2012 Nudeballers Goldfield Ashes
Game 1 (Match 10) v N.H.S. Total
The one with Uncle Bob’s hammy
20 January 2012 at CT Airport Reserve Field 40
Batting first, N.H.S. Total All Out 118; 31 overs. Nudeballers 5/227; 34.1 overs.
Nudeballers win by 8 wickets in 17 overs
A couple of wickets to Trust Me in the early stages had NHS 2/38 after 6 overs. Some great partnership bowling by Chief King and Chainsaw (on debut), 1/14 from six, then Anal and 3 Questions, 1/13 from six, made it 4/65 after 18. Also on debut, Uncle Bob struck twice in the 20th to make it 6/73, but, it cost him a hammy and he was unable to better his figures of 1-0-2-2. There was a bit of a revival over the next few overs, before wickets to Eagle and Donald made it 8fa. Another couple to Worthy in the final overs made him the second Nudeballer to take four in an innings.
In the chase, partnerships of 72 between Anal and Chief King, then 58 between Anal and Half-A-Night were enough to reach the target of 119; Anal and Chief King recording 50s. The Nudies went on to make 227; Uncle Bob batting bravely on one leg for 17 not out.
Game 2 (Match 11) v Bumbo’s XI
The one with the mellow middle.
21 January 2012 at CT Airport Reserve Field 34
Batting first, Bumbo’s XI All Out 111; 20 overs. Nudeballers 7/145; 20 overs
Nudeballers win by 9 Wkts in 11.4 overs
Game 2 of the 2012 tournament was reduced to a 20/20 to allow all teams to complete games and return to the Goldfield complex for CTCA invitational v Bulls Masters match. The Nudeballers opposition was Goldfield Ashes “institution”, Bumbo’s XI, a Burdekin team which had attended the Goldfield Ashes for over three decades.
Bumbo’s got off to a flyer, smashing Donald for two sixes in the first over. The first wicket came just three balls into the second over when Chief King bagged a catch off Trust Me to make it 1/16. Donald got his revenge with a double strike in the next over; Half-A-Night taking a catch 3rd ball and the stumps scattered three balls later; Bumbo’s XI 3/26 after three. After the initial frenzy, the next nine overs were positively “mellow” in comparison, as Bumbo’s added just 35 before Chief King broke through with the second-last ball of the 12th, to make it 4/61.
Things got hectic again when Donald came back for a second spell and got smashed again for 12 in the 15th over. There was also a wicket in there, thanks to a Rusty catch, making it three for Donald and Bumbo’s 5/79 with five to go. 33 came off the last five to take the score to 111 for Bumbo’s.
In the chase, the Nudies were 0/27 off the first three then lost Trust Me the very next ball. Chief King then joined Half-A-Night in a Nudies record 77 partnership from 43 balls before Chief King brought up his 50 and retired with 8 runs to get. The achievement of the target was followed by a calamitous 6/31 in the last 8 overs.
Game 3 (Match 12) v Wanderers CC 5
The one with Worthy batting for the other side!
22 January 2012 at CT Airport Reserve Field 38
Batting first, Nudeballers 8/220; 35 overs. Wanderers CC 5 8/100; 20 overs
Nudeballers win by 120 runs
Well, he didn’t “bat for the other side”, he bowled and fielded for the other side, but it sounded funnier the other way. 😁
Nudeballers found themselves batting first for only the second time at the Ashes. The Soiler and Rusty put on 46 for the first wicket, then fell in consecutive overs to bring Chief King and Cliche together. The score was on 100 when Wanderers did what N.H.S. and Bumbo’s couldn’t do; dismiss Chief King. Eagle joined Clichè and notched up his highest Nudeballer score in a partnership of 28 from 36 balls, but fell victim to the wily Peter Worth (not to be confused with Trust Me) on the field helping the Wanderers team. (Any truth to the rumour that he only said he would help if he could bowl at Mario?)
Uncle Bob’s hammy had benefited from a break on the second day and he joined Clichè at the crease. Clichè finally reached 49, but could not resist the little 👿 on his shoulder that said “dance down the wicket and hit it for six , Ken” and was promptly stumped by a metre. Donald stuck around to add 23 in partnership with Trust Me and 19 with Statz to guide Nudies to 220 from a full 35.
In the chase, Wanderers, with only nine to bat, got to 47 without loss, but capitulated to be all out for 100. Rusty pouched a couple of catches, Eagle grabbed personal best figures of 3/26 to go with his highest score and Uncle Bob a personal best 3/16 to make it 5/18 for the weekend.
Retrospective Weekend Awards
Pink Cap: Chief King
Purple Cap: Trust Me
Orange Cap: Chief King
