Goannas fall short against Essendon

AFTER losing the odd game to the weather and forfeit, the Gippsland Goannas Over 70 cricketers travelled to Ormond Park, Moonee Ponds, on Sunday to meet up with the Essendon/St Bernards team.

It was cool with showers forecast as the Goannas tried to arrive for an early start.  

They eventually got going at about 10.50am on the artificial pitch as the Moonee Ponds Cricket Club was playing a competition game on the turf.

Essendon won the toss and batted with Gordon Cowling and Neil Meredith opening the bowling.  

Zimbabwe Over 70 World Cup player Craig Hodgson opened the innings with ‘super-vet’ Arthur Pritchard, taking the score along nicely before Arty retired for 16 from his 30 balls.  

The rain came, so play was adjourned for a while, and it was decided to shorten the game to 36 overs per side.  

On resumption, Hodgson retired for 28 and Gary Adams played all around a Cowling straight one.  

The score was 1/45 after 11 overs.  

Another rain delay saw lunch taken early and play resumed soon after.  

Skipper Osborne was bowled by Dick Noble for 14, Ian Southall made a smart return to Ian Gibson for a runout and Chris Bowen also hit the stumps as Essendon completed its innings at 4/153 from 36 overs.  

Goannas’ bowling figures were Cowling 1/14 from six, Noble 1/19 from four and Bowen 1/14 from three.

The Goannas’ innings started straight away, and Meredith and Donald Cameron took the score to 33 in the eighth over when Cameron was bowled. 

Next ball, Murray Moore was caught in the deep, Mero retired at 27 from 30 balls as Gibson and Phill Higgins came together.  

It was 3/46 after 15 overs when Gibson was stumped and 4/58 after 19 when Higgins was caught, first ball after another rain delay.  

Noble 10, and Cowling 40, scored some vital quick runs, each retiring after 25 balls.  

Southall two, Chris Bowen 19 retired, Ron Milnes 13, Andy Slevin a golden, and Barrie Nunn 4x edged the score closer to the required target, as Meredith came back in after the 12th batter and hit a huge six in the 34th over.  

The Goannas needed six from the last over to win, and unfortunately, Nunn was unable to turn the strike over to the big-hitting Meredith.

The Goannas finished at 7/148 at the end of the 36th over.  

The Goannas fielding was again very good, and very few catches went to hand, then ground, whereas the Essendon fielders took five good catches.

Deidre Hunter, who fielded for several overs, and did the scoring for the rest of the game was given the Goannas Player of the Match, whereas John Prent who took the catch to dismiss Moore, made a few runs towards the end of the innings and took a wicket with his bowling, was awarded the ‘Blue Gables Player of the Match’ for Essendon.

The other Goannas teams have a bit of time off as players compete in National Championships around the country, and in New Zealand.  

This will be reported when all the championships are completed by the end of the month.

The next scheduled game for the Goannas is the Over 70 play away at Warrandyte on Tuesday, December 2.

Training will continue at the Duncan Cameron nets in Traralgon on Wednesdays from about 4.30pm.