Recently, the Gippsland Goannas and the South Gippsland Kookaburras Over-70s sides finally did battle at the Yinnar
Recreation Reserve, after being rained out several weeks ago.
Winning the toss, South Gippsland batted first with Warwick Hayes and Keith Houghton facing off against Gordon Cowling (3/27).
Cowling had the first success with Hayes edging to Ray Smith at slip, in the fifth over.
Peter Little (26) and Houghton (28) batted strongly, before retiring, from their 30 balls.
The score was 1/42 after 10 overs as Neil Meredith (2/32) came into the attack.
Warren Dummett was bowled by Meredith, the score at the 20th over drinks break
was 3/89.
Neil White was run out by a great throw from Smith to keeper Donald Cameron, before Fred Debono (13) retired.
Alex Miller was caught by Murray Moore, from Meredith’s bowling, for 30 runs from just 23 balls, and Peter Loos was caught from a skier by Cowling from the bowling of Andy Slevin (1/26), for 27 runs from 18 balls.
Rob Francis, Andrew Smith and Geoff Birnie (15) all added to the total as Bob Penrose bowled four economical overs and Smith and Cowling returned to the attack.
Kookaburras’ final score was 7/176 from their 40 overs.
It was noted at the break that four of the Kookaburras had actually played for the Goannas in the previous season.
After the lunch break, Meredith and Cameron faced the attack of Birnie and Houghton (2/13), with Houghton hitting Meredith’s stumps in the sixth over.
Smith (15) joined Cameron and the score after 10 overs was 1/25.
Cameron (15) retired shortly after, Smith was bowled by Loos (1/21), Moore was bowled by Andrew Smith (1/18) and the Goannas were in trouble at 3/38 with three of their gun bats back in the shed.
Gibson (23) and Penrose (15) took the score to 70, when the latter was stumped by Dummett from Francis’ bowling.
Phill Higgins and Cowling put on 24 runs, both caught behind by Dummett.
Slevin was caught and bowled by Debono (1/4) and Bob Duljas was bowled by White (2/23) in the 30th over, making the score 7/98.
Cameron returned to the crease, joining Nunn (13) and they batted out the final six overs, with the score reaching 8/124 at the end of the innings.
Birnie, eight overs for just 12 runs and 15 not out was awarded the Kookaburras player of the match, and Cameron for his wicket keeping and batting the Goannas award.
The Goannas Over-70 team will play their next home match against Ringwood on
January 4.
The Gippsland Goannas Over-60 cricket team recently to Maribyrnong Reserve on
the west side of Melbourne to take on the Barkly St Dragons.
Losing the toss the Goannas were asked to bat first and certainly made the most of their opportunities, amassing 283 runs for the loss of five wickets from their 40 overs.
Graeme Ingle (34), Ray Floyd (25), Smith (29), Adrian Quirk (42) and Penrose (13) all retired, while Bernie Symons (28), Rob Bacchetti (25), Keith Orchard (28) and Meredith 29 not out were the best of the other batsmen.
In reply the Dragons were dismissed in
the 32nd over for 66 runs, with Orchard the star taking a remarkable 5/8, well supported by Quirk (1/8), Meredith (1/3) and Smith (3/8), with Symons, Bacchetti, Smith and Quirk all taking catches.
Meanwhile the Goannas Over-50s next
game is scheduled to be on January 18 away to the Ballarat team.
