2024 Nudeballers Goldfield Ashes
2024 marked the 15th visit by Nudeballers to the Goldfield Ashes. Sadly, this trip was without our friend Zac.
Credit to Mark for arranging a beautiful tribute at Zac’s resting place.
Well done Mario for organising the toast.
Well done Nudeballers. Long may Zac #27 be in our hearts.
Game 1 (Match 43) v One Mob Men’s
The One with the 5fa!
19 January 2024 at CT Airport Reserve Field 39
Batting first, One Mob 8/148; 22.2 overs. Nudeballers 8/274; 32.2 overs
Nudeballers win by 8 wickets in 22.3 overs.
It was Nudeballers first visit to Field 39 - right up against the airport fence. The game was delayed by over 30 minutes when One Mob - only in possession of Draw version 1.0 - found themselves at the wrong ground…. Nudeballers elected to field first and so it began.
Nudeballers struggled early as Dylan and Brayden powered to a 70 run opening stand in just 6.1 overs before Dylan’s 50. Brayden went on to his own 50 a couple of overs later. Four dropped catches in the first 8 overs did nothing to aid Nudeballers cause. Just when it appeared it would be a long morning in the hot sun, Chief King held onto one off #pooinsink in the 11th over to make it 1/121. From there it was a procession. Cider Canary picked up 2 wickets in two overs, then Chief King entered the fray and mopped up the final 5 wickets for just one run in an extraordinary 20-ball spell; One Mob capitulating to be all out for 148 in 22.2 overs.
Nudeballers took just 15.4 overs to overhaul the total. Leg Slip and #pooinsink smashed a 45-ball, 64 for the opening stand (although it’s fair to say that most of the “smashing” was by #pooinsink!). #pooinsink’s retirement after 53 from 30 balls, precipitated a collapse with Furstin (0), Leg Slip (5) and Stinky (8) following in the space of 13 balls. Vulture and Cider Canary righted the ship, smashing 56 from 23 balls (although it’s fair to say that most of the “smashing” was by Vulture!), before Vulture retired on 50 from just 17 deliveries (equal 9th fastest 50 by a Nudeballer). Cider and Anal guided Nudeballers past the total a couple of overs later. Contributions down the order by Trust Me, Bonfire and Chief King took the Nudeballers to 274 from 32.2 overs.
Orange Cap: #pooinsink. Purple Cap: Chief King. Pink Cap: Bonfire
Play of the Day Cap: Leg Slip for overcoming previous year’s mental and physical demons
The Eagle Trophy: Cider Canary 2/1 from 2 overs; 30 from 34; a level head to guide Nudeballers passed the target.
Ladder Position: 14
Game 2 (Match 44) v Chuckers & Sloggers
The One with the best field ever!
20 January 2024 at Mossman Juniors Field 17
Batting first, Chuckers & Sloggers 6/232; 35 overs. Nudeballers 9/189; 30.1 overs
Chuckers & Sloggers win by 43 runs.
Field 17 was another first for Nudeballers and promptly declared the “best field ever” by Juan Antonio Nudeballers.
Captain Cider won the toss and chose to field and it was all uphill from there! Chuckers and Sloggers were arguably the most formidable opposition faced by Nudeballers in 15 years; a 50 and three other scores above 40 testament to this. Furstin, Chief King and Cider were economical while Bear, Kenty, Trust Me and Leg Slip picked up wickets. Vulture and Bonfire also nabbed run outs (the first time Nudeballers recorded 2 run outs in an innings). However, Chuckers powered on to an impressive 6/232.
In the chase, debutants Kenty and Bear opened with a sparkling 64 from 42 balls before Bear fell at the end of the 8th. Kenty banged a six from the next ball to complete a debut 53 from 24; Half-A-Night smashed a six from his free hit but was out three balls later; and when #pooinsink hit one back to the bowler it was 3/87. Vulture and Chief King added 31 before a mix-up saw Vulture run out (just the 11th run out in 15 years for Nudeballers). A Screamer of a catch in the next over did for Chief King and all of a sudden Nudeballers were in trouble needing 104 from 19 overs with just 4 wickets in hand. A fighting 28 from Stinky with good support from Furstin provided some hope as did skipper Cider and Trust me with their 28 run collaboration, but it was not good enough against a red hot Chuckers and Sloggers side who caught just about everything. “Chuckers” took 7 catches in the innings (the most ever v Nudeballers) plus a run out. Trevor was outstanding at short mid-wicket to dismiss Chief King and Cider Canary at crucial times.
The 19 game winning streak dating back to Day 3 of 2016 was over. 😢
Orange Cap: Chief King. Purple Cap: Chief King. Pink Cap: Bonfire
Play of the Day Cap: Kenty. 1/21 and 53 off 24
The Eagle Trophy: Anal for wicket-keeping for 2 days in the heat
Ladder Position: 43
Game 3 (Match 45) v Cunning Stumpz
The One with Half-A-Night’s Catch!
(And the bloke riding the mini-bike)21 January 2024 at Goldfield Sporting Complex Field 50
Batting first, Nudeballers 6/266; 35 overs. Cunning Stumpz 9/213; 29.1 overs
Nudeballers win by 53 runs.
Field 50 behind the Goldfield Sporting Complex was the scene of previous matches v the Rampaging Rhinos in 2014 and Grandstanders II in 2022; the latter famous for a full blooded hook shot by Stinky which caught Grandstander, Plant Man full on the face. Strangely this was not the first such occasion where this had happened. In 2019 a particularly “chirpy” Mossman Mangoes wicket-keeper copped a similar accidental blow from Bonfire. It is part of Nudeballers folklore that the words “not so chirpy now” might have been uttered.😁
Captain Vulture lost the toss and Nudeballers found themselves batting first. After losing Stinky at the start of the 4th over, Bonfire and Trust Me dug in for the second longest and second highest ever Nudeballers partnership of 95 from 85 balls, before Trust Me retired for his 5th Nudeballers 50. Four Overs later, Bonfire brought up his maiden Nudeballers 50. Vulture and Cider Canary smashed 66 from just under 6 overs (although it’s fair to say that Vulture did most of the smashing!😁); Vulture bringing up his second 50 of the weekend and 5th overall to give him an enviable conversion rate of a 50 every 0.63 innings. Leg Slip became the 12th ever run out victim for Nudeballers and earned the unenviable stat of being the first Nudeballer to be run out twice, for a duck, off a free hit. A valuable 35 from 22 balls by Bear and #pooinsink in the dying overs, catapulted Nudeballers to 6/266
In keeping with the weekend theme, Nudeballers struggled to take wickets at the top of the order. Mark and Kagan added 63 from 59 balls before skipper, Vulture, enticed a top edge and keeper Statz took a brilliant catch to hand Vulture his maiden Nudeballers wicket (You’re welcome). In contrast to his enviable 50 conversion rate, a wicket every 123 balls is far below Vulture’s potential and one hopes that he might work on this in the off-season 🤨.
Leg Slip grabbed the second wicket, next over, when Chief King took a good catch at long on. A 42 run 3rd wicket partnership met its end in the 16th over when the wily Kenty burst through Kagan’s defences to make it 3/114. Three overs later, Bonfire took his first wicket of the weekend via a Vulture catch to make it 4 fa. Trust me made it 5 in the 22nd over breaking through Cooper’s defences after a partnership of 33 from 19. After two previous economical returns, Cider Canary came in for some tap on day 3, but did manage to claim his 3rd wicket of the weekend when Cyril popped one up on the off side and an alert Half-A-Night exploded from behind the stumps made good ground and dived to take a brilliant catch inches from the ground. 6/155.
The retirement of Jayden at the end of the 25th over after a blistering 53 from 21 balls left Cunning Stumpz the task of 67 from 10 overs with 3 wickets in hand. Three balls later the task became 65 from 9.3 when Trust Me pouched one off Bear. A second catch by Vulture off #pooinsink in the 27th and a third by the skipper off Bonfire in the 30th brought the innings to a close on 213. A win to Nudeballers by 53 runs.
A nerw winning streak had begun
Final Results:
Orange Cap: Vulture. Purple Cap: Chief King. Pink Cap: Bonfire*
*Vulture and Bonfire finished equal on fielding points. Bonfire takes the cap on a countback of dropped catchesPlay of the Day Cap: Half-A-Night. A Brilliant Keeper’s catch
The Eagle Trophy: Trust Me (wicket, catch, 50) and Vulture (wicket, 3 catches, 50)
Ladder Position: 27
