MPSECA Third Grade, 2009/10
Saggy Greens v Edna Puffet Memorial XI
Moore Park 10, Robertson Road, Moore Park
20 February 2010 (One Day)

View Match Scorecard

We were all looking forward to this game after having the last few weeks rained out and the controversies from our last clash.

With a deep batting order at the ready Sam won the toss and chose to bat on what turned out to be a quick outfield.

Dirty joined Dipn to open the innings and the puppets picked up where they left off last game with non-stop nonsensical chatter and sledging from ball one.

The bowling was quality however and there were a few lucky edges go down and a few close lbw shouts before Jase finally popped one up to a fielder for 11.

Peach then strolled to the crease and was promptly greeted with a ball past the nose, and was asked by the opposition if he wanted to call for a helmet to which he confidently refused.

Unfortunately the confidence didn't extend to his running as he fell in the most bizarre of circumstance: Dipn edged the ball low to 1st slip who grassed it behind the keepers foot, Peach charged down the wicket yelling for the run, Dipn in disbelief stood firm and declined the suicide single as a direct hit on Dipn's stumps confirmed his choice... a disappointed Peach slowly shuffled back to the non-strikers end contemplating his erroneous call when he looked up to see a fielder throwing down the stumps at the bowlers end and him well out of his ground for 1 run.

DC then came in and put on a good 50 run partnership as both batsmen were regularly finding the boundary, before he was trapped in front for 21.

Sam joined Dipn and both began flaying the 2nd string bowlers as the opposition were starting to worry as the total crept up.

Dipn was caught on the boundary for 75 with Tim joining Sam to continue punishing the bowling.

The opening bowler returned to trap Sam in front for 69, and the farce continued next ball as Grouchy saw a ball pass by off stump to have the leg bail blow off and then the opposition appealed successfully for the dismissal. The worst part being when the wicket keeper apologised as he was walking off as he knew what had happened!

Tim popped one back to the bowler for 14 and new-comer Craig was run-out trying to steal a extra run, as Simco and Cam saw us through to the dramatic innings close...

The opposition was ignorant to the competition rule whereby the first innings must end with the completion of the over being bowled at 3:30pm, with the batting side receiving 6 runs per over less than the required 40 overs and the batting side only required to bowl the same number of overs in reply.

So, when 3:29pm was on the scorer's clock we informed the players that this was the final over of the innings. The opposition captain then shouted back that no, they would bowl two more as his wife's watch said it was 10 minutes earlier than what it actually was! Enough was enough... at the end of the over Dipn wandered out to explain the competition's rules to the ignorant captain and pointed to the other fields where the official umpires had led their players off already. Sam agreed and led our batsmen from the field to much protest.

With their captain calling us cheats and c_nts, etc as we balanced the books and calculated the penalty runs (30), they were left chasing 250 to win off 35 after our fantastic team batting effort.

DC and Mush opened the bowling well and both struck in their 2nd over with Sam and Jase taking catches. The tight bowling continued as DC got another edge through to Tim at 1st slip and we were looking in a good position.

A few nerves started to develop amongst our team as the two puffet batsmen started blasting everything out of the park with 6's flying everywhere.

Sam and DC tipped it back in our favour dismissing both set batsmen in consecutive overs with Grouchy and Cam taking the catches.

Mohammed snared a sharp chance at square leg off Sam and then came on with some tight bowling and hit the top of their captain's off stump.

Craig snared his first Saggy wicket blasting out the middle stump with his 2nd delivery and Jase ran out the last wicket from 3rd man to seal the victory.

A fantastic allround performance from our entire team to seal an emphatic win. Let's just hope the opposition goes the way of waugh torn and other such teams, into oblivion, so we won't have to deal with them next year.