Sandhurst Cricket Club

The long standing fixture between Sandhurst and the MCC XXIX’s was to be hosted at Melbourne’s Albert Oval. Sandhurst had enjoyed success in the corresponding fixture at the QEO last season in a tightly contested affair by 12 runs.

As usual a spot in the Sandhurst side was most sought after and keenly contested with a strong batting line up chosen for the match to again be captained by Anthony West after enjoying success as captain last year. Westy got things off on the right foot by winning the toss and electing to bat. Joel Schneider was again promoted to open the innings with Brenton Jones given the pair added 143 at the top of the order last year.

The wicket certainly looked inviting enough, but after Joel got off the mark with a three in the first over, Brenton Jones hit one straight down gully’s throat two balls later only to be gifted a life with the MCC fielders obviously feeling charitable and spurning the chance. Schneider and Jones then progressed things along to 33 in the 10^th over when Joel Schneider did the right thing and avoided an international incident by walking after edging one behind and placing daddy “umpire Pete Schneider” in an awkward position having to give his own son out.

This bought Anthony West to the crease and the home and away skipper, and match skipper saw the Dragons through untroubled to the drinks break at 1/77 from 20 overs. Re-energised and refreshed after the drinks break, the drink appeared to flick a switch for the Dragon batsmen as Anthony West peeled off 39 from 40 balls before he retired bringing new recruit Brett Polson to the crease for his Dragons debut. Brenton Jones was given the wind up and perished in the pursuit of runs caught in the covers after skying a delivery for 44 with the Dragon 2/116 in the 25^th.

This bought Matt Pask to the crease and along with Polson the pair exploded with a raft of boundaries coming at will. Brett was most impressive given most of his club mates in attendance were yet to see him in action, he could hardly have been an more impressive as he blasted an innings of 60 from 36 balls including four sixes and four 4’s. If the XXIX’s thought they were past the worst of the onslaught this bought Mark Holland to the crease the man who had torn the MCC attack to shreds in the corresponding fixture two years earlier. Matt Pask didn’t miss out on the party he peeled off 50 retired from just 24 balls and Mark Holland 47 retired from 30 balls as Sandhurst had accumulated just short of 200 runs in the 20 overs between the 20^th and 40^th over.

It was left for Dylan Gibson (17 retired), Pat Brophy (14no) and Craig Burn (11no) to finish Sandhurst’s innings off at 2 for 304 from 45 overs an innings run rate of 6.75. The innings consisted of 25 fours and eleven sixes.

Whilst it was an imposing target, the XXIX’s side certainly had the talent in its line up to chase down the target against a Dragons side lacking front line bowling power but surely with their secret weapon Pete Schneider as umpire and Maurie Hesse, Pete Crow and Terry Scullie rotating through square leg surely the Dragons couldn’t lose. Alex Trump took the new ball, but skipper West sprung a surprise at the other end throwing the new ball to the off spin of Matt Pask and the tactic paid dividends with Pasky the first to pick up a wicket the stumping of opener Hicks in the 10^th over with the total on 46.

Clinton Botham came on first change, and just his second over picked up Marcus Grose caught by Brophy. The same combination combined in “Beefy’s” third over to dismiss Whybird and leave the XXIX’s 3 for 80 after 15. Those in attendance at the QEO twelve months earlier will not forget Pat O’Donnell’s innings in a hurry and he remained the MCC’s best chance at chasing the total getting off the mark in typical fashion with a six.

Opening batsman Wallis for the XXIX’s had paced the innings and looked impressive for 37 runs before the left arm pace of Will Horan picked up a big wicket gifting Pat Brophy his third catch for the innings. Unfortunately for the XXIX’s and fortunately for Sandhurst today was not to be Pat O’Donnell’s day as he picked out Brenton Jones on the long on boundary to give Clinton Botham his third wicket.

With O’Donnell dismissed it was safe for young off-spinner Tim Mcglone to be introduced or maybe he may have been introduced a touch earlier if he hadn’t of spent ten to fifteen minutes across South Melbourne Road attempting to fetch a cricket ball and leaving Sandhurst to play 10 in the field for some time. Tim didn’t waste any time, claiming a wicket in his first over caught by wicket keeper Schneider to reduce the XXIX’s to 6 for 147 from 24 overs.

With the contest effectively over, opposition skipper Matt Stein and former Malaysian skipper David Tallala chose to use the innings for some time in the middle until Alex Trump was introduced for a second spell claiming Stein caught behind for 33. Dylan Gibson then chimed in with two quick wickets in a short sharp spell of 2 for 9 from 3 overs. It was then that skipper West made his one and only mistake for the match – he introduced Patrick Brophy to the bowling crease, what possessed him to do this we are still unsure, but it took Pat less than an over for Brophy to wrap up proceedings with a caught and bowled that truly excited his fellow Dragons. The MCC XXIX’s had been dismissed for 228 in the 44^th over – 77 runs short of victory.

For the Dragons “Beefy” Botham 3/58, and Dylan Gibson 2/9 were the multiple wicket takers. It was complete team effort from the Dragons with every member of the touring party contributing to the victory to give Sandhurst successive wins in the contest and retain Anthony West’s unbeaten run as skipper in the clash.

Match Summary: Sandhurst 2/304 (B Polson 60, M Pask 50, M Holland 47 Defeated MCC XXIX's 228 (C Botham 3/58, D Gibson 2/9) by 76 runs.

Man of The Match: Was selected by the opposing skipper Matt Stein, and what a tough task it must have been with a handful of impressive performances but in the end most will agree he got it right selecting Brett Polson on debut with an unbeaten 60.