In a last over thriller, the ACS Over 60s were downed by a gallant Bayside at the East Malvern-Tooronga Cricket Ground in round 2 of Veteran’s Cricket.
A brave decision by captain Stuart Stockdale to swing the looping leggies of Ken Piesse around into the wind paid off with two wickets falling from consecutive balls as the ACS extended the game into the 40th over.
Bayside’s super- veteran David Tomlinson, in at No.10, steered the winning boundary with just two balls to go and late described it as among his great moments in sport which include a 52 year club cricket career in Hampton and coaching a young Shane Warne, at football.
Stockdale, ever the sportsman, said afterwards the ACS had finished ’20 runs short’ in its innings — ‘and so it proved’.
The Society lacked a back-up seamer to complement the fine early work of Des Lloyd and Andrew Blyth. However, Greg Johnson filled the void remarkably well and even bowled some extra balls after Dave McNamara twanged a hammy going for a caught and bowled.
So inspired was Stockdale’s belligerent middle-order hitting and leadership that the Over 60’s board of directors (Ian Hammet) is considering waiving the rule which condemns losing captains to playing non-leadership roles for the rest of the summer.
The ACS meets Richmond next weekend on turf at Citizen Park. The return of Phil O’Meara for his first game of the new season will bolster the batting.
Match scores: (round 2) ACS 7-192 (Gibson 42 retired), Hammet 25 retired), Anderson 40 (return), Johnson 38, Stockdale 34, Piesse 15) lost to Bayside 7-194 (Piesse 2-51, Johnson 1-27, Lloyd 1-41) in the final over, at East Malvern-Tooronga
Pictured: Ken Penaluna with Arthur Pritchard