Rangers Ramjets Vs Cavaliers
November 15th-22nd 2008
Premiership
REPORTS
PAGE
Do not let these men navigate. Ever. Getting to bray park is a mission in itself as we are all aware, but when you have peter or Chris leading the way it is nigh impossible. Left, right , right , left, right, left, left, left, left, left, left�then a phone call� �we aren�t lost� we are just going in a around about fashion�. Ten minutes later and after several U-turns, another phone call �ok � I know where I am now� I just missed the exit. That's ok. Its ok. Follow me�. Man, how could I justify following him having driven for almost 45 minutes to get from Moorooka to the gateway in what can only be described as a blind man�s route, considering my house is but 10 mintues from the same exit we eventually arrived at. So naturally, we were late (both weeks). When finally I feel we are near the ground, I pit stop for refreshment (hair straightening) and get some sustenance (jellybabies). After what seemed equivalent to driving to rocky, Chris and I arrive at Bray Park, both sporting facial hair respondent to the length of time we spent in the car�. Thanks Pete�. Thanks Chris�
In true style, Gary called the coin toss and decided to back our bowlers chucking the Cavs in to bat. Immediately Biceps, as only biceps does, managed to make us regret the decision� as Biceps was crushed by an oppposition�s muscles for a change, being carted for 48 runs off 5 overs� form the one batter. At the other end, Gary held down the pressure and conceded only 1 run in 6 overs and snagging two early wickets in what would be a day of great success for him. Meanwhile, Dale was undoing Gary�s work by bowling balls resembling what clintoff has to offer in the nets, and the batter was disposing of them as we do to Clintoff�s. Finally, having seen the light, Gary also disposes of Biceps bowling and hands the ball to, as you all know him to be, my closest jet, Aaron. First ball, Aaron charging in, golden locks flowing behind him, the birds singing in unison around his head, the clouds parting to reveal a solitary beam of light upon him, Aaron crushes the opening batter that made a mess of biceps. Everyone celebrated with joy � except Biceps who genuinely believed he could have taken the wicket if he had one more over� OK Biceps�.
Shortly after, Errol was given his second duck at the hands of the ramjets, clean bowled by Gary to give him his second wicket of the day. Aaron, continuing his form and following his brother and our fearless leader, kept the wickets flowing like the rivers of Babylon and bowled the next batter for minimal runs.
After encountering some stiff resistance in the middle order with Brandon hitting us for 78 runs; a scratchy, yet determined high score of the innings, the last four wickets fell for 17 runs and we had bowled the Cavaliers out for a meagre 205. Gary taking season best figures of 5 for 38 off of 13 overs and Clinton also earning season best figures of 2 for 29 off 7 overs.
With still a decent amount of time to go before the end of play, the opening batters task was simple: stay till Tea, start next week. Peter and Aaron, looking every bit as if they continued on the Friday night ritual without me, walked hand in hand to the pitch, exchanged light luff taps and began play (cricket � play � not man play). I could only imagine what the end of over, mid pitch talk was like between these two orators�. Aaron: �the first ball I drove and unlucky not to get a run but that's ok.. Second ball, my back foot cut shot to the boundary was off this part right here� the middle.. yep�.etc etc etc� Peter: �I blocked the first one, left the second one, left the third one, left the fourth one, left the fifth one after having a good look and left the sixth one too��.
Scoring slowly but steadily, that's Pete slowly and Aaron steadily, Peter was caught in front in a contentious decision whereby he claims he had a �silent� edge off his bat onto pad. The dashingly good looking umpire, yours truly, saw nothing of the sort and gave it. A few overs later, and some close calls past, Aaron was out in similar fashion for 32. Three wickets, Chris, Jaime and Dale all fell in quick succession for five runs and suddenly we went from steady start to collapse at 5 for 57 after 20 overs and the Cavs looked on track to toppling us. With just over an hour to bat, Dallan and Mikey Middis settled the innings and held ship for the afternoon. Walking off the pitch, Michael was not out on 28 and Dallan not out on 21. It was the hardest and longest time I had worked for that small amount of runs. At end of play on day 1 we were 5 for 96, 108 to get. 5 wickets in hand.
The following week � with all new lows on the navigation front compliments of Chris Bailey who has now been lumped in the do not let navigate basket with Peter � we fronted up again to continue chasing down the remaining hundred runs. Mikey and I walked back out to the pitch knowing the Cav�s were missing one of the strike bowlers and now state bowler � Errol. With nothing but confidence and visions of double centuries, glazey eyed, mikey took first ball and at the end of the over had already struck several scoring balls.
Looking comfortable, we raced to our fifties only a few balls apart and rather than congratulating me on reaching my second half century, my partner verbally abused me for beating him to his fifty and stealing the strike� im sure Langer and Hayden ad many of these conversations. Also, it as an unusual response froma batting partner considering the close bond aaron and I share� For a fifth wicket stand, we added 115 (possibly a record Shndy you should check�.) before Mikey was caught off a soft catch to short cover. A well earned 62 of less balls for his season first half century.
With the new batter came a new umpire � Aaron �Trigger Finger Cowboy with No Soul� Middis, who from that day on has been stripped of all umpiring privileges and delegated to fine leg. Captain Gary � looking in good form and playing uncharacteristically defensive, was dismissed off a short ball he attempted to pull away when it struck above his knee roll� by his brother, and passenger for the two hour trip home, Aaron. Inside I laughed about the situation and the awkwardness of it all. Im sure Aaron felt some resentment and now some revenge after being given out LBW off a similar ball earlier in our innings by Gary. Ahhh brotherhood. How ironic then that after some more scoring shots that also saw the toe of my brand new bat dislodged (dammit), I was also given LBW attempting to glance a big off cutter off my pads. Having struck above the knee roll I thought I was fine� Aaron whoever, convicted it was out and without a second thought � maybe even a single thought � lifted the finger of death and I was on my way. Dismissed for �..97! I felt like Warney who was dismissed on 99 off a no ball against New Zealand� Gilly claims that at that point he, and everyone else knew that Warne would never get a test century and now I find myself in that same self doubting position. Never to get a ranger century� o the pain�.the pain� if I was a texan ranger I would probably have 9 of them by now as the lot in that team seem to be granted them like candy.
Out strode the last wicket, on ranger Debut, the long awaited arrival of Rhys into the Jets side was finally upon us... and deliver he did� cracking 36 as easily as if he had been playing cricket the past three years, Rhys took advantage of the solid backup the youngest Middis, Matthew, was providing at the other end.
Taking first innings and putting up a small but useful lead of 59� we took to the field with a vengeance.
Gary immediately looking to bag himself another fivefa and a ten wicket match. Of course, this would not have even been on our minds had his two prot�g�s, Michael and Aaron , not managed to somehow snatch themselves three catches between them at first and second slip; Mikey absolutely snatching one form the air before I even saw it for the first wicket of the day. With five wickets caught behind, three to the keeper, two to mikey and one absolute blinder from Aaron diving to his right taking it one handed centimetres from the ground putting him in contention for best catch of the season award, we were feeling good, talking good, playing good and clintoff was even looking good!
With Rhys steaming in the other end, Gary bowled 10 overs straight taking 4 for 52 and led the charge in demolishing the cavs for a second innings total of 138 giving them a lead of 79 which we would attempt to chase down in the 35 minutes remaining. Notable mentions again to Clintoff who surprised us all with managing to land 6 of his trademark �Sledgehammers� on the pitch to complete an over of bowling.
Changing the line up to suit the aggressive chase, Gary and Aaron opened the batting, having both notched themselves half centuries in blazing fashion in past matches. However, second ball of the innings, Gary was dismissed after a fantasy catch by their keeper, who gloved it in one hand mid air. Aaron followed shortly after, bowled by a big in cutter. Mikey middis looked to take the game by the horn and keen on steering us to the total comfortably but fell caught on the boundary on 13. With 50 odd runs still to get off very little overs, Debutant Rhys from herein known as Debby, set about impressing his new teammates with an unbeaten 17 while I continued some lucky form for 36 not out to get a partnership of 40. When the opposition brought on their resident spinner I almost laughed out loud thinking we couldn't hit him for 19 runs in the final over� I strutted down the pitch to Rhys on strike and let him know some puss was a coming and he smirked back� first ball was not a spinner, but a decent lengthed ball that was awkwardly pushed through agap in the field for runs. The over was semi decent, with the ball getting los tin the shadows that were now cast upon the pitch, until the last ball. Having Rhys smash Matt Ramsay well over the boundary on the last ball for the day left us a total of 6 short of an outright win in our first two dayer of the season.
We left the field having come so close to what would have been an epic effort from the Jets, coming from 5 for 40 to an outright win. Nonetheless, despite the failure of the run chase, we held our heads high for our team effort in reaching our first win of the two day series. It was a good match for th Jets, proving their worth as a fielding elite team, having bwled out a full line up twice over, to have the Cavs in an absolute mess and ready for some crushing. Notable mentions to the bowlers for this achievement. If that's what we accomplish in our first match, imagine what we will be doing come the end of the season.
Bring on the Baptists this Saturday.
(PS � im nominating either Cody or Amilla � the two returning jets for next weeks report so you two better pay some attention to the game, and do well so you can brag like I do J )