When the grand final was drawn on the last Saturday in September, there were questions being thrown around everywhere....
1: How did Collingwood not win from there?
2: Do we still have to go to Westbury to play a practice match next weekend?
3: Would Egg have died of a heart attack if he didnt leave the clubrooms at 3 quarter time and refuse to watch the last quarter?
Answers: 1: Don't know. 2: Yes. 3: Yes.
So we headed off to Westbury hoping that Collingwood would get thumped in the rematch, a little upset that Egg had refused to watch the last quarter of Grand Final 1.
It was arranged that Geevesy would play for Westbury against us, so that our top order bats could get some loose deliveries early to put away to the fence. We won the toss and decided to have a bat. If cricket.com.au covered the game with online commentary, the first ball of the day would be explained as this:
Over 0.1 Geeves to Anderson: Good length ball pushing across the left hander, no footwork, genuine edge straight through to the keeper who missed the ball completely, hits him on the knee and down the 3rd man for 2 runs.
After the amusement of the first ball had passed Wes Ripper and myself got off to a steady start with Wes hitting a massive bomb over long off before holing out not long after for 15. Josh Walmsley came to the crease and we saw off Geeva's 4 overs on the trot to leave him with 0/30. Well bowled mate. I was next to go for 37 before Joshie starting smoking a few about on his way to a well made 48 for his first outing in Glenorchy colours.
Richie Dilger put his new Venom to good use hitting 2 consecutive 6's late in our innings. If the boys were surprised by Richos hard hitting, we were even more up and about after Luke Curran hit a monster of a 6 over long on to win “Bomb of the Day”.
We ended up with 135 which was a solid score on a slow outfield, and a wicket with enough in it for the bowlers.
We managed to take wickets at regular intervals throughout Westbury's run chase with new recruit Jack Young hitting a good length and was rewarded with 2 wickets, including Geeves for a golden duck, salmon LBW.
Nathan Butterworth relished his role as umpire for the day giving a very dubious LBW decision to give Tim Spotswood his first wicket with the senior squad. Chimes ensured his first game as coach would be a victory. Westbury scrambled to 95 off their 20 overs, with all our bowlers getting a good hitout on turf for the first and only time before our season gets underway.
On a whole it was a good day with all players getting some much needed time in the middle.
We stayed in the Westbury clubrooms to watch Collingwood take out the 2010 premiership.
A dark, dark day in Australian sporting history.
Dane Anderson.
