CACC Stickys home > Winter 2003 Final Grade 6

Tudor Hall C player	score	how out	4s	6s	overs	mdns	wkts	runs	catches	stmp
1. CROSBY, Michael	14	b4	1	.	4	1	0	15	.	.
2. NICALOA, Ni ck	18	b4	1	.	6	0	0	42	.	.
3. GRILLIS, Michael	39	c8 b7	3	2	5	0	0	29	.	.
4. POOLE, Hayden	35	b4	5	.	6	0	3	28	.	.
5. ZIEHLKE, Dave	22	b5	3	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
6. O'KEEFE, Chris	6	c3 b5	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
7. HERDMAN, Adam	16	b1	2	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
8. KING, Adam	6	r.o	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
9. STEPHENS, Byron	7	n.o	.	.	3	0	2	28	.	.
Sundries 2b 3b 9w 9nb	24	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
TOTAL : 8 for 190 in 36 overs	190	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.

GRAND FINAL GLORY TO THE CACC STICKYS!

For those of you who follow that other great winter sport (apart from Moore Park cricket) called Aussie Rules, you would have noted that on the Friday before the GF the original Captain Blood, Jack Dyer, took his last hospital-handpass and torpedo-punted his way into the great commentary box in the sky. That other lesser known, but just as nasty, Captain Blood of the Cricketers Arms Stickys in the 6th grade Winter Comp would have no doubt used this untimely passing of that violent bastard to inspire the Stickys on Grand Final day, but except for Maverick the Mexican, he would have got vacant stares from the no-neck leaguies and toffie union boys at the mere mention of Mr Football. So instead of the planned black armband, he had to satisfy himself with a black leather g-string to mark the date and focus the mind .

 

This seemed to work as he promptly won the toss on an overcast morning at Waterworth Park and against the wisdom of many meteorological doomsayers, elected to bat against Tudor Hall C (THC, or affectionately known as the Brekky Cones). The Captains squared, Blood and Coverdrive, opened watchfully before unfurling their trademark shots. Coverdrive (49 not out, 6x4) was all front-foot, high elbow, flourishing blade, and whimsical grin as he caressed the ball thru the covers; in contrast Blood (56, 10x4, 1x6) was back-foot, cross-bat, slashing pull shot, maniacal glint as he bludgeoned the ball over backward square on their way to a 70 opening stand at about 6 an over when Blood retired. Cloudboy came and went for a golden with a shot that won't make his honour-reel when he gets inducted into the Stickys' hall of fame. This only brought the in-form Goose to the crease to extend his six-smashing spree begun the week before with 5 out of the park. As the Cloudboy so aptly put it, for a young man to want to go out and smash sixes is an admirable intent indeed. When Coverdrive retired Maverick (12) sauntered out with Calypso capers on his mind and pasted a 4 and a 6 before having the castle rattled. The Candyman played across a slow one and was gone for the second golden of the innings and things started to look shaky at 3/118 off about 21 overs. Then the Goose and the Big Oven (27no, 1x4) combined in a handy partnership.

 

The Goose's 40 not out was a beguiling mixture of 3 massive 6's, 2 punishing 4's, 9 singles and the occasional appeal as the scribes scratched "Never Boring" next to his name. Although the Big Oven didn't pepper the boundary as often as he usually does, he kept the scoreboard ticking over as Deer Hunter (6) crashed a 4 in the V and then departed for the Flying Frog (6) to show he likes to hit the fence as well before skying one. Blood came back and flayed 3 more fours before holing out in time for Coverdrive to add another 8 to his red ink season average of a whopping 256! A final Stickys total of 215 on a fast outfield was very competitive if the rain stayed away.

 

After the strict Holland-inspired diet of oven chips, oven pies and coke was carefully devoured by the health conscious Stickys, they set out not just to defend, but conquer. The Big Oven began well by eliciting a top edge over the slips in a typically miserly 4 overs for 9, and the Deer Hunter fired off one of his most economical and hostile spells of pace and swing of four overs for 15 including a maiden. After the opening screws had been tightened, the ball was given to the Goose to mix it up a bit, and change the flow he did bowling both openers in consecutive overs with a slower ball and an off-cutter to have a neat 2-2 after 2. Then the whole thing went pear-shaped as Tudor Hall's best bats, Grillis and Poole, grilled us with 71 off 6 overs and then thru us in the pool at drinks on 2/111 off 18. As the Rock did in the semi, he backed up the CACC caravan and each Sticky took his time in the little room of mirrors to reflect on his performance.

 

A quick change of tactics and the ball was handed to the Oven to turn up the heat as the rain began to fall. He coaxed Grillis into driving him back over his head and the Deer Hunter bounded under it and then held a great high overhead catch that ended up turning the game as Grillis was on 39 and ready to retire and come back for a late flurry. The ever consistent Ziehlke came in and kept the score ticking over until Blood brought Deer Hunter back and he bowled 2 fast unplayable maidens and the Oven bowled 2 overs at the other end for 1/3 and the wolves started running in our direction. Maverick always makes a captain's heart miss a beat because you never know if you are gonna get 0/46 or 6/14, but given that the latter was his latest return, Blood felt warm and Maverick didn't disappoint with 2/33 off 6 including Ziehlke for 22.

 

At the other end the Goose (3/33 off 6) came back to round out his Man of the Match performance by bowling the danger man Poole for 35. In an act of pure selfishness not seen since the Oven was captain, Blood (1/24 off 5) brought himself on to take the last wicket to fall. In a surprise move that some thought should have happened earlier in the season, but most not at all, Cloudboy (0/1) was thrown the penultimate over and was still niggling Coverdrive at the pub late into the night over what he claimed was a dropped caught behind, but the umpire slept thru most of the second half so it would have been in vain anyway. As the clouds rumbled and the heavens opened up, the Stickys danced off with a 25 run win and the premiership!

 

Sticky Moment:

Who could go past Goose Burrell jogging excitedly up to Blood as they walked off the ground victorious and asking if he could keep a stump as a memento. Blood laughed it off but Goose was seen scampering from the pub later that night with the match ball as a suitable souvenir for his Man of the Match performance.

 

Oh yeah!

On behalf of the CACC Winter Leadership Junta (The Rock, The Oven and Blood) I'd like to thank everyone for playing so brilliantly in the Stickys this season and I look forward to controlling your lives again sometime. (GD Aug 25 '03)