Randall Woodley
Following the debacle last week in India for our men’s Test team, I received the following story from one of my friends.
I thought it was worth publishing.
“A terrible mix up has meant Australia’s National Croquet Team, and not the Australian Men’s Test cricket team, was forced to face up against ferocious Indian attack at Arun Jaitley Stadium last week. It is believed the mistake was made when the croquet team accidentally boarded the wrong bus in the morning outside the hotel where both teams were staying. “We misread the sign on the front of the bus,” a spokesperson said.
Unsure of the rules, or how to play the game at all, the croquet team collapsed, losing their last eight wickets for just 28 runs. Spectators said it was tough going for the croquet players, who were not prepared for the ball to spin off the court with such deviation.
“I had my mallet out ready to hit the ball through the hoop, but then there was a guy running at me and I missed the hoop,” one croquet player said.
Another player said he was totally confused about what was going on.
“I walked out onto the pitch and then moments later I was asked to leave after the ball hit me on the leg. Maybe I did a double tap without realising it? I’m really not sure”.
Luckily for the croquet team the ordeal was over in about an hour. Reports about the cricket team’s performance playing the Indian Croquet Team are yet to be provided.”
If it was not so serious, it would be funny- Randall Woodley
Last weekend all five senior Tewantin-Noosa Thunder teams played Day 1 of their final scheduled matches for the season. It is possible that the club could have four teams playing in the semi-finals and finals this year.
FIRST GRADE: After day 1 the team is in a strong position against the ladder-leaders, Maroochydore Swans at Buderim. The boys have already secured first innings points and next weekend will be pushing hard for the outright win. Bowling first the Thunder’s top class openers, Scott Aufderheide and Tom Stewart had the Swans on the back foot, right from the opening over. The first wicket fell to a run-out from a huge outfield throw from Aufderheide to the bowler’s end and from then on their batsmen struggled. By lunch the home team was 8 down for 54. They found some form in the early afternoon but eventually were rolled for 103. Wicket takers were Aufderheide 2-17, Tom Stewart 3-30 and Ben Laughlin 4-20. The bowlers were backed up by tight fielding and some spectacular catches from Laughlin and Blake Steel.
At stumps, Thunder was 4 for 128 with Lewis Waugh not out on 49 and Cooper Lea on 18 not out. Another 100 quick runs will be the order of the day next Saturday and then allow the Thunder bowlers to go flat out for the rest of the afternoon.
SECONDS: Playing Maroochydore at home, the seconds scored 155. The total should have been higher than this with Adam Curry (65 off 33 balls) and veteran Chris Wright (42) scoring most of the runs themselves. In reply, the Swans were 1 for 79 at stumps.
THIRDS: With four teams vying for third and fourth places, the team headed to last-placed Nambour with a good win their goal. Nambour batted first and eventually was all out for 127. It was Thunder’s worst day in the field for some time with several chances missed and the bowling not as tight as it has been in previous matches. Six bowlers took wickets with Ian Brundell snagging three and Finn Mayo and Richard Lee two each.
After losing an early wicket, Nigel Webster and Brendan Wright steadied the ship and scored quickly finishing the day on 1-52. Thunder is in a great position to claim first innings points next Saturday.
FIFTHS: The team were playing Cooroy-Eumundi at Read Park and batted first. Veteran Tony Watson (53) and Ben Blackwell (24) put on an opening partnership of 60 and set the scene for a good team score. Anthony Blackwell continued the positive batting and scored a controlled 81 with 10 fours. Kent Officer relished the conditions and finished with 41 to have the team at 8 -245 at stumps. Next week, the team will be going all out to collect the first innings win points.
SIXTHS: The team travelled down to Landsborough and were sent into bat. The openers started well with both getting off the mark on a pitch that was staying very low and a ball moving in all directions. After losing two wickets, Shane Gesell and Wayne Moore came together in the middle to settle in for a good partnership of 80 before Gesell was bowled for 45 .
A few quick wickets fell but runs were steadily scored with Thunder registering a score of 211 with Wayne Moore contributing a patient 81 no. At stumps, Landsborough was 0-5. With decent runs on the board and a good bowling line up, the boys are confident they can take the points next week and move onto the finals with a win.
UNDER 17S SEMI-FINAL: The team were playing Caloundra at their ground in the competition semi-final. Batting first, things did not go well for the Thunder batsmen losing their first three wickets for seven. Some good partnerships were needed, and Will Cooke (20), Harper Lee (12), and Ethan Slaney (15) and Tom Daly steadied the innings, but the team could only put 91 runs on the scoreboard.
The Thunder team needed to bowl and field out of their skins to remain in the game. Early wickets came with Caloundra being 2-6 and later 4 for 44. But Caloundra, to their credit, held their nerve and finished the chase at 6-95. They are an impressive unit and have not been beaten all year.
The coach and supporters are very proud of this team as they always had a never die attitude and it was great to see them, the cellar dwellers early in the season make the finals.
JUNIOR CRICKET: To finish the season, the club’s Master Blasters (Under 10 boys and girls) had a great time last Saturday playing against the club’s Under 11s in a practice match to see what U11 cricket is like. Everyone had a great time. A big thank you to Ben Shaw who has run the Master Blasters program for the past five year.
