Glorious Victorious in round 1.

For full results, see http://www.southerncricket.com.au/showrvcontent.aspx?matchID=377579&loc=/cricket/reports/match.asp&loc1/match.asp

Depending on level of boredom, match report may follow.

As I stare out the window, I see clouds are building, the sun has faded away to almost nothing behind the rain clouds, the mountain is barely visible… this can only mean one thing, it’s the start of the cricket season.

Round 1 we venture out to Clarendon Vale, the scene of a couple of interesting games. Most notably the game involving Bob Geeves Riverdance, Nick Osbourne’s debut and John’s first over.
The team for this week is (in no particular order):
Marsh
Nudge
Willow
Mong
Matt
Deep
Hilt
Greensmith
Tewks
Drew
Stu

Game starts at 10:30, so try to get there by 10… if you can’t get there by 10, try to get there by 10:05, if you can’t manage that - try setting the alarm clock for 10 minutes earlier than you were planning on setting it. Just a handy tip for all!

When standing atop the summit of Mount Everest, whilst no doubt feeling an overwhelming sense of pride and cold, climbers would reflect upon their journey. The very first step, while feeling insignificant is just as important as the last step. The Swallows 2007-8 campaign has begun in earnest with a first training session being held, and moves in to full swing this week with training sessions on Monday 27th August and Monday 3rd of September.

Both of these sessions are at the TCA indoor center at 7:00.  While training is not compulsory, it would be nice to see a good turnout and get things moving.

With the season set to being  on the weekend of October 13, it is time to embark on Year 7 of the 5 year plan.

Brief report… as it is Sunday. Perhaps a more in depth report when I get to work on Tuesday.

Hobart won the toss and elected to bat… our bowlers applied great pressure ripping through the top 3 batsmen, some resistance late in the order getting Hobart up to 137.

In response we started slowly, losing 3 quick wickets to be 3-40, but Mong steadied the innings, crashing the bowling to all parts of the ground including a couple of huge sixes, in the end the Swallows triumphany by 6 wickets in a great team effort.

Next week we play either Claremont or St Aidans, not too sure of their result from yesterday

For the first time in 6 seasons, the Swallows had gone through the entire season without a washout. Coincidentally, the Swallows had also made the finals for the first time. Unfortunately, after such a dry season, the rain had came on the week of the first final.

With the game washed out, the Swallows advance to week 2 of the finals, having finished higher on the ladder than our opponents. A harsh way to be knocked out.

Next week we face Hobart, hopefully the rain stays away, allowing Nudge to hold on to his “Up and down the river” title.

After 6 eventful years, the Swallows have made the finals.

Defeating Lindisfarne in our Round 18 clash to finish 4th on the ladder.

In seasons gone by, we’ve often had our hopes dashed by cruel twists of fate, always washed out against the bottom sides, losing games from seemingly unloseable positions, lack of talent.

This season, we put together our most consistent season yet, and it still came down to the last week of the season. A win would see us make the finals, a loss would see us miss once again.

As I’ve given away, we won. You would think this would make for a match report of epic proportions… But I’m a bit tired.

So in summary:
Stu and Drew bowled well early.
Then Tex and Machine bowled well in the middle stages of the innings.
Then Scottie and Willo bowled well at the tail.

Then we ate some lunch.

Then Nudge and Willo batted well, setting up the chase.
Then the Machine smacked them about to finish it all off.

Next week, the game is at Geilston Bay.

Round 17 saw the Swallows travel to Bagdad. Knowing a win would ensure us a spot in the finals, we were pretty keen to put together a good performance.

Losing the toss we were forced to bowl first, not ideal given the overnight rain, the ball getting quite wet early, but despite that Stu and Drew followed by Tex and Machine bowled pretty well early - only let down by an obscene amount of simulator balls, resulting in the call “this one is gunna be hot” - invariably it wasn’t.

There were however enough hot balls for us to take 4 quick wickets, having Bagdad in early trouble.

Unfortunately, the Bagdad batsmen then dug in for a big 5th wicket partnership. Both batsmen scoring over 50. A fine effort given the heat of the day.

You would think after years of writing match reports, it would be pretty easy to write them in an up vibe tone even when we lose, I’ve had a lot of practice. But it doesn’t get any easier.

To our credit, we fought it out in the last 15 overs, keeping Bagdad to a score of 240 but knowing that if we could have quickly taken a 5th wicket, it could have been so much less.

Chasing 240, we knew we were up against it. We don’t have a good history of chasing down scores after fielding 50 overs in the heat (ie 3) and the day had only gotten hotter.

Marsh and Nudge got the chase off to a quick start, initially due to a series of extras (Wides and no balls, not the Ricky Gervais variety), then some cracking strokes by Nudge.

When Nudge was dismissed, followed quickly by Willo and myself (who is now spending longer on match reports than at the crease) we were in a spot of bother.

The Mongolian Hugging Machine joined Marsh at the crease, and these two resurrected our hopes, both hitting a number of boundaries, the score moving along at a nice rate.

Unfortunately, the heat of the day was getting to them. It was like watching a little kid eating an ice cream cone on a hot summers day… it started so good and sweet, but they were wilting, oozing fluid, you just knew things were going to end badly, there was nothing you could do, you just had to watch them tought it out, knowing it would end in tears.

At one drinks break I went out and had a chat to them. Marsh looked like some poorly developed horror movie character who has the coloured bit of his eyes all whited out…
kinda like this:

only without the blond hair.

When the Machine was dismissed caught for a quick fire 30 odd soon after drinks, we were still confident we were in with a good chance.

Soon Hilton fell, caught in the covers.

When Marsh was dismissed to an LBW decision that had even the Bagdad faithful a little surprised, we were in strife. Marsh’s knock a gutsy display to make 50 in such difficult conditions.

With form batsman Tewks at the crease with Tex, we were still in the game. Some lusty hits from them both moving the score quickly, helped by some strange fielding where by the fielder would run hard at the ball, until he was just far enough under at it that he could flail his arms in the air with an impressive leap and allow the ball safe passage to the boundary.

Unfortunately, spin brought about the downfall of Chewks.

Drewy was soon out also. Leaving us with 2 wickets in hand and needing around 65 runs. Not a great position to be in, but with Stu joining Tex we were still a chance. Stu had offered to open the batting earlier in the day, he had also offered to bat at 3, and at 5. In the end, he had no need for a bat as he left a ball, allowing it to topple his stumps.

Nick joined Tex, for what was an exciting 5 ball partnership. Which ultimately resulted in Tex being bowled, the Swallows falling about 50 short of the total.

Considering the conditions, it was quite a good run chase, and overall a good game played in the right spirit throughout.

Thanks to the Bagdad club for supplying us with water throughout the day, for without, the Commonwealth Bank would probably be looking for a new Success Coach, and our round 18 preparations would be compromised by the preparations for Marshall’s funeral.

Following a defeat such as this, there was not much left to do but head back to the pub and do what the Swallows do best. Have a few beers, talk about chances missed, lose money on Keno, hide Tex’s phone (how much fun is that?), and look forward to next week.

Next week we take on Lindisfarne. A win will see the Swallows make finals for the first time in our illustrious history. A loss, would be a perfectly written Swallows script. Lets hope this time round the story has a happy ending.
PS. The Waratah Swallows wish Nick all the best on his return to university.

Needing to win 2 or maybe 3 of the final 3 games of the season to make the finals, the Swallows knew they would need to be on the top of their game against Sandford. But not being masters of the art of self control, the Swallows instead attended Paddy’s bucks night the night before. This resulted in some monster hangovers, and a shortage of Jagermeister in Hobart.

Before the first ball had been bowled, 4 Swallows had already vomited. Despite a proud tradition of binge drinking, this was a new record.

Winning the toss, Marshall elected to bat.

Willo and Nudge strode to the crease, full of confidence after their great partnership last week.

Details of these initial overs are a bit sketchy, I know I was there, but I really can’t remember what went on. At some point, one of them got out, bringing the Machine to the crease. Around this point, someone else got out and I got my turn… that didn’t last very long.

Once I was out, I figured it was time for a nap. I’m not certain what happened, but somebody else got out, and then I think somebody else got out. Anyway… all of these people getting out meant Hilton and Tewks were in.

Around this time I bought a Pie and ate it. It was delicious. Actually, on that… Sandford canteen is quite bizarre. A can of soft drink costs $2 !!! but get this… a pie also costs $2? The can is overpriced to the max, the pie is cheap as. They cancel each other out I guess. I was pretty wrapped to be able to keep the pie down, and more wrapped as Hilt and Tewks steadily built the score.

Initially building the score from a shambles to respectable, and then both cutting loose with some cracking shots, both racing to half centuries.

When Hitlon fell in the 48th over for 59, the job was done… we had a competitive total.

Mr Fantastic joined Tewks at the crease and some more quickfire runs were added to the total. Tewks ending the innings with a cracking 6 off the last ball  to finish 63 Not out, with our final score 234.

With Sandford a man down, we were reasonably confident of defending the target, but at the same time a little worried as to how Stu and Drew would perform when it came to bowling. Their opening spells would be crucial to the outcome, however they had moved on from the drunk phase of their recovery and moved on to the hung over stage.

These fears were quickly put to rest as both bowled with good pace and accuracy. Tewks continued his fine day coming up with a new nickname, christening Stu the “Love Nugget”.

Stu struck early dismissing an opener in his second over, caught behind. Then Hilton took a great low catch off Drew and we were in fine shape. Wickets continued to tumble, Willow taking a catch at second slip and Drewy snapping up an LBW.

Sandford were quickly 7 wickets down. At this point we were ready to head back to the pub. Unfortunately, at this point Sandford put up a big fight. Initially stopping the flow of wickets, some poor fielding helping their cause.

Pretty soon, we were a real chance of losing the game. With sandford requiring just 50 runs to win, Tewks entered the attack and made the vital breakthrough, trapping the batsman LBW.

Soon, it was all over, Tex taking the final wicket, we’d escaped with a win by just 32 runs.

Next week, we have the bye… after that we play Bagdad and Lindisfarne in games that we desperately need to win to finally make the finals.

Following a dissapointing month, the Swallows are back on track after a comprehensive win over Dynnyrne.

Stu started the game off with a bang, taking a wicket with the second ball of the innings, things moved quickly from there with rain looking to be the only thing that could spoil the day.

Stu taking 4 wickets, Marsh also taking 4, while the Machine chipped in with 1 and a run out by Tewks.
Chasing 108 for victory, Nudge and Willo made short work of the task bringing the runs up in just 15 overs, both hitting 10 fours and 1 six, Nudge making 50, with Willo stranded just short.

Next week we travel to Sandford. This could prove to be quite a task, given that Paddy’s bucks night is the night before.

Over the past month, I’ve taken some time off work. While you would think this would result in me having plenty of time to do work on the Swallows site, it turns out that is not the case.

Since resuming from the Christmas break, the Swallows have played 3 games.

Firstly against St Annes, who enjoyed an easy victory after our top ordered struggled, the only highlight for the game being Drew’s 50.

last week, the Swallows went down against Hobart. In what was a close game, we nearly defended a small target, only to just fall short, losing by one wicket.

Sunday we travelled out to Sorell, fully expecting not to play. Unfortunately, we did… and didn’t do it very well, Claremont bowling us out for 143 and making the runs with 7 wickets to spare. Highlights including………………………. a wicket on the first ball of the innings. Good knocks from Nudge and Marsh, Extras top scoring by a long way.