Mountain men fall to City Slickers
Thursday 15th February 2018. Tony Lucchetti Sportsground, Lithgow. Sunny, dry and windy.
A 10am start was always ambitious for sensible drivers to the Over The Hill settlement of Lithgow but we were greeted at the main show ground by a massive three squared domain with a former Trots track round the perimeter and allegedly the biggest amateur grandstand in NSW. We were blessed to find the air clean and the sky blue with a slight westerly breeze and a grassy strip. It would be wrong to call it green as the local curators have been stressed at the lack of rain so play commenced around 1030 and Port won the toss and elected to bat against the Side with the Orange Shirts, although they had recently renewed the design with a white base.
Fancy a bat on that?
The good Dr Raga opened the batting with the returning Simon Lyon and runs were hard to come by with David Hicks and Wildfires Captain Steve Walsh, using the conditions well. By 10 overs we had reach 1-62 with Raga deciding that he had to hit Hicks back over his head "with the wind", losing his off pole in the process. Wasantha came in and looked very assured and made his 25, not before he and Lyon (on 23) had a mix up and the opener was runout. Doug Latto played with his usual freedom outside off stump and Mike Collins licked his lips when Gil McGrath came on, who conceded 18 off his first over, with Collins heading back to the Grandstand with 25 to his name. Steve Jones then followed, albeit not as fluent as the week before, and Dave Massey, Joe Scarcella and Chas Viner found the bowling to their liking and we finished on 2-222, much to the delight of trainee Richie Benauds!
Lunch followed by which time the wind had really shifted and some heat came into the afternoon and it was probably about 32 Deg C (although in Penrith is was more like 38!)
Joe Scarcella bowled a tidy 5 overs for 14 and despite Kim Taylor, the Wildfires keeper, setting out to be aggressive, caught and then called back by Cam (a lovely gesture that having been given out) Raga had him caught well by Mike Collins at mid on. Glaze brook was soon to follow LBW to the same bowler and then Captain Walsh was joined by Barry Fitzgerald, who both upped the tempo. Wind increased and the burnt outfield was quickening. Walsh retired and then Fitzgerald lost patience with an ICE BALL (Joe's expression) from Lyon and was bowled. Nev Castle had to retire hurt due a blow to the family jewels (I am delighted to report that he is okay after a visit to the Dr, and the Wildfires were like an overcome bushfire...fizzled out. They finished with 6-147 with a few injuries off their 40 overs.
A good day, but we felt truly burnt at the end, mostly through wind burn and beers and speeches were held underneath the Grandstand and Mike Collins won the MOM for us with Steve Walsh the pick of their players (and only 59!)
A fair drive back but home by 745 having started at 6am but we all enjoyed the day out and thanks to Cam McDonald for his selfless captaincy, voiding a chance to bat and sharing the keeping duties with David Wright who took a lovely catch off Doug Latto (!) and a good stumping off Wasa which sealed the Mountain Men's fate. It was our first outing over the range and well overdue but we had promised to do it and I think we were all well satisfied with the day and the chance that everyone got.
