Staff writers
THE Gippsland Goannas Over-60 cricket team travelled to Glen Waverley on Sunday to take on the might of the Glen Waverley Hawks Over-60 team.
The Hawks captain won the toss and decided to bat.
With some of the Goannas big names missing, this was going to be an interesting game.
Gordon Cowling and Rob Bacchetti opened the bowling and soon had the Hawks first wicket as Cowling bowled Michael Van Zuyden for two.
There was a runout soon after (Rob Taylor to Ian Gibson) which saw the other opening bat dismissed.
After 10 overs, the Hawks were 2-22, which the great Richie Benaud would have enjoyed.
The next five batsman all batted for more than 35 balls, with two of them retiring, but with wickets to Ian Southall, the score was then 3-54, and Murray Moore, saw the Hawks reach 85 for the loss of four wickets after 28 overs.
Kevin Lanigan and Barrie Nunn bowled a few overs each. Ian Gibson made a good stumping from the bowling of Ray Floyd, and Cowling and Southall came on for the final overs.
Southall had two wickets in the final over, one a superb catch behind by Gibson, and the Hawks completed their 40 overs at 7-152.
Floyd took a good catch at mid on, while Gibson had two catches and a stumping as wicketkeeper. Phill Higgins saved multiple runs in the field and earned the praise of all.
Rob Taylor and Rob Bacchetti opened the batting for the Goannas after the lunch break and had the score at 45 after 10 overs.
They both retired after facing 40 balls, for 23 and 33 respectively, bringing Col Carmody and Southall to the crease.
They attacked the few loose balls which were bowled and had the score at 104 when the 20 over drinks break was taken.
They both retired at the end of the 24th over, Carmody for 35 and Southall for 28, to allow two more Goannas to have a bat.
Higgins and Floyd took the score towards the victory target and Floyd came off for Nunn to have a hit.
Higgins was seven when the winning run was scored and the Goannas had a good 10-wicket victory, with eight overs to spare.
Each of the Goannas teams play another game in the next 10 days. The Over-50 team is away to the East Ringwood Over-50s on Sunday, when the Over-60 team will play the Warrandyte Over-60s at the Glengarry Turf.
The Over-70 team will journey back to Capital Reserve to play the Glen Waverley Hawks Over-70’s on the following Wednesday, December 15.
