“THE LEGEND FROM PELLUEBLA SOUTH……….”

Someone suggested at a recent cricket match in Yarrawonga, that I should catch up with Bruce Wright……one of the characters of local sport……

“Old ‘Monty’ will regale you with plenty of tall tales, and true,” they assured me.

So off I go….

The instructions to reach Pelluebla South were simple, even for me…….“Turn left at Peechelba…go through Wilby……Once you hit the Benalla-Yarrawonga Road veer left for three kilometres or so ……you’ll spot the house….You can’t miss it…..”

Ah, there it is…….

At first sight it reminds me of a scene from an old Western……A weathered 90 year-old is casually leaning against a fence in the back yard…….felt hat turned up at the brim…..walking-stick in hand……casting an eye over his domain……looking about as delapidated as some of the sheds nearby……

He begins reminiscing the moment we shake hands….

“Hang on, Bruce. Can we sit down somewhere, so I can jot this stuff down……And have you got any old cuttings from days gone by….?”

“ Nah, it’s all in me head,”……

I remind him I played one of my first North-East Cup matches against him, at Wilby, just on sixty years ago…..”That’d be right,” he says…….

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A bloke called Peter Peters from Tungamah handed him the nickname, ‘Monty’.

“He thought the peaked cap I wore reminded him of Field-Marshall Montgomery, the esteemed British military leader of the First and Second World Wars……It stuck,”

Bruce cut his teeth in the now-defunct Lake Rowan Cricket Association, which comprised teams from Wilby, St.James, Thoona, Bungeet, Devenish, Tungamah, Lake Rowan, Dookie and Dookie College.”

“ ‘Jacko’, the local butcher, used to roll the wicket at the College…..By golly, could he get a Turf wicket up…..Best wicket in the area…..True as true, it was….”

He recalls he was only a nipper when a truck would pull up outside the farm. He’d jump in the back, sit on one of the bench seats and be taken to line up for Wilby. He later transferred to Tungamah, then spent a few years with St.James.

“You had to tangle with plenty of Hargreaves’, McQualter’s, Willett’s, Gibson’s and Irvine’s in my days,” he says.

“In fact, Eric Irvine was the quickest I’ve seen around here……When that ball left his hand you could hear it whistle…..Boy, could he bowl…..and bat ! ”

“He was bowling one day and Ernie Howells, the ‘keeper and captain, was sitting right up on the stumps…..Eric’s charged in and the ball’s taken his hat off……Ernie wasn’t happy: ‘That’s your last fuckin’ over,’ he snapped…..He was a bit embarrassed, I suppose……It’s a wonder the ball didn’t kill him…”

“Even so, Eric was bowling one day and Cecil Howells, Ernie’s brother, was fielding in slip. The batsman has nicked one, Cecil’s paused from rolling a cigarette, plucked out one hand, took the catch and put the ball in his pocket…..The batsman refused to believe he was out…..until Cecil produced the pill…….”

“The Irvine’s – Bill, George and Eric – were all terrific fellahs and great players, but I reckon Ray – one of the next generation – was the pick of ‘em….”

“Stan Box from Bungeet is another who comes to mind, but I got into him one day…….Hit him over the fence, twice……He said: ‘Have you got something against me Bruce ?’…….’I’m just warming up’, I replied.

“Heck, you must have liked belting the ball, Bruce…..Did you play any defensive shots ?” I ask……”Occasionally,” he replies.

Whilst we’re on that subject, he recalls the day an old chap called Bill Lonie, and his wife, turned up to watch their son playing for Lake Rowan.

“They’d just taken possession of a new green Pilot motor car…….I’ve latched onto a straight drive and it’s hit the top rail of the fence and cannoned into the split windscreen……”

“He spun the wheels and away he went…..never came back to the cricket…..muttered something about: ‘That bloody Bruce Wright….”

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Bruce used to look forward to the annual trip to Bendigo Country Week. He went for several years, originally as a player, then Manager.

“We actually won A-Grade over there one year,” he says.

In one of his first knocks Lake Rowan were playing Barham-Koondrook. As he approached the crease an opposition player proceeded to sledge him.

“Our captain, Jack McQualter, had a word of advice to settle me down: ‘Just block a few ‘Monty’, ‘til you get your eye in.”

“It’ll be right, Jack, I’ll handle it,” I said.

“Anyway, the bloke who’d been stirring me came on to bowl and had that smart-arsed look on his face. I pointed to a tree over near the edge of the highway…..I said: ‘That’s where I’ll land your first ball’ .”

“He bowls, dead on middle stump…..and I’ve lobbed it on the front verandah of a house over the road…….I’ve hit 18 off his first over…The poor bugger couldn’t bowl, field or do anything after that….”

Bruce went to the Country Week meeting one Wednesday night with fellow delegate, Ross Leitch.

“I said to Ross: ‘I’ll do the talking….I’ve got something important to bring up.’……So I spoke to the President: ‘Excuse me, sir. Can I say something……It’s about these umpires wearing sunglasses….The buggers can’t see at the best of times ……What hope have they got of seeing with sunglasses….? It didn’t go over too well.”

“A bloke came up to me afterwards, complaining: ‘What’d you say that for ?’…..’Well,’ I said, ‘I was only tellin’ you the bloody truth.”

“We were coming back to Bendigo after playing at Rochester one day….about 8 of us, in a station wagon. We’d had quite a few beers when a cop pulled us over….”

“He asked us: ‘Who threw that can out the window ?….‘ Young Johnny Leary owned up: ‘I did’. “

“ ‘Where are you staying ? ‘ the cop asked, and we told him the European Hotel, right in the middle of Bendigo. ‘Well, you don’t look a bad mob of blokes; just don’t throw any more cans out, if you don’t mind.’ “

“Ray Irvine said: ‘Geez, ‘Mont’ that was close, wasn’t it ?’ “

Celebrating 70 years of Yarrawonga Table Tennis.Bruce Wright is second from right (front row)

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“I’ve spent a lifetime involved with Table Tennis,” Bruce admits,”….but cricket was really the game I fancied.”

When he says a lifetime he’s not exaggerating ……

He was the inaugural President of the Yarrawonga Table Tennis Association, and held the position for 60 years. When he stepped down his son John took over.

Originally, they’d play in a variety of Halls around Yarra, but 50-odd years ago, with the help of the Council, they obtained a grant and constructed a shed at the Showgrounds. It has remained the Association’s permanent home.

Bruce and his great mate Mick Saunders, who has been a near-neighbour for most of his life, represented Yarra at 66 consecutive Table Tennis Country Weeks……”Me and Mick played together for a long time”.

Bruce Wright (left) with his long-term playing partner Mick Saunders

“We were a bit dirty on missing the first-ever Country Week they held, though. They didn’t let us know it was on.”

He also headed over to play in the Wangaratta comp for many years.

“You must be still hitting ‘em okay ?” I suggest.

“Ah yeah. Not too bad.”

“ John ( his son) is better than ever I was, though. He’s played in Canberra, Darwin, South and West Australia….everywhere.”

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Bruce played footy on the wing with Tungamah for a decade or so, then took up goal umpiring. Those who saw him in action with the sticks say that he was one of the more flamboyant Ovens and Murray ‘men in white’.

He had a lot of time for Neil Davis, the ex-Yarrawonga star.

“Came from Berrigan……he was my favourite…..a good player….lovely fellah…..It was wonderful when he coached Yarra to that flag……but tragic that he died so young.

Bruce was also a bit concerned for his health in his younger days.

“I was giving the grog a bit of a hammering……After a good mate, Bill Irvine passed away many, many years ago, I thought I’d better have a check-up…….went to see a specialist in Wangaratta.”

“He laid it on the line: ‘If you keep this up you’ll be dead in three months…….I haven’t touched a drop since….”

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His descendants, the Wright’s and Rose’s lobbed here from Lancefield with everything they possessed, in bullock-wagons, around 1884.

“My Grandma’s surname was Rose……Her dad was a drover, and had 12 kids to his first wife, who died of tetanus…..Then he took in a house-keeper, married her, and had another 12 kids…..”

“Grandad built the house across the road, on a selected block. He once told of the day he saw about a dozen horsemen coming through the bush, from up Benalla way. “

“One of the young blokes asked: ‘Do you mind if we stop a while to rest the horses….And you wouldn’t happen to have a Chew ( plug of Tobacco ) on you, would ya ?”

“Now this is Grandad’s story, mind you: ……He said they had a good chat…… the young fellah cut a little square out of the tobacco, handed it back, and told him how pleased he was to make his acquaintance…..Introduced himself….Ned Kelly was his name…”

“They were off to a place called Jerilderie, he explained. “Grandad invited him to call in on his way back and wished him good luck for the trip……..thought Ned seemed a polite young fellah…..”

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There’s no doubting Bruce’s hero…….It was his Dad, Joseph Albert (Bert) Wright, who was born and raised across the road.

“”Dad enlisted in the Australian Light Horse Regiment in 1914 and travelled to Egypt. He served in Gallipoli, and when he was fighting on the Western Front, was awarded the French Medal Militaire for valour and devotion to duty.”

“He also received the Croix de Guerre, the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.”

“I was eight when he headed off to the Second World War in 1940. He was promoted to Major and served ‘til the end of the War.”

“He paid a visit back to Gallipoli in 1967, but he never talked about the War much to me…….They say he was a great leader…… a very firm man….and a terrific horseman.”

“You know, when he was discharged, they offered him a pension, but he refused to accept it……. said he was only doing his job, and wouldn’t take money from the government.”

Bert must have been a real straight-shooter……………much like his son Bruce…….

“ANOTHER RIVETING DAY’S PLAY AT STAN HARGREAVES OVAL…..”

I look forward to the annual pilgrimage to Yarrawonga’s Stan Hargreaves Oval……….

Situated on the eastern fringe of the town, a white picket fence surrounds a beautifully-thatched green sward, and a typically hard, true centre strip…

The balcony, which is situated on boundary’s edge, provides an excellent, sometimes rowdy viewing area……and leads into the Pavilion, which is, as usual, a hive of activity on match-day……

The Bar has been fully operational from the start of proceedings today , and there are more than a few of the locals sampling the amber fluid…….A giant TV on one wall screens the races from Caulfield and Rosehill…….On another, the uninterrupted vision of the current game is available to those who can’t be bothered craning their necks around to glimpse the action in the middle…..

They look after you a treat, the Lakers…….There’s always ample tucker on hand……….But someone offered the finest piece de resistance I’ve ever had as a scorer – a large plate of piping-hot fresh fish….

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You know you’re always going to be in for a hell of a contest against the Yarra-Mul Lakers, who exude confidence and have become a traditional WDCA powerhouse.

They keep rolling out talented youngsters to complement the array of stars who’ve kept them at the top for more than a decade.

But today’s game, I sense, has a bit of extra meaning for them…….Their opponents, reigning premiers Rovers-United-Bruck, knocked them over in last season’s semi-final and they’re keen to exact revenge.

The Hawks, on the other hand, haven’t tasted success over here for six years……There’s a hint of summer finally in the air….. two top sides are in action……you couldn’t wish to be in a better place than Hargreaves Oval.

I’m not disappointed………it proves to be a fantastic, high-standard game……….

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For the Lakers’ experienced openers Reed Clarke and Matt Casey, it’s ‘steady as she goes’ in the opening overs….

Left-handed Clarke, in particular, has decided to knuckle down, and provide support to his more adventurous team-mate. But they must have wondered what demons the wicket had in store for them when speedster Paddy McNamara incited a couple of venomous early deliveries to jump and spit.

You could see the Hawk skipper licking his chops, but that proved to be the only sign of mischief that the pitch displayed .

Tall and imposing Casey, whose only other knock this season had been an undefeated century against Delatite, looked completely at ease and again emphasised his standing as one of the competition’s top batsmen.

A solid, stylish defence is his keynote, but he dealt severely with the occasional overpitched delivery and he and Clarke guided their side to 0/ 51 at the 20-over mark.

There was really no cause for concern at the slow run-rate as the Lakers, with a lengthy batting list, reasoned that they could apply the pressure later in the innings…..The RUB bowlers, however, deserved credit for their accuracy and discipline.

The first twist in the game came after the drinks break, when Hawk speedster Brady Bartlett ended Clarke’s 76-minute stay at the crease…..He enticed him to nick one…..Keeper Perera did the rest….

Then youngster Zac Fraser swung wildly at a Bartlett delivery and middle stump was uprooted……A few balls later Corey McIntosh fended at a spinning delivery from South African leggie Koot Pienaar, who dived to take a brilliant catch mid-pitch…..

Suddenly the Lakers had slumped to 3/67.

But there was no more joy for the Hawks for some time, as veteran Matt Knight helped Casey to take charge of the game.

They added 40 in just 32 minutes……There have been few more aggressive stroke-makers than the solidly-built left-handed Knight in the last decade ……His innings of 28, which included 5 fours, ended when he skied one and was caught in the deep off McNamara.

Casey’s adventurous attempt at a second run brought his fine knock of 68 to a close, but he had piloted his side to a total of 6/137 at time; a target which, to my mind, would take some catching……..

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The RUB innings could hardly provided a starker contrast to the solid foundation provided by Yarrawonga-Mulwala.

They were in immediate trouble……

Lakers speedsters Corey McIntosh and Angus McMillan cut a swathe through their upper order to have them reeling at 3/19.

A solid response was required……It was up to young skipper Paddy McNamara and a contributor to many such rear-guard actions – Jacob Schonafinger – to right the ship.

The runs came, firstly at a trickle…… then, as ‘Schona’ produced some deft cover drives and began pushing the ball behind square, the total began to mount…

Alas, he played all over one from Jacob Bartlett and was gone for 19. Five balls later, Matthew Whitten departed and the Hawks had tumbled to a disastrous 5/42.

Their prospects looked precarious, but McNamara found a capable ally in his new partner, Lucky Perera – a renowned cool-head in a crisis. .

They added 46 runs in close to even-time to resuscitate the innings. ‘Lucky’ was the dominant partner, but McNamara played an anchor-role, as he set about crafting his finest – and highest – WDCA innings.

Again disaster struck….Perera pulled a full toss from Ben Kennedy and was caught for 28…..the Hawks were 6/88 – still 50 runs away from victory..

Brady Bartlett and Matt Winter both produced valuable cameos, as the target began to inch closer.

There were 15 runs required, with eight wickets down, when irrepressible Blake Nixon, freshly promoted from A-Reserve, marched purposefully to the crease.

Not content to be cast in a subsidiary role, Nixon proceeded to carve 13 runs off nine deliveries to help steer the Hawks to an unlikely victory.

At the other end McNamara, who had played the perfect foil during his 143-minute stay at the crease, for his unbeaten 46, stood in the background, as Nixon began his victory lap of Stan Hargreaves Oval…..

‘AND NOW, THE TIME HAS COME…..’

It’s the pinnacle of the season tomorrow; the culmination of a year’s hard work………

The WDCA Grand Final has provided a catalogue of upsets, controversies, brilliant performances, dramatic collapses and – dare I say it – rain interruptions.

My memories hark back to the fifties, when Dad and his brothers left you in no doubt they were playing for ‘sheep stations’, as they prepared for the ‘Big One’….. But for decades before that, tempers flared and emotions boiled when rivals fought for the flag.

Here is a selection of  games that fostered a tradition which has spanned 123 years…….

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1896/97 : Wangaratta v Exelsior.

“……At 9/68 on the first day, these were anything but cheering figures that greeted the Wangaratta skipper, as he strode out to join McCallum, in one of the most eventful partnerships ever seen on the Wangaratta ground.

He had a ‘grim smile’ and one of the onlookers remarked…..”what if the last two were to make a century ?”

The batsmen played with verve and judgement. Clarke was content to play a steady game, but Mac hit ‘bloomin hard’ and ‘ bloomin often’.

Hickey came on and clean-bowled McCallum and the innings closed for 137.

Exelsior’s reply began well the following week, but soon they slumped. Their hopes were revived by Joe Bath, as they edged ever closer to the Wangaratta total.

But Joe had the unpleasant experience of having his wicket put down by the Wang keeper.

He played a splendid and plucky innings – never giving a chance. He was very knocked about, but had the consolation of knowing that he received his wounds and spilt his blood in a most stubborn fight.

The ray of light that had started to glow in the breast of Wangaratta now burst into the sunshine of splendid victory as Jimmy Tough, the last man in, knocked the ball into Len Docker’s hands.

While the ball was in the air, even the boldest held their breath, but when its career was stopped, the Wang supporters manifested their delight in no uncertain terms……”

Wangaratta 137 defeated Exelsior 130…..

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1928/29 : Wangaratta v East Wangaratta.

“Scarcely in the history of the WDCA have there been two stauncher rivals than the Grand Final combatants, who met at Oxley.

Wangaratta managed 136, with their premier batsman Alec Fraser registering 36, to be the main obstacle to the much-vaunted East Wang pace attack.

East gained a slender advantage by posting 158. Clem Fisher was his usual obstinate self in an innings of control, but it was the slow bowler Tom Nolan, with 8/48, who took the honours for Wangaratta.

Wang could manage only 99 in their second innings, after Harry Fisher had taken 6/5. So East needed 79 to take out the premiership.

They still needed 9 runs when last pair Cliff Pratt and Bill McCormick were at the crease.

Easts supporters urged them along all the way, as they inched their way to a famous win…..”

East Wangaratta 158 and 9/79 defeated Wangaratta 136 and 99.

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1933/34: Footballers v. Wangaratta.

“It was a most riveting game, dominated by the slow bowlers.

Wangaratta’s score of 87 saw them take a 1-run advantage over Footballers, who wouldn’t have reached their total of 86, but for a fine contribution from Arch Wilkinson.

Wilkinson’s 7/44 wrecked Wangaratta’s second innings, but they reached 97.

Footballers, having given themselves a definite chance of taking the honours, were then bundled out for 65.

Don Young did the damage. He bowled remarkably well, flighting and turning the ball in a manner that made him nigh unplayable. Young finished with 6/29…..”

Wangaratta 87 and 97 defeated Footballers 86 and 65.

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1935/36: Footballers v. Eldorado.

“This was one of the most memorable of all Grand Finals, principally for the numerous batting records which were created along the way.

On the first day, Arch Wilkinson and Bernie Izard put on 245 for the first wicket. Resuming on Day 2, Charlie Heavey and Frank Archman carried on the awesome performance, and added 287 for the third wicket.

The score at the end of the day was 8/634.

The first four batsmen scored centuries or over: Izard 100, Wilkinson 154, Heavey 187 and Archman 112.

Eldorado were to be congratulated for the wonderful way they stuck to their task.

Footballers declared after two days batting and Eldorado set out on their Herculean task. Several batsmen got a start, but the lower order failed badly and they were all out for 126.

In their second innings, Eldorado had compiled 5/196 when play was mercifully concluded……”

Footballers 8/634 defeated Eldorado 126 and 5/196.

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1957/58: Magpies v Bruck.

“The week preceding the Grand Final was chock-full of drama.

Magpies, in their third year in the competition, had staged a withering run after the Christmas break,  sneaking into the four at the death-knock, at the expense of unlucky Moyhu Gold.

They defeated Rovers Brown in a fiery semi-final clash, which saw three of their players – Jack McDonald, Peter Larkins and captain John Holloway – reported by umpire Bill Daly, for disputing an LBW decision against Graham Kerr.

All of them escaped with a reprimand, and were able to take their place in the Grand Final.

Bruck, led by Mac Holten, were the favourites going into the game, and they battled hard to contain Magpies to a score of 170. Jack Isles, with a handy 32, was the main thorn in Bruck’s side.

Bruck were always in contention, but were unable to gain the upper hand against some superb bowling from Jack McDonald, who finished with 8/67.

Bruck, at stages appeared to be on the verge of victory, but fell agonisingly short, by six runs……”

Magpies 170 defeated Bruck 164.

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1959/60: Rovers v Bruck

“Chasing their second successive flag, Rovers pacemen Jim Horne and Jim Chapman cut a swathe through the Bruck batting line-up to dismiss them for a paltry 90.

The swing of Horne (4/36) and the fire of Chapman (3/30) had given the Hawks the ascendency, but Bruck hit back well to have Rovers 5/14 at one stage, then 6/64 at stumps on the first day.

Jack Beeby (7/45) was the wrecker, as Rovers limped to a four-run lead, thanks to a lone hand of 50 from Len Hill.

Bruck were sailing along well, at 5/106 in the second ‘dig’, but collapsed dramatically to be all out for 115.

Chapman, Len Hill and Bob Rose shared the spoils for the Hawks.

Rovers had some anxious moments in pursuit of 113, and slumped to 5/74.

On a wicket which was affected by overnight rain, the feature of the day was the batting display of Fred Booth, who was 31* when Rovers claimed victory. It was only in the last hour that the Hawks put the match beyond doubt………”

Rovers 94 and 6/114 defeated Bruck 90 and 115.

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1986/87: City Colts v Corowa.

“Corowa made history by reaching their first WDCA Final.

And although they were given a hammering by City Colts, local fans were soon to become used to the Border team winning their way through to the Grand Final.

Corowa could only muster 141, as Maurie Braden and Mick Lappin did the damage. Colts, who were also relative newcomers to the finals stage, gave themselves a fair chance. But this was one game where their batting line-up rose to the occasion.

Led by teen-ager Scott Clayton (146*), they amassed a huge 414, with Maurie Braden (97), Russell Harris (76) and John Hill (32) joining the action.

Rod Lane, who was to join Carlton the following season, toiled manfully to finish with 6/100……..”

City Colts 414 defeated Corowa 141.

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2001/02: Wangaratta-Magpies v Rovers-United.

“One of the great WDCA Grand Finals went right down to the wire, in a low-scoring encounter.

Magpie star Duane Kerwin held his side’s innings together with a fine undefeated 73, to guide them to a respectable total of 151 after they had slumped to 5/55. Hawk speedmen Adam Booth, Peter Harvey and Trevor Anderson shared the bowling honours with three wickets apiece.

Rovers-United, 2/18 overnight, had slumped to 4/24 the next morning. Dogged right-hand opener Anthony Lawler then stepped up and proved the unlikely hero for the Hawks.

Recalled to the side after the unavailability of Peter Tossol, Lawler’s 61 was an innings of patience and defiance.

Even so, the Hawks still needed 12 runs for victory when the last pair, Peter Harvey and Adam Booth came together.

It was Harvey who hit the winning runs to take Rovers-United to a dramatic victory, despite the lion-hearted effort of ‘Pies quickie Tim Sheldon, who finished with 6/34……..”

Rovers-United 9/153 defeated Wangaratta-Magpies 151.

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2011/12: City Colts v Yarrawonga-Mulwala.

“City Colts suffered Grand Final pain for the 4th consecutive year, after losing a nail-biting clash with Yarrawonga-Mulwala.

The Lakers caused one of the upsets of the season, at the most appropriate time, with a Marcus Hargreaves spell on the opening day proving the catalyst to their four-wicket win.

Hargreaves took 5/47 in a 24-over spell, to help restrict Colts to 177 off 75 overs. Colts flew away to a good start, with openers Jeremy Carr and Nick Norris crafting a 40-run stand. It was left to veterans Scott Clayton and Justin Solimo to steady the ship, but the going was slow.

Luckily, the tail wagged, to push the score to 177.

In reply, the Lakers also found difficulty in breaking the shackles, but Daniel Athanitis (33), Lee Fraser (34) and Dwayne Duxson kept them within reach of a competitive total.

But they still needed 33 off 8 overs when Fraser was dismissed, and youngster Paddy Martin strode to the crease.

Whereas the batting over the two days had been circumspect, Martin cleared the field with some excellent hitting. Nineteen balls later, the game was over. Martin’s quickfire 26 and Duxson’s dogged, unbeaten 39 had taken the Lakers to their first WDCA flag……”

Yarrawonga-Mulwala 6/179 defeated City Colts 177

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2018/19: City Colts v Yarrawonga-Magpies.

“Who will write the next chapter in the WDCA Grand Final story……?”

RIVALS TURN ON ANOTHER CLASSIC CONTEST…….

Joe Thomas, of Great & Little Trew Cricket Club – and occasionally Oxfordshire – made his debut on Australian soil yesterday.

And the rangy English all-rounder played his part in a classic encounter, as Yarrawonga-Mulwala and Rovers-United-Bruck, tangled at the Stan Hargreaves Oval.

It was a match that went right down to the wire – as most contests between the arch rivals generally do – and re-affirmed that both will be thereabouts at the business end of this WDCA season.

Hawks’ skipper Jordan Blades won the toss and elected to bowl in perfect conditions. He sprung the first surprise when Thomas was thrown the new ball.

It was obviously an opportunity for the left-arm finger spinner to settle in to his new surroundings and he immediately dropped onto a tidy line.

But after just one over, Blades reverted to the pacemen. Hamish Busk was a trifle rusty; Jacob Schonafiner, at the ‘Paddock End’, looked dangerous, and disturbed the stumps of highly-rated Shepparton recruit Josh Lawrence.

Ben Welsh and Matt Casey steadily solidified the Lakers’ innings before the game took the first of its several turns.

16 year-old Josh O’Donohue, playing just his sixth senior game, and with two A-Grade wickets to his name, found his rhythm in a terrific second over, to remove Welsh (25). Soon after he had the danger-man, Matt Knight, snapped up by a juggling Adam McNamara in slip.

Both wickets fell on 43. Suddenly the Hawks had assumed control.

It was an important spell for the lad, who tore in with zest and kept the ball up for the most part. Occasionally he dropped one short and was punished, but this was possibly through becoming a tad weary.

His eight-over spell yielded 5/25, and was a key factor in maintaining the ascendency of ball over bat.

But the bowling performances of Schonafinger (8/5/2/4) and Thomas (8/3/2/16) shouldn’t be discounted. ‘’Schona’ was always probing and gave nothing away, whilst Thomas proved what an asset he’ll be – particularly in the two-day format – with an accurate, tidy spell, which produced the occasional ‘fizzer’.

The Hawks had reduced the home combination to 9/98. But the next – and probably most important twist – came when James Irvine and second-gamer Will Sharp combined to defy their preying opposition in a 29-run last wicket-stand.

You just sensed that these were ultra-valuable runs. And it probably became apparent that the Hawks were a front-line bowler short, as the Lakers pushed their tally to a competitive 9/127 after 40 overs………..
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Rovers-United-Brucks’ progress was steady in pursuit of the target. Luke Whitten was watchful; Jordan Blades was his usual aggressive self. They didn’t really have much loose stuff to feast on, as left-arm opening quicks Angus McMillan and James Irvine were bang on target.

It meant that the Hawks were unable to push the run-rate beyond three-an-over. The introduction of young leggie Brock McCabe provided Blades with a couple of handy offerings which he despatched to the deep.

But, with the score on 48, Blades was gone for an enterprising 30, falling
to the newly-introduced Corey McIntosh ( Whitten had been dismissed 11 runs earlier).

Jacob Schonafinger was pro-active with the bat, but you could sense that some impressive bowling and plenty of yap in the field was conducive to tightening the screws.

‘Schona’ fell for 15 when Matt Knight made a surprise excursion to the bowling crease, but Adam McNamara, who is rarely shackled for long, took to the Lakers coach, smacking two sixes over mid-wicket amongst a 15-run over. Again, the Hawks had poked their noses in front.

With the total on 94 – and seven wickets to play with – Knight’s re-introduction of his opening quicks paid dividends. Jim Campbell was caught behind, Hamish Busk was clean-bowled, and the important wicket of McNamara fell to James Irvine.

It was now 6/94 and the weights had been applied to the visitors. Irvine snared another two victims in a team-lifting spell, which saw him finish with 4/17 and had the Hawks teetering at 8/106 – still 22 runs shy of victory.

Enter Joe Thomas. Reports had indicated that he preferred to bat in the middle-order, ideally at about number 7.  Some local experts preferred to think that, after watching him in the nets on Thursday night, he could be pushed up a little higher.

After getting a couple of effortless early shots away, it was obvious that the game now rested in his hands.

The big fellah looked composed, and whittled the margin down. He needed to continue throwing the bat – and keeping the strike – as time was of the essence. He had scored 21 and appeared on the verge of becoming an instant hero when sprightly young left-armer Will Sharp brought the home crowd to its feet by disturbing his hardware.

9/121. Seven to win; one wicket in hand. Wicket-keeper, and another debutant, Damien Kelly, was at the crease, and was joined by Josh O’Donohue.

He scrounged a single to maintain the strike. Six to win with an over from paceman Ben Doyle remaining, to settle what had been an absorbing contest.

Kelly straight drove the second ball for four. Two to win.

He attempted an identical shot next delivery, but it wasn’t there……He heard the sound of the death rattle behind him. The Lakers had triumphed by one run……

The crowd at Hargreaves Oval rose as one – after they finally realised that there was a tiny glitch on the electronic scoreboard – celebrating a famous Lakers triumph.

In a game that stood out for its excellent bowling, as well as its scratchy batting, it was also proof that WDCA cricket is alive and well ……..

HONEST TOILER GETS HIS REWARD

Jacob Schonafinger has spent the bulk of his WDCA career with his back to the wall.

In the 80 A-Grade games that he has played since he first debuted as a 15 year-old in 2008, he has become used to striding to the crease in times of crisis ; the weight of expectancy always on him to eke out a few runs which might give his side something approaching a respectable score…….

….Or to take the ball when the game had started to drift away, in the hope that his accurate, wobbly, medium-pacers might snare a vital wicket to put things back on track.

Long before he began playing senior cricket, he was a familiar face to long-time personalities like Arthur Welch, Joe Pilkington, Max Taylor and Ken Stewart, who held court in the Hogan Stand and set it alight with their quick-witted repartee.

They gave cheek to the keen, inquisitive kid who would come down to watch the progress of the senior team – surprised and delighted as they were that any youngster would be enthusiastic enough to spend his Saturday afternoons in that way.

And when he was slotted in for a few games these hard-bitten old judges encouraged him, even though he was ‘pretty green’. They knew a good type of kid when they saw one.
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‘Schona’ became used to shouldering responsibility in his time at the Findlay Oval.

He was just feeling his way when the loss of a number of senior players left Rovers-United with a shell of a side.

At 18 he became captain, chief recruiting officer, motivator and secretary. Whenever anything went wrong, or needed to be done, ‘Schona’ was the man to contact. He maintained an optimistic outlook when things looked decidedly bleary, and celebrated the club’s meagre successes with gusto.

He was showing steady on-field improvement over the last couple of years ; so much so that I complained, under my breath, that he was grossly under-rated.

It was pleasing then, that when the Rovers-United-Bruck merge came about during the off-season, a few young players like ‘Schona’ would now have some of the pressure lifted off them and could play with a bit more freedom.

‘Schona’ finally made his Country Week debut a fortnight ago and performed consistently. When I rang to check the scores on the Tuesday, everything was going hunky-dory. Upon my subtle query as to how the young fellow was handling the lift in standard, the reply was : “Gee, he’s under-rated”.

I must divulge here that ‘Schona’ runs a close second to George Bailey, as my favourite cricketer…..

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So permit me, if you will, to talk about the role he played in another terrific day’s play at Stan Hargreaves Oval, Yarrawonga, yesterday.

The Hawks were chasing a challenging total of 188, which had been compiled thanks to fine knocks from Reed Clarke (45), Josh Vagg (40) and Matt Knight (50). The bowling honours had been shared by Mark Drage (3/22), Schonafinger (3/43 off 19) and Jeremy Wilson (3/82 off 31.3 overs).

But at 2/31, the Combine were on the back foot. Enter ‘Schona’ who, with a circumspect Jordan Blades, began to resurrect the situation.

Blades plays beautifully off his pads and began to drive the ball with some command. The pair had added 60 and put the Hawks back in charge when the impressive right-arm quick Ben Doyle enticed a nick from Blades to the ‘keeper, Reed Clarke. He had scored a solid 36.

Darren Petersen, struggling for touch lately, played a couple of trademark drives before falling in the same manner: caught keeper Clarke, bowled Doyle.

The visitors were 4/120 at tea and those in the packed rooms ( I’m sure that there is no more hospitable club than the Lakers) would have countenanced that the game was evenly poised.

Its fate, I felt, lay in the hands of the entrenched ‘Schona’, who was now 48 and well-settled.

Stylish Lucky Perera gloved one to be caught in slips (5/125). The pendulum had again swung. But ‘Schona’ was not allowing himself to become shackled. He contributed 28 to a 33-run stand with Luke Whitten, then saw 3 wickets fall for 4 runs – an all-too-familiar RUB collapse.

It was 8/162 and the star of the day looked like being left stranded. Rovers-United-Bruck still needed 27 runs. Victory seemed a fair distance away. The odds were now decidedly in the Lakers’ favour.

‘Schona’ was 78 and batting beautifully, when Mark Drage joined him.

Give Drage his due. He’s a very handy tail-ender and bats with a flourish. He played some decisive shots, to quickly diminish the target, which he and the co-captain overtook in a matter of 8 overs. The remaining interest in the game was to nurse ‘Schona’ to his maiden century.

He continued in decisive fashion and reached the milestone, to the roar of those in the Hawk enclosure.

Drage completed a good match-double with his knock of 19. ‘Schona’ chose to celebrate his ‘ton’ by trying to effect a couple of fancy reverse sweeps and when he finally fell with the score on 218, he had scored a memorable 115.

As the 207th individual to score a century in WDCA history, and the first for Rovers-United-Bruck, he would be hoping that it’s not his last.