2010 Nudeballers Goldfield Ashes
The highlight of the Friday evening “strategy” meeting was the ceremonial distribution of shirts. We were all so pleased that COOKEY loved his shirt so much. The next morning hadn’t dawned before the Nudies were on their way to the Towers. Rusty made the fatal mistake of keeping Bald Tav waiting for 3 minutes and 22 seconds and didn’t hear the end of it for the rest of the weekend.
It seemed like only 50 “are we there yets” before we arrived and headed into the Goldfield Sports complex for Kerri and Anne’s amazing Bacon and Egg Burgers. Many oos and aahs later, we trundled off to Duke St Field 46 to take on Victoria Mill. Two minutes later, Worthy, who knows Charters Towers like the back of his hand, had taken a wrong turn. Somehow, it was Mario’s fault, but we secretly made a vow not to listen to Worthy again; a vow we made several times that weekend.
There was a giant duck, there was a field with grass and...Oh yeah… some cricket:
Game 1 (Match 4) v Victoria Mill
The one with the giant duck.
23 January 2010 at Duke St Field 46
Batting first, Nudeballers 9/196; 29.4 overs. Victoria Mill All Out 150; 26 overs.
Nudeballers win by 46 runs
A lost toss (how did that happen?) saw the Nudies batting first for the first time at the ashes. The campaign was off to a good start, the top order firing. Old Tav and Rusty combined for a 60 run opening partnership from 11 overs. Rusty’s dismissal brought Keefey to the wicket with the advantage of the shorter leg side boundary (left handers always get it easy). Keefey blasted away, while Old Tav cleverly milked singles for a 50 partnership, from 6 overs. Mark Tav did not really need the use of his ACL in blasting 50no from 22 balls, but, a promising 3/172 from 24 overs became a disappointing 9/196 from 29.4 overs, a collapse of 7/24.
Victoria Mill exploded out of the blocks and was 1/66 from just 6 overs; the only wicket to fall came from a good slips catch by Cookey off Dick. Although the required run rate had been reduced to less than 5 per over, Vic Mill continued to bat like millionaires. Cometh the hour, cometh the Cookey. With Trav applying pressure at the other end, Cookey enticed an edge, first ball, for a screamer at slip by Dicky. In his next over, Cookey scattered the stumps 4th ball, then had the new batsman caught by Bald Tav, at deep square two balls later. All of a sudden, 1/66 was 4/78. Mario’s introduction was equally as dramatic. Four dot balls in his first over was enough pressure for the Vic Mill batsman to take the chance on a quick single. Rusty punced (that’s not a typo) and the direct hit sent the batsman back to the pavilion. A lofted off drive provided a sharp, overhead chance to Trav in Mario’s third over and the Nudies went to drinks at 6/133, an excellent recovery from 1/66
Wickets were needed after drinks and Mario obliged disturbing the stumps just three balls after the break; completely deceiving the batsman with his lack of pace. The Nudies then went in for the kill. A rampant Keefey was unplayable in four overs 1/3, Cookey claimed his fourth and an extremely hot return catch was taken by Mark to close the innings in the 26th over. The Nudies had taken 5/17 in 9 overs. Old Tav was elated with the first up win and led the team in the Nudeballer’s song, of which everyone has their own version. Trav completed a double, having now dropped the first catch in both Ashes campaigns. Wondergai bowled his first and last over of the weekend. Mario, sorry, but it was “two fa” not a “three fa”; inadvertently included the run out.
The luck of the Irish
Rusty bailed to go and stay with “a mate”. What were we? Pork chops? After a brief stay at the Westpac quarters, the Nudies also bailed for a better offer at Irish Molly’s (The Court House), who had spare rooms following a cancellation. You see? Sometimes there is room at the inn! If only Joseph had taken Mary to Charters Towers.
Ken, Mario and Wondergai had already hit the pub tab at the Waverley, leaving it to their mates to do all the moving. Here Wondergai established a reputation as an ordinary punter to go with his reputation as a crap bowler. All Nudies were reunited later that afternoon and for a BBQ dinner with the Westpac Townsville side. There might have been a very heated debate about something on the Westpac verandah (who can remember?) before the next adjournment to the White Horse. Here the Nudies split with some opting for the alphabetical priority of a bed rather than a beer.
In what could have been the biggest mistake of the weekend, Ken and Old Tav, with the pick of the rooms, chose the hottest one. “What’s that all about Ken?” Somehow, Bald Tav and Mario jagged one that was “cool”; however, it was more widely accepted that Bald Tav was exaggerating (that’s a first!) about needing a blanket. There was definitely one Nudie who needed to find an alternative entrance to the Court House that night. Can you guess who…sniff, sniff! And…was it Dickey that had the altercation with Roy?
Game 2 (Match 5) v Violaters XI
The one with Dicky’s Red thighs.
24 January 2010 at Burns Field
Batting first, Violaters XI All Out 152; 25.1 overs. Nudeballers 7/269 from 30.5 overs
Nudeballers win by 6 wickets in 16 overs
Violated
Bacon and Egg Burgers, Oos and Aahs, Nudies in 42nd place, both competitors of the next two days ahead in the standings. What was in store for our Nudies heroes?.....
The opposition was Violaters XI and the venue was Burns Field, across the road from a beautifully manicured All Souls College ground. The Nudies salivated over the All Souls ground while waiting for the opposition, who lived up to their name by being in violation of the starting time.
Cookey complained (imagine that) of being sore and suggested we should restrict the game to ten overs a side. His plight drew the sympathy of his teammates(?). Everyone was in awe of Dickey’s chafed thighs. “Awe sh!t, Dickey!”There was also some cricket….
The toss was won and the Nudies were in their preferred fielding position. Violaters charged to 30 before a Worthy outswinger provided a catch for Old Tav. Three balls later, Worthy was on hand to remove the other opener with a catch off Dickey behind square. His replacement lasted just two balls before Dickey scattered his stumps; 3/31. Consecutive partnerships of 41 and 48 provided challenges for the Nudies. Another Worthy catch, this time off Trav, ended the first partnership and a Keefey special removed the other just short of his 50 and drinks; 5/120. The “second half Nudies” were just as devastating as the previous day. The last 5 wickets fell in the space of 30 balls, Bald Tav and Mark picking up two each and Worthy his second with theassistance of catches from Keefey (2) and Rusty.
The Nudies top order all looked comfortable, but, squandered opportunities. It was the middle order’s turn today and they did not disappoint. In combination, Trav, Mark and Wondergai added 153 from 95 balls overhauling the Violaters’ total before drinks. Trav reached 50 and featured in partnerships of 66 with a rampant Mark (50 from 15) and 73 with Wondergai (53). A cameo 32 from 20 at the end by Dickey red legs, guided the Nudies to their highest ever score 7/269 with 20 fours and 15 sixes.
Several versions of “We’re The Nudies” were once again sung (at the same time).
The Best Laid Plans…..
The Enterprise was the venue after the Nudies had made themselves beautiful. It was only 600 metres down the road according to Cookey, but, there were many calls of “beam me up” before we got there. Here, a “war room” was established and plans for 2011 were laid out.
Sponsorships, air-conditioned rooms, mini-buses, tour and playing shirts means we all have to get about $3,000 worth of sponsorship by next year. Keefey was elected; OR Cookey volunteered to move back to the Towers and host us once again. He’s going to run this by Shazza and get back to us.
Rusty bid us a farewell as he boarded a bus; there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Once again there was a split in the team later in the evening as we all tried to distance ourselves from Wondergai.
Game 3 (Match 6) v Bintang Boys
The one with the “rubbish” field
25 January 2010 at CT Airport Reserve Field 34
Batting first, Bintang Boys All Out 149; 32.4 overs. Nudeballers 8/189 from 31 overs
Nudeballers win by 6 wkts in 22.3 overs
The Last Hurrah…..
It was De Jes Vous all over again as wet weather greeted the last day. We bid farewell to Irish Molly’s and headed off to our last Bacon and Egg Burgers. The scoreboard had the Nudies in 15th place today and our opposition just a couple of places below. Cookey and Keefey stopped off for caramel frappacinos at Maccas and then peeled Trav and Tav out of bed.
Storm clouds threatened over the Airport Reserve. For every secret prayer for the rain to stay away, there was one for it to come down and put us out of our misery. Arrival at the venue, largely red dirt, after two days of mainly grass, was greeted with horror by Dickey, who calmly exclaimed “This is rubbish” thanked everyone, turned and walked away. There was also some cricket….
The toss was won again and Old Tav chose to field. The Nudies’ fielding was not up to scratch in the slushy conditions, but, the bowling was tight. Dickey and Worthy were scrooges giving up just 16 in the first 6 overs. The pressure of low scoring told and a single was attempted to Mark at mid-wicket. Mark had enough time to blow Worthy a kiss before returning truly over the stumps at the bowler’s end for Worthy to complete the run out. Travis and Mark were just as stingy, conceding 18 from 6 overs including two wickets to Mark. Keefey was the other successful bowler before drinks; 4/68.
The second half Nudies struggled as the rain and the previous two nights’ entertainment took its toll. The Bintang’s 5th wicket partnership of 70 was the key and when this was broken by a leg side catch to Old Tav off the resurgent Cookey, the remaining wickets fell relatively quickly. Cookey’s catch off Dicky in the next over was followed by three wickets in 12 balls to Trav; one of these from a juggling catch to Mario. Mark accounted for the last wicket, his third and the Bintang Boys were out for 150. Coincidentally The Nudies’ three opposition scores for the weekend, 150, 152, 150.
Bintang Boys returned the tight bowling favour, Old Tav and Worthy struggling to 0/18 from the first 6. Runs then started to flow more freely and the score was 47 when Worthy fell in the 11th over. Just 3 more runs were added before Old Tav fell, bringing the in-form ACL Tav to the crease. Old Tav had barely returned to the pavilion and removed his pads and Mark had reached 25 having hit four of his first five balls for six. In partnership with Keefey and then Wondergai, Mark produced 54 of the 73 runs scored; the score 123 when he retired two balls and ten runs after drinks.
Wondergai remained to shepherd the team past the 150 target and most of the way to the eventual 189. Wondergai was unfortunately out on 49 (a clerical error later revealed that he may have been robbed of a 50, but them’s the breaks.)
Another successful Ashes campaign for the Nudies, but more importantly, a fantastic time was had by all. There were many memorable rib-tickling moments and heady debates to challenge the intellect…Hang on..I meant to say we pissed ourselves laughing and put sh!t on each other.
Full results are not yet known, but congratulations to our Mark Taviani who was named runner up for B2 player of the tournament. In Mark’s words, the guy that beat him must’ve been “awesome”.
All are eagerly awaiting next year’s campaign.
Retrospective Weekend Awards
Orange Cap: Tax Tav (Chief King); 158; three 50s
Purple Cap: Tax Tav (Chief King); 12-0-6-52
Pink Cap: Trust Me/Cookey; 2 catches
A stroke of luck landed the Nudies at the Court House pub, a central location where we found beds and showers. The weekend was once again tremendous in its camaraderie and all left with the desire to return in bigger and better circumstances. The Nudies will be on the lookout for Sponsors in 2011 after a second successive clean sweep and their first award: Runner up for player of the tournament in B2; Mark (ACL Tav) Taviani. Woo hoo!.
We’re The Nudies
(To the tune of the Flintstones)
Nudies, we’re the Nudies.
We’re your Goldfield Ashes cricket team.
We’ve been to the Towers,
where our cricket whites turned into creams.
There were rooms for the Nudies at the Inn,
Hot as hell, but comfortable and clean.
Nudies, we’re the Nudies
Took 30 wickets
Cleared 30 pickets
Nudeballers Cricket Team
