Wombats go down in thriller

TUESDAY, October 29, was the third round of the Veterans Cricket Victoria over 70’s competition. 

The West Gippsland Wombats played Mornington/Canterbury at the Outtrim Reserve. 

Last time these two teams met, they played a tie at Mornington. 

The Wombats won the toss and decided to bowl first.

Phil Mayne and Michael Loy opened the batting and in the fourth over Keith Houghton bowled Loy eight (14). 

Mayne seven (30) and Ian Rowland 31 (30) both retired before the Wombats took the next two wickets, both were run-outs and Neil White was involved in both of them. 

Russell Ferguson helped to dismiss Dick Stumbles five (13) and Fred Debono helped to dismiss Ian Sharp three (12). Mornington/Canterbury’s score at 20 overs was three for 66. 

The next four batsmen retired after facing 30 balls, Graham Dowling 18, John Kent 20, Michael Angwin 32 and Charles Morris 19.  

The score was three for 148 in the 37th over when Vin Booth joined Ralph Catts, the pair added 20 runs in the three overs to take Mornington/Canterbury’s score to three for 168 off 40 overs.

Catts 15 (17) and Vincent 5 (56) were both not out.

The Wombat’s bowlers were not helped by five dropped catches and two missed runouts, but all of them, tried hard: Keith Houghton 5-1/19, Jim Gregory 6-0/24, Pieter Loos 7-0/26, Neil White 4-0/27, Rod Pallot 5-0/19, Fred Debono 5-0/7, Mike Newton 4-0/16, and Carl Muscat 4-0/28.

The Wombats were off to a great start with both openers retiring by the 10th over after facing 30 balls, with the score on 44, Carl Muscat 22 and Rod Pallot 20. 

The score had reached 50 when the Wombats lost two wickets, Fred Debono 1 (4) and Keith Houghton 0 (4). 

At the halfway mark, both teams had scored 66 runs. 

Jeff Phillips 10 (30) retired before Pieter Loos 30 (30) was caught by Phil Mayne off the bowling of Vin Booth. 

The Wombats were three for 105 in the 26th over, needing 64 runs off 14 overs. 

Mike Newton 14 (30) retired before Neil White and Russell Ferguson added 32 runs in seven overs before Ferguson 7 (16) was caught by Tony Stancombe off the bowling of Ian Rowland and White 29 (30) retired. 

It was up to Jim Armstrong and Gavin Sharp (who was playing his first over 70’s game) to score the necessary runs, but unfortunately, they fell three runs short with Armstrong 7 (15) and Sharp 11 (12) both not out. 

Jim Gregory and John Moore were not required to bat. 

The Wombats were four for 165.

Mornington/Canterbury’s Bowling: Tony Stancombe 8-0/32, Bill Hansen 1-0/7, Charles Morris 8-0/26, John Kent 7-1/22, Ian Sharp 6-1/25, Vin Booth 3-1/18 and Ian Rowland 7-1/27.

It was another exciting game of cricket between two great rivals that went down to the wire.

The Wombats’ next game is on Sunday, November 10, at Iona against Yarra Valley/Ringwood.