Washington Cricket Club - 40th Anniversary Year

 The Washington scored a good win over the Pacific with a standout batting performance from returning captain Shawn Hill. The game started with the day overcast and a light shower at lunchtime which cleared about an hour before the start. The grass was long, as is usually the case for Wray Crescent, and the day was pretty humid. Shawn Hill won the toss and elected to bat, a wise choice given the quality of the wicket. Pacific were two men short, so the Wash provided a fielder during the innings. Air traffic in the area was surprisingly good.

Hilly & Kiwi started the innings and had to face one of the quickest bowlers seen against Washington for some time, a Mr Greenland who proved very difficult to get away. At the other end things were gentler, and Hilly took full advantage of anything remotely loose or even not loose. Shots of extreme brutality were unleashed. Kiwi unfortunately fell to a run out after absorbing several difficult overs, but Max came in and did a great job seeing off the tall quick Greenland. Meanwhile Hill accumulated runs with some very powerful hits including a flattish six which cannoned off the changing room window grill. Max fell, bringing in Clint, who provided ample support and 41 runs in a partnership of 107. With the score at 185 we were well set up. Hill fell for 140, run out by the Washington chairman in trying to take a short single. The score was 206. An additional 24 was scored by Akram, Lang and Kloss for a very competitive 230. The Pacific’s captain Tom Ireland (LH med-fast) bowled extremely well, taking 4 of the 7 wickets that fell, and one wonders what might have happened had he brought himself on earlier.

In reply the Washington bowled tightly at first, with Kloss & Mitchell getting prodigious swing in the humidity. Early wickets were taken, but the Pacific dug in with Ireland scoring 67 not out, including a useful partnership with Grindrod, and then an incredible 57 runs in about 18 balls by Greenland. His threatening innings came to an end with a massive skyer which seemed likely the clear the trees at deep midwicket. When the ball came down, Leo Lang was under it and he calmly took the catch, to everyone’s amazement and relief!

Skipper Shawn Hill said after the game “It was great to be back on the field again and score some runs, and even better to get a win. It was not easy to score with the long grass. We absorbed the early pressure well, and we were in control of the situation despite the Pacific fightback.”