Friday
The Brac tour 2009 kicked off, as has become something of a tradition, at the Mango Tree on Friday afternoon. Matty (No) Dread showed some good early form, turning up an hour before the scheduled 4:30 meeting time. Spirits were high and the beer was flowing. Due to an early flight time however, there was no time for preflight rum based shenanigans, although Tex was close to the first tour spew after a beer scull for tardiness. The new green COTD jacket, unveiled for the tour but surely a permanent fixture for the future, was tried on by most of the potential candidates for size. Strangely it seemed to fit Carey better than anyone else. Fate, or just good judgment?
The flight over was a quick 20 minutes, 15 not so quick minutes of which we had to listen to Simon nagging the stewardess to serve us beer. Not actually having any alcohol onboard did not stand in his way, and it was a relief for everyone when we piled out of the plane and onto the tarmac. After an impromptu beer stop in the car park, we headed off to La Esperanza to find our bunks and get properly stuck in. La Esperanza. What a nightmare.
From the first phone call, I was not convinced that the accommodation piece of the puzzle was going to slip into place easily. 5 phone calls later, and despite assurances, I was still uneasy. Each call (to the same lady, Joy (the irony..)) seemed to be a complete surprise to them, and each followed the same pattern.
"I need to book all available rooms for the 26th June".
"You want room?".
"No, the whole complex".
"You want 2 room?".
"No, the whole place".
"You want room?"
So, with hope but little belief, I went to check us in. 4 rooms. 26 people. Didn’t seem to faze them much, but I was a little annoyed. Craig Scott came to lend my argument with the receptionist/shopkeeper some South African muscle, but was met by the same wall of either indifference or incomprehension or most likely both. After half an hour we threw in the towel and figured that if drunk enough a sofa, towel mattress or reclined car seat would probably substitute for a bed. Which more or less worked.
After this debacle, we headed off to the Captains Table for some dinner and the first COTD award.Who could have predicted they would have karaoke? Somehow I dodged the green jacket for buggering up the accommodation so royally. Tex, as Tour Manager picked up the COTD gong for not actually "Managing" anything. Rum began to flow heavily, and songs were sung badly. I believe chairs were broken (Chloe and Matt?), but don’t remember too much about that. In many respects this was not the ideal preparation for a game of cricket against a team who haven’t lost at home all season, but it was team bonding of sorts, so not all together wasted, unlike the entire tour party, who were.
Match Day
Saturday began relatively early for most of the tour party. Sofas, floors, and in the skippers case a flyblown minivan are not conducive to lie-ins, regardless of the magnitude of the hangover. In fact there was a queue of volunteers to pick up Dave McGrath from the airport as he arrived on the early flight. Lucy and Cat fired up the oven and cooked up a magnificent breakfast of bacon and egg muffins that laid the foundation for the day ahead, and soon after Simon tried to rouse up enthusiasm for an early visit to the ground for a warm up six a side match. With about 4 takers, the ensuing "warm up" was somewhat subdued. Eventually the team and assembled supporters arrived at the allotted time. Dave Raj was ferried over in the last stages of rigarmortis after a particularly effective pace making effort the night before, mustering all the effort he had to say "Not sure I can play today skip", before spending the next 3 hours comatose in the van. The fella had his green dreams on though. All credit to him.
Game On
And so we get to the meat of the story. Apologies if the match report seems a bit short, but the game itself was over pretty quickly. With Raj incapacitated, Hoggy came in to bolster the ranks. The temperature was running in the high 30’s, so a winning coin toss was crucial. Losing the toss and being forced to field would be akin to putting out 11 wicked witches of the west on the pitch and going at them with a fire hose. Finally, Dickie rose to the occasion and called right, choosing without hesitation to bat first. Possibly something to do with the talismanic picture of 6 kittens stolen from La Esperanza and put on the boundary fence. The artificial track had been relaid since last year’s unwelcome visit by Hurricane Paloma, but we were informed that this was still a batsman paradise. In lieu of any proper openers, Dickie put himself at the top spot and press-ganged an unwitting (and unwilling) Geoff at number two. The track was much bouncier than was to be expected, and Dickie was first to go, top edging Levy to the 3rd man boundary for 4 in the first over. A disastrous, if by all accounts predictable, start. 10 balls later and Geoff was walking back, stumps uprooted. 14-2. 2 balls later and it was 15-3 as Tex feathered an edge to the keeper for 3. Carey came and went for 3 a couple of overs later, and opening bowler Levy found himself with 4 wickets in his 4th over. Greenies were looking firmly down the barrel of a gun at 23-4. Hangovers and heat were putting paid to our best laid plans.
Simon came in at 6 in belligerent mood and started to turn the tide somewhat our way, seeing attack as the best form of defense. With Hoggy as his foil, the pair put on a handy 34 run partnership, crucially knocking the wind out of the Brac bowling attack. When Hoggy was bowled for 12, 57-5 was actually looking like a minor victory for us. The Brac would have been smelling blood as Simon was bowled the ball before drinks, curbing his attacking instincts for once, but weighing in with a crucial 35 off of 31 balls. 70-6 after 15 was not part of the long visualization session that took place the previous evening. 10 runs later and Jimmy, having played an exquisite hook shot a couple of balls before fell, and we were shooing the fat lady off the pitch. If the supporters and some of the players thought it might be all over however, Jamie and Jerry had other ideas. The pair carried on where Simon had left off, smashing the ball to all parts of the park. Jamie, who has had no luck this season, showed what a potent force he can be, and Jerry played the innings of his Greenies career, together putting on a 44 run partnership before Jerry played around a fuller deliver to be bowled for 28 off only 18 deliveries. A fantastic knock that gave the team a glimmer of hope that we could post a challenging total. Wareo then worked with Dave McGrath to put on a further 21 runs for the 8th wicket, and by the time he departed for 31 (28 balls), we were at a semi respectable 145-9. Maybe 100 runs short of where we would have liked to have been, but better than sub 100. Chris was the last man out as we limped in at 156 after 25.3 overs.
Given the start we had, this was a good total, and the Brac actually looked somewhat despondent leaving the field, having at one point smelled a complete rout. It was a phenomenal rearguard action that put us firmly back in the game. We were under no illusion that this was however far below the par score for this ground, and it would take something special to steal a result from this. What we didn’t know at this point was just how special we could be.
After a quick turnaround (lunch having not yet arrived), the so far luckless Chris Troskie took the new ball, fronting up against the ridiculously in form opener Sohan, who apparently had yet to score less than 50 on home turf all season. A swinging first ball though, starting on off stump and moving about a foot wider, drew Sohan into a clumsy flail that was gratefully swallowed by Wareo at point. Cue scenes of pandemonium both on and off the pitch as Greenies and supporters when wild. What a start. Still a mountain to climb, but a knock down with the first punch. Number 3 came in. 3 balls later he was also pouched by Hoggy in the gulley off another swinging delivery. The dream start continued, and we could scarcely believe that we were back in the game so early. Neither could the Brac, who were scurrying around to get their batsmen padded up. 2 balls later and it could have been 3 down, as Geoff spilled a tough chance that would have given Troskie 3 in the first over. Finally Chris was getting the luck he has deserved, the Brac batsmen simply not equipped to play him.
Troskies’s second over proved equally as mesmeric, and yielded another wicket as the Brac tumbled to 18-3, McGrath taking a well judged skier at long off to get rid of Coates at number 2. Suddenly we all knew we were in with a big chance, and the chat in the field grew to intimidating levels. Carey kept things tight at the other end, but it was Troskie’s day emphatically, watched by his wife Sau for the first time this season. Over number 3, wicket number 4. He strikes again in a wicket maiden!! One of the Gayle brothers, who wreaked havoc last year with the bat, succumbed to the best spell of bowling of the year. 24-4 now, and we all knew that the impossible was on the cards.
The Brac, shell-shocked by the Greenies assault, could no longer buy a run. The fielding was electric and everything was being pounced on like our lives depended on it. The fifth wicket soon came. Wouldn’t you know it – that man Troskie again, this time with a run out to get rid of number 6 Morris. 30–5 after 10 overs. No-one quite knew how to react to this. Two overs later, and Troskie again struck to get his five-for. This time Tex running round from the covers to take a great catch at full tilt. 38-6. Now even Tommy began to believe we could somehow emerge victorious from this one. 41-7!!! Carey, having provided great support for Troskie finally got the wicket he deserved, bowling Malcolm for 6 (off of 40 balls – such was our dominance). The hero quickly became the villain however, as Carey, positioned at fly slip the ball before, dropped an absolute sitter that would have given Troskie his 6th wicket. This presaged a series of dropped catches that could have led to disaster, as Simon and Dickie also spilled chances that should have been taken.
With 14 overs gone, it was time to turn to Hoggy and Jerry to continue the attack. The dropped catches gave the Brac a lifeline, and they were able to clamber to 65 before Hoggy struck to take the 8th wicket, a caught and bowled chance well taken. The next ball and Hoggy repeated the feat, this time with a fantastic full length dive forward to just get his fingers under the ball, taking us to the brink of victory at 65-9. After a bit of time wasting to get their number 11 ready, Jerry polished the whole thing up with a well taken C&B to dismiss them for a paltry 69. Victory by 89 runs. Seldom has it tasted sweeter.
There are many reasons why I love the game of cricket. Coming back like Lazarus to win at a canter like this is one of them. Being part of the Greenies setup is another. We played out of our skins in the field to win, and this was certainly my proudest moment as captain.
As to be expected, the fine session was huge, Jamie thoughtfully making two bottles for the occasion. Strangely the vegemite based concoction was actually more tolerable than the skittles based vodka abortion. The Brac took their loss in very good spirits and joined in for several beer sculls. Indeed skipper Sohan lost out to Dickie for the second time in the day as the skippers scull off was easily won by Greenies.
Man of the Match, unanimously, went to Chris Troskie, returning figures of 8 overs, 2 maidens, 5–22, including 9 wides. Special commendation went to the Greenies lower order, who dragged us kicking and screaming into the match.
Play of the Day was Hoggy’s diving catch to bring us to the brink of victory.
COTD was Carey, who dropped Troskies 6th, which could have had us get them for under 50. Non playing COTD went to Ian Rotsey, although I can’t recall why.
After a big fine session, the rest of the night was a bit hazy. Vague recollections of Stuart Reed spewing, Tex holding on to the toilet for dear life, and Jimmy being very, very evil. Then waking up again in the minibus on Sunday morning. We drank beer and got ourselves somehow home. Simon got COTD for constant whining, Carey got banned from talking. That’s about as much as I can say after such an exhilarating game the day before.
The Brac tour 2009 kicked off, as has become something of a tradition, at the Mango Tree on Friday afternoon. Matty (No) Dread showed some good early form, turning up an hour before the scheduled 4:30 meeting time. Spirits were high and the beer was flowing. Due to an early flight time however, there was no time for preflight rum based shenanigans, although Tex was close to the first tour spew after a beer scull for tardiness. The new green COTD jacket, unveiled for the tour but surely a permanent fixture for the future, was tried on by most of the potential candidates for size. Strangely it seemed to fit Carey better than anyone else. Fate, or just good judgment?
The flight over was a quick 20 minutes, 15 not so quick minutes of which we had to listen to Simon nagging the stewardess to serve us beer. Not actually having any alcohol onboard did not stand in his way, and it was a relief for everyone when we piled out of the plane and onto the tarmac. After an impromptu beer stop in the car park, we headed off to La Esperanza to find our bunks and get properly stuck in. La Esperanza. What a nightmare.
From the first phone call, I was not convinced that the accommodation piece of the puzzle was going to slip into place easily. 5 phone calls later, and despite assurances, I was still uneasy. Each call (to the same lady, Joy (the irony..)) seemed to be a complete surprise to them, and each followed the same pattern.
"I need to book all available rooms for the 26th June".
"You want room?".
"No, the whole complex".
"You want 2 room?".
"No, the whole place".
"You want room?"
So, with hope but little belief, I went to check us in. 4 rooms. 26 people. Didn’t seem to faze them much, but I was a little annoyed. Craig Scott came to lend my argument with the receptionist/shopkeeper some South African muscle, but was met by the same wall of either indifference or incomprehension or most likely both. After half an hour we threw in the towel and figured that if drunk enough a sofa, towel mattress or reclined car seat would probably substitute for a bed. Which more or less worked.
After this debacle, we headed off to the Captains Table for some dinner and the first COTD award.Who could have predicted they would have karaoke? Somehow I dodged the green jacket for buggering up the accommodation so royally. Tex, as Tour Manager picked up the COTD gong for not actually "Managing" anything. Rum began to flow heavily, and songs were sung badly. I believe chairs were broken (Chloe and Matt?), but don’t remember too much about that. In many respects this was not the ideal preparation for a game of cricket against a team who haven’t lost at home all season, but it was team bonding of sorts, so not all together wasted, unlike the entire tour party, who were.
Match Day
Saturday began relatively early for most of the tour party. Sofas, floors, and in the skippers case a flyblown minivan are not conducive to lie-ins, regardless of the magnitude of the hangover. In fact there was a queue of volunteers to pick up Dave McGrath from the airport as he arrived on the early flight. Lucy and Cat fired up the oven and cooked up a magnificent breakfast of bacon and egg muffins that laid the foundation for the day ahead, and soon after Simon tried to rouse up enthusiasm for an early visit to the ground for a warm up six a side match. With about 4 takers, the ensuing "warm up" was somewhat subdued. Eventually the team and assembled supporters arrived at the allotted time. Dave Raj was ferried over in the last stages of rigarmortis after a particularly effective pace making effort the night before, mustering all the effort he had to say "Not sure I can play today skip", before spending the next 3 hours comatose in the van. The fella had his green dreams on though. All credit to him.
Game On
And so we get to the meat of the story. Apologies if the match report seems a bit short, but the game itself was over pretty quickly. With Raj incapacitated, Hoggy came in to bolster the ranks. The temperature was running in the high 30’s, so a winning coin toss was crucial. Losing the toss and being forced to field would be akin to putting out 11 wicked witches of the west on the pitch and going at them with a fire hose. Finally, Dickie rose to the occasion and called right, choosing without hesitation to bat first. Possibly something to do with the talismanic picture of 6 kittens stolen from La Esperanza and put on the boundary fence. The artificial track had been relaid since last year’s unwelcome visit by Hurricane Paloma, but we were informed that this was still a batsman paradise. In lieu of any proper openers, Dickie put himself at the top spot and press-ganged an unwitting (and unwilling) Geoff at number two. The track was much bouncier than was to be expected, and Dickie was first to go, top edging Levy to the 3rd man boundary for 4 in the first over. A disastrous, if by all accounts predictable, start. 10 balls later and Geoff was walking back, stumps uprooted. 14-2. 2 balls later and it was 15-3 as Tex feathered an edge to the keeper for 3. Carey came and went for 3 a couple of overs later, and opening bowler Levy found himself with 4 wickets in his 4th over. Greenies were looking firmly down the barrel of a gun at 23-4. Hangovers and heat were putting paid to our best laid plans.
Simon came in at 6 in belligerent mood and started to turn the tide somewhat our way, seeing attack as the best form of defense. With Hoggy as his foil, the pair put on a handy 34 run partnership, crucially knocking the wind out of the Brac bowling attack. When Hoggy was bowled for 12, 57-5 was actually looking like a minor victory for us. The Brac would have been smelling blood as Simon was bowled the ball before drinks, curbing his attacking instincts for once, but weighing in with a crucial 35 off of 31 balls. 70-6 after 15 was not part of the long visualization session that took place the previous evening. 10 runs later and Jimmy, having played an exquisite hook shot a couple of balls before fell, and we were shooing the fat lady off the pitch. If the supporters and some of the players thought it might be all over however, Jamie and Jerry had other ideas. The pair carried on where Simon had left off, smashing the ball to all parts of the park. Jamie, who has had no luck this season, showed what a potent force he can be, and Jerry played the innings of his Greenies career, together putting on a 44 run partnership before Jerry played around a fuller deliver to be bowled for 28 off only 18 deliveries. A fantastic knock that gave the team a glimmer of hope that we could post a challenging total. Wareo then worked with Dave McGrath to put on a further 21 runs for the 8th wicket, and by the time he departed for 31 (28 balls), we were at a semi respectable 145-9. Maybe 100 runs short of where we would have liked to have been, but better than sub 100. Chris was the last man out as we limped in at 156 after 25.3 overs.
Given the start we had, this was a good total, and the Brac actually looked somewhat despondent leaving the field, having at one point smelled a complete rout. It was a phenomenal rearguard action that put us firmly back in the game. We were under no illusion that this was however far below the par score for this ground, and it would take something special to steal a result from this. What we didn’t know at this point was just how special we could be.
After a quick turnaround (lunch having not yet arrived), the so far luckless Chris Troskie took the new ball, fronting up against the ridiculously in form opener Sohan, who apparently had yet to score less than 50 on home turf all season. A swinging first ball though, starting on off stump and moving about a foot wider, drew Sohan into a clumsy flail that was gratefully swallowed by Wareo at point. Cue scenes of pandemonium both on and off the pitch as Greenies and supporters when wild. What a start. Still a mountain to climb, but a knock down with the first punch. Number 3 came in. 3 balls later he was also pouched by Hoggy in the gulley off another swinging delivery. The dream start continued, and we could scarcely believe that we were back in the game so early. Neither could the Brac, who were scurrying around to get their batsmen padded up. 2 balls later and it could have been 3 down, as Geoff spilled a tough chance that would have given Troskie 3 in the first over. Finally Chris was getting the luck he has deserved, the Brac batsmen simply not equipped to play him.
Troskies’s second over proved equally as mesmeric, and yielded another wicket as the Brac tumbled to 18-3, McGrath taking a well judged skier at long off to get rid of Coates at number 2. Suddenly we all knew we were in with a big chance, and the chat in the field grew to intimidating levels. Carey kept things tight at the other end, but it was Troskie’s day emphatically, watched by his wife Sau for the first time this season. Over number 3, wicket number 4. He strikes again in a wicket maiden!! One of the Gayle brothers, who wreaked havoc last year with the bat, succumbed to the best spell of bowling of the year. 24-4 now, and we all knew that the impossible was on the cards.
The Brac, shell-shocked by the Greenies assault, could no longer buy a run. The fielding was electric and everything was being pounced on like our lives depended on it. The fifth wicket soon came. Wouldn’t you know it – that man Troskie again, this time with a run out to get rid of number 6 Morris. 30–5 after 10 overs. No-one quite knew how to react to this. Two overs later, and Troskie again struck to get his five-for. This time Tex running round from the covers to take a great catch at full tilt. 38-6. Now even Tommy began to believe we could somehow emerge victorious from this one. 41-7!!! Carey, having provided great support for Troskie finally got the wicket he deserved, bowling Malcolm for 6 (off of 40 balls – such was our dominance). The hero quickly became the villain however, as Carey, positioned at fly slip the ball before, dropped an absolute sitter that would have given Troskie his 6th wicket. This presaged a series of dropped catches that could have led to disaster, as Simon and Dickie also spilled chances that should have been taken.
With 14 overs gone, it was time to turn to Hoggy and Jerry to continue the attack. The dropped catches gave the Brac a lifeline, and they were able to clamber to 65 before Hoggy struck to take the 8th wicket, a caught and bowled chance well taken. The next ball and Hoggy repeated the feat, this time with a fantastic full length dive forward to just get his fingers under the ball, taking us to the brink of victory at 65-9. After a bit of time wasting to get their number 11 ready, Jerry polished the whole thing up with a well taken C&B to dismiss them for a paltry 69. Victory by 89 runs. Seldom has it tasted sweeter.
There are many reasons why I love the game of cricket. Coming back like Lazarus to win at a canter like this is one of them. Being part of the Greenies setup is another. We played out of our skins in the field to win, and this was certainly my proudest moment as captain.
As to be expected, the fine session was huge, Jamie thoughtfully making two bottles for the occasion. Strangely the vegemite based concoction was actually more tolerable than the skittles based vodka abortion. The Brac took their loss in very good spirits and joined in for several beer sculls. Indeed skipper Sohan lost out to Dickie for the second time in the day as the skippers scull off was easily won by Greenies.
Man of the Match, unanimously, went to Chris Troskie, returning figures of 8 overs, 2 maidens, 5–22, including 9 wides. Special commendation went to the Greenies lower order, who dragged us kicking and screaming into the match.
Play of the Day was Hoggy’s diving catch to bring us to the brink of victory.
COTD was Carey, who dropped Troskies 6th, which could have had us get them for under 50. Non playing COTD went to Ian Rotsey, although I can’t recall why.
After a big fine session, the rest of the night was a bit hazy. Vague recollections of Stuart Reed spewing, Tex holding on to the toilet for dear life, and Jimmy being very, very evil. Then waking up again in the minibus on Sunday morning. We drank beer and got ourselves somehow home. Simon got COTD for constant whining, Carey got banned from talking. That’s about as much as I can say after such an exhilarating game the day before.