’s fizzing leggies (2/8) and Brian’s wonder wobblers were enough to close out the win for the undefeated Geckos, who cannot be caught at the top of the Shand table.
Top votes in the Middle Pub player of the series went to Owen and Trent.
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