2016 Nudeballers - Goldfield Ashes
Game 1 (Match 22) v All Souls Grandstanders
The one with six maidens.
Friday 22 January 2016 at Burry Oval Field
Batting first, Nudeballers 6/248; 35 overs. All Souls Grandstanders 8/159; 32 overs
Nudeballers win by 89 runs.
A beautifully grassed oval at the start of the weekend was just a big tease. The lush surface thwarted the classic, along-the-ground stroke play of Cliche and Uncle Bob, who struggled to just 15 off the first 7 overs; including two maidens! There was a record third maiden in the partnership between Flash and Uncle Bob, but the pair did accelerate to eventually record 62 from 63 balls. When both fell within 10 balls the score was 3/87 from 18 overs. 161 came from the last 17 overs including a 40-ball, 73 run partnership between Chief King and Newbie (Re-appearing after a six year absence).
Chasing 249 to win, Grandstanders cruised to 56 from the first 13 overs. This was ahead of the Nudeballers 1/51 at the same time. The Nudeballers fast second half started to tell on Grandstanders. Although two batsmen reached 50, the rest struggled to contribute. #pooinsink took three catches, Stinky and Chief King two each, as the Grandstanders went from 0/56 off 13, to all out 159. Trust Me and Chief King picked up two wickets and a maiden each. Stinky also picked up a maiden to make it six maidens for the day across both innings! 😯 😳 Now there’s something you don’t see often at the Ashes!
Game 2 (Match 23) v Blackheath Thornburgh
The one with the pervasive pall
Saturday 23 January 2016 at Burns Oval Field 10
Batting first, Blackheath Thornburgh 9/261; 33.5 overs. Nudeballers 8/186; 24.1 overs.
Nudeballers loss by 75 runs.
Wreck ‘Em 2011: 256; Wreck ‘Em 2013: 201 were the only other times that Nudeballers gave up 200 runs. It happened again on Day Two of the 2016 Ashes. Black Saturday, as it has come to be known in the mind of the writer, began like many other second days at the Goldfield Ashes; incessant moaning and “I don’t wanna be heres”. However, there was pervasive pall which had attached itself like a shadow to some Nudies.
Our opposition seized the opportunity and put Nudeballers to the sword. Two 50+ partnerships - 79 from 70 balls (a record v Nudeballers) and 60 from 52 balls. Stinky and 3 Questions grabbed three wickets each, but who remembers those? Outfielding was more non-existent than poor; catches that might have been taken, not even attempted. Matt Tav (unaffected by the pall) toiled manfully in a doomed attempt to plug gaps in the field. His 3 overs went for 15 in an innings where the economy averaged 7.7. Blackheath piled on the highest ever total against Nudeballers, with only one retiree in their innings.
In the chase, Nudeballers crumbled to be 5/46 in the 10th over. Chief King then joined Anal for a partnership of 72 from 32 balls before reaching 50 and retiring in the 15th over. With 20 overs remaining, 142 runs were needed with four wickets in hand. Anal “carried” his bat through the innings as wickets fell around him; bringing up his 50 from the last ball of an innings that lasted just 24.1 overs.
After the match, there was an unusual darkening of the sky. The primary cause of which was said to be a combination of smoke and cloud cover. To this observer, it was something more sinister. The dark side had been explored and it was not good. There was some soul-searching afterward.
Game 3 (Match 24) v Jungle Patrol 2
The one with the wasteland
Sunday 24 January 2016 at C T Golf Club Field 22
Batting first, Nudeballers 9/220; 32.3 overs. Jungle Patrol 2 8/195; 32.2 overs
Nudeballers win by 25 runs
After having batted first only twice in the previous seven years, Nudies found themselves batting first for the second time on the weekend. The day three ground was a wasteland. It was at the Charters Towers Golf Club, but, if this was a Golf Club, the Nudies were definitely in the bunker. Our opponents, Jungle Patrol, were at a definite disadvantage; they would have to Patrol another day for there was no Jungle here.
Uncle Bob and Matt Tav opened with a solid 46 from 34 balls before Uncle Bob danced down the wicket and was stumped. Matt Tav went on to a stylish 50, before retiring in the 10th over with the score on 78. Several of the ensuing partnerships got past the 20 mark, but were extinguished by some good opposition bowling. Chief King took his weekend tally past the 100 mark for the 3rd time with a 43. Jungle Patrol did well to have the Nudies 8 for 176 with 12 overs to go. However, a record 9th wicket partnership of 44 between Statz and the ever-reliable Trust Me (you can trust him with a cricket bat, just don’t believe anything he says), guided Nudeballers to 220 before Statz BBQ’d himself in the 32nd over.
Jungle Patrol started as well as anyone had against the Nudies, with partnerships of 28, 29, 59 and 42 at the top of the order. NQ Cowboy, Aaron Payne, emulated Matt Tav’s 51 from 30 balls and at the 25 over mark, Jungle Patrol, were in the box seat at 3/174; wickets in hand and 47 to get from the last 11 overs. Nudies fought back well taking 5/21 in the next 7 overs. Chief King started the rot with a wicket-maiden, then Stinky took two in the next over to turn 3/174 into 6/177. Newbie grabbed one in the 30th and Matt Tav brought the weekend to a close when he pouched his 3rd catch of the day, off Chief King, in the 33rd over.
Another stats-topping weekend for Chief King at the top of the batting and bowling.
Retrospective Weekend Awards
Orange Cap: Chief King
Purple Cap: Chief King only just edging out Stinky on averages
Pink Cap: #pooinsink
