Sunday’s Shand series stoush was a meeting of opposites as the latte-sipping dilletantes of Byron, the Full-Tossers, took on the banjo-toting six fingered hillbillies of Left Bank.
Both teams were searching for their first win of the year and with the finals only a few weeks away there was a slight air of desperation as Janny of the Full-Tossers won the toss and sent Left Bank in to bat.
Mahesh (2/14) took the new nut and had both openers back in the sheds early with his energetic mediums setting the scene for a great first session from the Byronites who looked sharper than the razor wire perimeter at Manus island.
Jabez and Brian held sharp catches and Sam’s bouncy legspin proved harder to shut down than another John Farnham comeback.
After the break Rob and Lucas hung around long enough with Drew (42), who is showing more form than Roger Rogerson, to move the score along but wickets to Janny (3/13) and a direct runout from Shaun closed the innings prematurely at 142.
Byron started the chase with some big hitting but wickets to Guy, Scotty, Scruff and Lucas saw honours even at the halfway mark.
This set the scene for Jared (30no) and Shaun (31no) to bat the Bankers out of the game with a partnership of 65, all that was required was sensible knocks from Merlin and the Central Scrutiniser to ease the Byronites home with an over to spare.
Top votes in the Middle Pub player of the year went to Drew and Jared.
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