2006/07 Annual Report - Melbourne Cricket Club

MCC XXIX CLUB v MORNINGTON PENINSULA CRICKETERS CLUBPlayed at: Albert Ground on January 31, 2007MCC XXIX CLUB11/211 (36 OVERS)LOST TOMORNINGTON PENINSULA CC3/243 (40 OVERS)BATTING BOWLING BATTING BOWLINGM Scholten 34 P Stocker 31 Ret 3/22 (4)T Hickie 26 1/35 (3) J Lane 33 Ret 0/18 (2)L Darbyshire 9 0/4 (1) T Brittain 0 1/21 (4)M Butler 9 0/32 (7) L Pimm 33 RetM Dunstan 34 n.o. 0/28 (5) M Dobson 21 Ret 0/19 (3)W Sawyer 48 I Tragardh 11 0/16 (3)S Stockdale 0 G Burch 30 Ret 0/20 (3)G Fidler 12 0/38 (7) A Willet 23 Ret 1/5 (3)C Walker 24 1/24 (6) S Sgarioto 26 Ret 0/18 (2)P MacIsaac 0 0/20 (2) D Stumbles 1 0/9 (3)M Butler 6 0/20 (6) J Petrie 4 Ret 2/11 (3)L Bryan 0 1/24 (3) M Brittain 4 n.o. 0/17 (3)R Pashen 2 n.o. 2/20 (4)Sundries 9 24Umpires: Mike Slattery, Roger LambertScorer: Barrie Hopkins, Julie BrittainRecent attempts to host this fixture at the Albert have been thwarted by inclement weather, much to thedisappointment of our visitors. So, despite the drought, it was a relief to arrive at the ground on a sunnyMelbourne day.In order to comply with the housekeeping of the day, the MPCC batted first on a good wicket and quickerthan normal outfield. Eager to make amends for last year, we endeavoured to confuse the opposition’sbatting rhythm by opening up with a slow and quick in Mark Dunstan and yours truly. Coupled withsome determined fielding by our team and tight bowling from Mark Butler and Col Walker in particular,together with Geoff Fidler and Mark Dunstan, we were left with a challenging yet gettable target of 244.MCC’s Will Sawyer was very busy behind the stumps after having just returned from representingNorthern Territory at the U.17 State Carnival and Mark Dunstan was the stand-out in the field with hissensational returns from the outfield.Early in the innings, we were travelling along at more than the required 6 per over, with openers MatthewScholten (34) and Tom ‘Hands-on’ Hickie (26), setting the scene. Unfortunately the momentum stalledsomewhat, losing a couple of quick wickets, but Mark Dunstan (34) and Will Sawyer (48) got us back ontrack with a sensible batting display, only to be interrupted by one of the visitors taking advantage of ourhospitality to the extreme. Two wickets off the last two balls of one over, followed by a wicket on the firstball of his next over, resulted in us presenting Paul Stocker with the generous gift of a ‘hat-trick’ to makehis visit to the Albert a little too enjoyable for our liking! Of course his achievement made our job just alittle more difficult, and alas, apart from a late flurry from big Col Walker (24) we fell short with ourscore on 211.Max ButlerManagerAnd so, the BBQ and bonhomie that followed gradually eased the pain of a lostopportunity, but I was proud of our team’s hospitable spirit, appreciated by ourPeninsula visitors as the evening wore on. Thanks go to the umpires, MikeSlattery (XXIX Club and ‘Royal Canterbury’) and Roger Lambert (MPCC), fortheir excellent adjudication, together with the scorers, our very own BarrieHopkins (‘Lords accredited’) and the MPCC’s Julie Brittain, for their impeccablerecord keeping. As usual, the Albert Ground was a picture despite the droughtrestrictions and we express our thanks for its presentation and use of the facilities.14