by Bluey Rennison
It’s a hots summer’s day middle of December, as we wake up and the sun is shining and there is not a cloud in the sky here at the Rennison Dome. We scoff down the Weet-Bix and hot Milo. We put the Honda Mow-Master to work, the world’s best cricket pitch mower, as we make sure that the grass is very low and there is no crack’s then we know that it is ready. After the pitch is looking good, we round up all of the tennis balls that we have and make sure that they are all taped up. As the umpires come out to tell us that it is time to start then, the coin gets tossed. My mate Damion and I take on my brother Corey and Wayde. As we call heads the 50 cent piece lands flat on the pitch – and it’s heads. As we choose to have a bat, we now get prepared for the big game.
As we are coming out to play, the umpires now must explain the rules, and the rules are, one hand one bounce, each team gets 10 wickets all up, auto keeper, they are the rules.
The first ball is bowled by Wayde, and Jarrod leaves it, and then the banter that comes along is great with Corey saying, let’s make his box a swimming pool, as the next ball comes through Jarrod smashes a straight drive right through Corey’s legs. After that hit the fence for 4 Jarrod said: “Close your legs buddy.”
As that over finishes Corey comes on and we are 0/17 after the first 4 overs. And as we change ends and Corey is steaming in with his bowling figures showing him 2 overs for 13 and no wickets.
As he is about to release the ball Damion dances down the pitch and hits him straight down the ground for 6, as I call out great shot mate for six biscuits. Wayde comes back on for the seventh over and cleans bowls Jarrod and he goes out from 13 now the score is 1/30 after 7 overs. Since there are no more people Jarrod comes back in but starts as a new batsman, now as they switch sides and Damion is now on strike and ends up facing out that over – a wicket maiden. Now after the 10th over the batting side is 1/50. As Corey comes back on and is bowling, he is sprinting in and bowls Damion a bouncer, Damion gets a top edge we run and Wayde catches it: OUT. Now the batting side is 2/52 as the bowling side thinks that they are now on top. Corey is still bowling and gets Jarrod out another wicket caught behind.
They are 3/55 off 12, in real strife. They only have 13 overs left to get a competitive score. In the 14th over Wayde is bowling and first ball goes straight back down the ground for 4. Next ball we run 2, third delivery just single, as Jarrod is at the other end he says to Corey “ ah yeah real strife.”
Then after that expensive over the score is 3/70. Wayde is bowls and gets Damion first ball of the over. Caught behind: 4/72. Jarrod and Damion are now thinking we need runs. That was a solid over from Wayde just the 2 runs off it. Score update after 22: 4/88. Corey is bowling Wayde is saying give him the heat, “Come on mate, he is shakin’ like bacon.”
First ball Damion lets it go. Next ball they run a 3 from a misfield from Wayde, Jarrod is on strike: it’s a half volley and Jarrod takes advantage and goes onto the front foot and hits a 4 after 4 . That was a bit expensive. Score 4/100 It’s the 23rd over Damion is on strike and gets bowled clean, through a massive gap between bat. 5/100. Jarrod is now on strike, pushes for 2 and gets it. That over went for 10 score is now 5/110 the last over before lunch they are just going all out, Corey is bowling Jarrod is on strike. The first ball: 6. Second ball: blocked out. Third ball: single. Fourth ball: 4. Last ball: 3. Which gives the batting team a total score of 5/124. Lunch was good. Swim first for a break then straight in for meat pies and sausage rolls and lemonade, Mmmm delightful.
Now Corey and Wayde come on to bat. Now this is the time 1:30 when the ball starts to just nip around a bit more. So the bowling team starts off. Jarrod is opening and first ball of the day is a dot ball, next delivery dot ball next ball 4 runs. That over started okay but finished a bit poorly. Score after the first over 0/6 the 7th over Damion comes back on and the first ball bowl Corey. They are 1/30, not the best start but its okay. 10th over wicket Wayde bowled by Jarrod 2/55. That over Jarrod got another wicket Wayde bowled again, as we said earlier the bowl is starting to nip around now score 3/61. 14th over, Damion is bowling. He gets hit straight down the ground for 6 by Wayde. That was a brilliant over for the batsman 10 off it. Score 3/70. 18th over now Jarrod is coming on to bowl wicket Corey caught behind by auto keeper. 20th over score 5/85 they need they need 39 to win off 30 balls. Pressure is building now. Jarrod is bowling: edged past the keeper for 4 runs. Next ball single. 22nd over Damion is bowling: bouncer, top edge, straight up to Jarrod. They are 6/99. 24th over first ball: 6 from Wayde, another ball 4, third ball, just the single, fourth ball 2 runs, 5th ball 6, and last ball they run a single then 3 overthrows which gives them the total of 124/6 the same scores for both teams, they laid on the ground in disappointment, tired and wrecked but then, the umpires decided to have a super over.
They said that instead of using a cricket plastic bat, that you use a tennis racket. Damion and Jarrod are batting, and they have their tennis rackets. Jarrod is facing Corey’s bowling, first ball 6 runs, second ball 3 runs, third ball 4, fourth ball single , fifth ball 4 runs and last ball 3 runs, for a total score of 145. Then Corey and Wayde came in to bat and they need 22 to win off 6. Damion is bowling, first ball 4, second ball 4, third 1, fourth ball 3, fifth ball 6 runs, last ball they need 4 runs to win. Damion bowls a yorker and they squeeze a 3 in that means Damion and Jarrod are the winners and the champions of backyard cricket at the Rennison Dome are Damion and Jarrod. And because they won they get breakfast in bed in the morning and after the game we all jumped in the pool, had a couple of frothies and just relaxed ready for another day.
Read other stories from our Whitefriars’ College scribes.
Bluey, I reckon you’re lucky to get any play after lunch with those conditions.
Great stuff.