Geelong Veterans take on Gippsland Goannas in thrilling double-header

THE GEELONG Veterans Cricket Club brought two teams to Gippsland to play a simultaneous double-header against the Gippsland Goannas in the Latrobe Valley.

The weather was cool with a strong westerly breeze prevailing for most of the day.

The Over-60’s game was on the main ground at the Traralgon Recreation Reserve.

Geelong won the toss and asked the Goannas to bat first.

The two Rays again opened the innings with Ray Floyd out in the first over to inherit the ‘duck necklace’.

First gamer Graeme Ingle joined Ray Smith taking the score to twenty-six when Ingle was bowled by Phil Davis for fourteen in the eighth over.

Col Carmody and Ray Smith added thirty-seven runs when Carmody was run out for thirteen leaving the Goannas score on 3/68 at the twenty-over drinks break.

Smith retired for a well-made forty in the twenty-first over, Murray Moore made three, Peter Anton one and Jim Armstrong nine, while Rob Bacchetti watched on as the score reached 6/89 after thirty overs.

Bacchetti retired for thirteen before Bernie Symons took his score to nineteen (x) and Chris Devent to eight (x) seeing the innings through to the end of forty overs.

The Goannas final score was 6/129.

Symons and Ingle opened the bowling after lunch, Ingle breaking through in the sixth over with Moore taking the catch leaving Geelong at 1/23.

Symons limped off midway through his fourth over which was completed by Moore.

Bacchetti and Anton bowled the next ten overs with Anton striking twice just before drinks to have Geelong at 3/89 after twenty overs.

Moore resumed his bowling spell joined by Armstrong.

Mark Brown taking a catch from Moore’s bowling, and Armstrong hitting the stumps had Geelong at 5/108 after twenty-six overs.

Geelong captain Michael Limb and wicketkeeper Tom O’Brien batted sensibly, and the Goannas score was passed in the thirty-second over.

The respective Over-70 teams lined up on adjacent number two oval with Goannas captain Neil Meredith winning the toss and choosing to bat.

Jeff Phillips and Warren Dummett opened the innings taking the score to twenty-two in the sixth over when Dummett was well caught by Ann Sing for thirteen runs.

Phillips, twenty-one, Andrew Smith, nineteen, and Kelvin Bond, seven all retired as the score mounted to 1/87 at the twenty-over drinks break.

Fred Debono retired for twenty-four, Phill Higgins was run out for four and when Meredith was caught for nine, the score was 3/108 in the twenty-sixth over.

Ian Southall retired on thirty-four, Ian Gibson bowled for five when the score was 3/129, Gordon Cowling retired for thirty-seven and Derek Morris was bowled for two as the score reached 4/171 in the thirty-seventh over.

Ted Addison remained at the crease and Phillips returned.

When the Goannas innings concluded Phillips was twenty-four not out and the score a respectable 5/190.

Goannas’ bats were retiring after thirty balls but the Geelong team decided twenty-five balls was their retirement target.

Southall and Cowling opened the bowling with Southy bowling the opening batsman in his fourth over.

After ten overs the score was 1/23 and Barrie Nunn and Meredith came into the attack.

Geelong captain Foster ran himself out in the fifteenth over and the score at drinks was 2/54.

Debono and Bond came on after drinks and the score mounted steadily as Ian Davis, a National Over-70 representative, hit out for forty-three from his twenty-five balls.

When the next wicket fell it was Southall taking a good catch from Smith’s bowling and the score was 3/93 in the twenty-ninth over.

Geelong’s last few were unable to increase the scoring rate but Ann Sing in her first game for the Vets was four not out as Geelong completed their innings at 5/108.

Debono hit the stumps for a run out and Southall threw to Bond for the last run out.

Southall, five overs 1/10, Smith four overs 1/4 and Meredith seven overs, 1/17 were the best of the bowlers as the Goannas over-70’s recorded their third win of the season.

The Over-60 team will next play at Yarra Valley on November 17, as Rob Taylor heads off to represent Victoria in the National titles being held in Brisbane from November 11 to 17.

The Over-50 team will play a home game against the Ballarat Over-50 team next Sunday, November 10 with the Over-70 team playing Essendon/BarklyStreet at the Duncan Cameron Oval in Traralgon.

The Over-70 National titles will be held in Dubbo from November 21 with Ian Gibson and Ian Southall playing in the Vic1 side, and Gordon Cowling in the Vic3 side in Division 2.