This story sort of starts when Bullet decided to get married on Waitangi Day in 2010. However this story is the ‘Hobbit’ to Bullet’s ‘Lord of the Rings’....Anyway the Chargers were without their entire team, except for Death.
Jimbo put together a team of ex-Cornwall superstars, who assembled at Keith Hay Park on a hot February afternoon, looking like the baddies from LotR. Death was their captain.
The toss was won and Death made his second mistake (after not going to Bullet’s wedding) and chose to bat, sending a rusty batting lineup to their slaughter. Craig, the Eden Roskill skipper, said, “How did you get a team together?” to which Death replied,
“Cornwall is a great club, the Chargers are a great team and we got a super star team together.” Craig walked away, puzzled.
With Shak and Matt Fell opening the batting, the rest of the team looked for some shade, ready to sit back and be entertained for the next 2-3 hours. The ER bowling looked slow and innocuous (note for bowlers: innocuous means that the bowling wasn’t very good). However, Shak played around a straight one for 6 off 11 when the scored was 17. Harry strode to the crease and the Chargers resumed their positions on the blankets and seats, unsuccessful in finding shade, but content that they would still be entertained for the next 2-3 hours. That was, until, Matt knocked an easy catch to a fielder for a short but entertaining 19 off 17 when the score was 26. All of a sudden the game wasn’t so easy to pick up from sleepless nights with babies etc and the different skills of golf and tennis.
But we had Junior. But he was the one with the baby. He came and went for 10 off 9 when the score was 40, showing a short glimpse of what could have been with the batting.
Death strode to the crease a bit earlier than he had hoped. Unfortunately Death and entertaining batting do not mix (unless in a “net of death”). The rest of the batsmen were now padding up and were not as relaxed. He got 30 not out off 79 and saw the rest of the team come and go.
The first was Harry for 11 off 20 playing around a straight one off Dave. Harry had obvious talent, but missed the practice to take his mind past the worry of batting well.
The second was Gavin, who played around his first one. Greenstreet hit one over mid-on for 3 then tried to do the same with the 4th ball and was caught at mid-on.
Green (Moisty) came to the crease shortly before drinks. Drinks were taken with the score at 5 for about 57.
Moisty made 19 off 25 in a partnership of 36 and fell when the score was 99. Sean O’Connor made 1 off 13 before being bowled (note to Jimbo – He might be a Chargers prospect?). Kerri looked good with 3 off 5 but then was a bit unlucky to hit a difficult catch that was well taken. And last but not least was Scooter who got 1 off 6 and looked set to see out the 40 overs until he was undone by a ball that appeared to take the off bail but replays show the bail was pushed off by the wicked wicket keeper.
Lunch was taken with most of the team reinforced in their position that they have placed cricket in their lives.
We had to get wickets early to at least make this fine bunch of gentlemen remember why cricket was once such a joy (note to bowlers: just because you use the word “joy” does not mean you are gay). Greenstreet was given the new ball and said, “Oh, they come in plastic bags!” He bowled superbly, 10 overs for 22 runs, 3 wickets and 5 wides down leg (all of which were stumping chances, but don’t tell Fell). Luckily, he got a break after the 7th over as Sean (Harry) Eastwood proceeded to take 3 wicket in his first over, which took about 15 minutes to complete. Richie bowled well in his 7 overs and was unlucky not to have a couple of wickets (one sharp chance missed at first slip by Death). The text went to Jim “61-6 at drinks”. In that 20 overs, cricket was put back in its rightful position.
After drinks the reality of the situation returned. Dave took control with the bat and was unbeaten on 44 when the winning runs were hit. Moisty picked up 1 for 25 off 5, but the game had gone by that point. ER won by 3 wickets.
The Cow Tippers had won early and came down to support (with their own beer). The Chargers chilly bin was cleaned out by the new Chargers, old friends reunited and talked cricket. So that box was ticked.
Also ticked was the fact that this ER top four team looks beatable and the Chargers should have their measure in the finals.
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