The all-rounder, Jupiter Pluvius, who has had a remarkably consistent 2022/23 season, again played an important role in yesterday’s WDCA matches.
Old ‘Jup’ lurked in the background as the central figure……just as the players began tuning up for the keenly-awaited A-Grade Grand Final re-play between Rovers-United-Bruck and Wangaratta-Magpies…..
The Findlay Oval was in A1 condition, although murky skies overhead sent a few players diving for their mobiles………The prognosis was ominous…….a belt of dark green was heading our way…….’Jup’ was set to influence the game, yet again…..
Almost on cue came the misty rain……enough to delay the start and become decidedly irritating…….the covers protecting the sacrosanct centre strip would remain intact for quite some time……
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So the lengthy waiting-game began…….Players gathered in clumps to discuss the subjects of the moment…
Not terribly high-brow stuff, mind you…….like, who were the star-performers on the recent Footy Trip…..what a ‘prick’ this weather is…….some random recollections of games gone by……..the latest salacious rumours……
One old fellah joked that, in his day they’d already have knocked the top off the first stubbie……which would more often than not have led to many more, and stretched deep into the night……
But such is their thirst for cricket that these lads were prepared to leave it to the umpie, Michael Hurley, to arbitrate when the covers might be able to be lifted, surplus residue mopped up, and get the delayed start under way…..
Finally, after a couple of inspections, the weather cleared and it was mutually agreed upon…….a 3pm start….a 25-over game…..
In my humble opinion the ump handled the situation perfectly…….
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The Pies drew first blood when Koot Pienaar, who had started his innings off with a flourish – was caught short – attempting a hazardous run.
He’s a ‘goer’ is the blond, stocky South African import, who is no doubt going to turn a couple of games the Hawks’ way with the bat this season…….Despite his intent, and eagerness to make an impression, he has thus far been light-on in the luck department.
The Pies opening attack, as usual, looked solid……Big left-armer Chris Clement rarely gives much away and his new-ball partner Matt Gathercole is a perfect foil.
But new-arrival Jacob Beattie, recently back in the country from a Bali vacation, relished his lift up the batting order, and began to hit his straps from the get-go.
He lost Luke Whitten, who was trapped in front by Zac Guilfoyle for 8, but found a solid ally in the Sri Lankan dasher, Lucky Perera.
The pair added 58 in brisk time, which included a couple of delightful sixes from the blade of Perera, who looks as composed as most players in the competition when he’s on song…
The steady Gathercole had him caught in the deep, for 31 off 34 balls, but his replacement, Jacob Schonafinger continued the entertainment with a brisk, undefeated, 23 off 22 balls.
Beattie timed the ball perfectly – as if he’d spent a solid month in the nets, rather than a few weeks basking on the sun-drenched islands…..
He and ‘Schona’ took the total into the 130’s before the re-introduction of Clement saw the ‘big fellah’ claim Beattie for 58, and snare a swinging Jeremy Wilson, who lost his ‘castle’……
Rovers-United’s total of 5/134 was patently gettable, but at 5.3 runs per over, the Pies would need things to go their way to snatch victory….
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What they certainly didn’t need was the clatter of early wickets.
Ryan Malcolm, promoted after an enterprising knock in A-Reserve, played all over a well-pitched delivery from Brady Bartlett and was on his way for 1.
Bartlett was working up a deal of pace with the breeze at his back from the Gum-Tree end…..
Soon after Jarrod Wallace had been run out, the energetic speedster rattled the stumps of Nick Bonwick…….The Pies were 3/16, and in a deal of bother……
But the arrival of Pranav Menon at the crease, is enough to gladden the heart of the most pessimistic Wang-Magpies fan.
Over the last season and a bit the right-hander has produced evidence that he’s one of the classiest players to perform in the WDCA for many a long day .
He learned his craft on the parkland pitches of Mumbai, and showed enough in Premier ranks with Prahran, to prove that he’s no slouch….
If ever there was a man for the occasion it was the redoubtable ‘Prav’……
He began cautiously enough, turning several singles into superbly-run two’s…….But whilst he was being deprived of the strike, wickets were consistently falling around him.
Firstly, Nick Pell, a brilliant performer with the ball in last season’s decider, was bowled by Jeremy Wilson…..Pell had looked completely comfortable and had begun to push the run-rate along at a handy rate with Menon.
His was an untimely departure….Shortly after, skipper Jack Davies was snapped up in the covers off Jacob Schonafinger.
‘Prav’ survived a diving caught and bowled attempt by spinner Koot Pienaar….One would have thought that the result of the game may have hinged on that fortunate escape for the Indian, as he and Fraser Dent had pushed the score into the nineties.
Their target was within striking distance, and ‘Prav’ would soon be able to rein in a flagging run-rate, as he seemed on the verge of taking charge of the game.
Alas, within minutes Dent had fallen to Pienaar for 7 and Menon was another ‘Koot’ victim, snapped up by Schonafinger after a rare rash shot.
He had scored 46 off 48 balls….Wang-Magpies were now 7/94…..The pendulum had swung completely in the favour of the Hawks.
Some hefty blows from tail-ender Matt Gathercole lifted the total into three figures but, just as the sounds of thunder began to rattle ominously in the west, the Pies had run out of time……..they were 9/114 – 21 runs shy of victory…..
ON REFLECTION 