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THIS WEEK IN COVIE LAND



First Grade Report: Warringah v Lane Cove
 
Alcohol and you – the dangers….
 
It was always going to be a circus turning up to play Warringah with 3s and 5s also playing within a half-hit sand wedge of each other, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
 
Arriving early (well, most of us…), the mathematicians amongst us quickly worked out that two teams don’t go into one dressing room. Richo wasn’t quite sure but agreed after using his calculator and asking Ninja (http://free-extras.com/images/cavalier_king_charles_spaniel_tri_color-12502.htm) to confirm.
 
The Warringah dressing room engineer certainly won’t be winning any industry awards with this work.. it resembled more of a half maze half bomb shelter – great for a 36 degree day at cricket.

The big units of 5th grade probably needed the seats of the rooms more than us but we took the first in best dressed policy. Walked out for the warm up to see
 
the 5s lads sinking schooners with shirts off and smashing darts. Meanwhile Holty was nowhere to be seen, and the assumption was that he had ditched the first grade warm up to join 5s so he could be in his natural habitat (http://www.123rf.com/photo_6875113_man-smoking-and-drinking.html).

 

That wasn’t the case though, he was actually in the process of starring in the next series of Channel 9’s smash hit TV show http://catchup.ninemsn.com.au/rbt. Hope you look good on camera Holty!
 
Incidentally by the time we walked on the field 5s had just about finished their game and were eyeing off our post-match case. Corny swiftly moved the esky into a safe spot in the bunker.
 
Won the toss in stinking hot conditions and batted, although we were in trouble early after a mix up between myself and Gump which was followed by a mistimed drive from Smyth. All of a sudden we were 2/10, but in hindsight the opening pair probably came out ahead after being able to sit in the shade for the rest of the day and watch everyone else bat.
 
The deck was pretty tame, although it was a pitch that even when you were in, you were never quite in – so eloquently put by Pete G.
 
Pete looked solid and stuck around most of the day, making a well compiled 71 and was supported by Evey (20) and Corn Dog (29). The game was in the balance at 6/156 when Holt met Devola at the crease.
 
By this time Holt was just under the limit and managed to see the ball pretty well, and Devola at the other end was having a day out. The pair put on a 77-run stand to turn the game in our favour and give us a good total to defend next week.
 
Joey Scarcella and Richo contributed a few towards the end and we finished the day all-out 261. Highlight of the day was Ninja following Richo out to bat, only for Holty to chase him to the boundary and crash tackle him. Very costly incident for Richo!
 
Finished the day on top, but to be fair to Warringah they deserve a lot of credit for their bowling and fielding efforts all day in such hot conditions.
 
Still a fair bit of work to do next week to get the 6 points.
 
Naughto


Second Grade Report: Lane Cove V 2nd Grade Premiers

How hot is it!
On the back of a solid win last round we welcomed the reigning premiers to Tantallon.  
Peeling the covers off after some early morning rain we were presented with a typical greenish wicket and pristine outfield.
Something strange and unfamiliar happened at the toss however – I won it! (Finally breaking my duck for the year.) Only problem was I hadn’t even contemplating what decision to make, given my services have not been required to date. With another glance of the wicket and the sky I went with my gut and we were bowling.
Sneaky and Bez opened proceedings with some tight bowling, uncharacteristically though we were leaking runs through extras, with a few byes and wides helping the score on to 40 odd for no loss at the first drinks break. At this point in the match some doubt as to whether I made the right decision to bowl started to creep into my mind. (How popular was I going to be if we had to bowl 80 overs in 35 degree heat!)
A bowling change post the drinks break saw Piri take the first wicket, followed by his second the next ball, again having the young man on a hat trick. Bezer also chimed in with his second spell as we pulled them back to be 3 for 62, taking the wicket of the set opener. He then picked up where he left off last week, taking another 4 wickets for not many runs tearing the heart out of the opposition middle order. Sneaky also bowling well in his second spell snaring a wicket. Warringah now reeling at 8 for 74 coming into the most anticipated tea break of the year. Still bloody hot!!
Post the tea break (one of the best spreads of the year I may add) the Warringah tail wagged a little to get the score into 3 figures. Piri broke the threatening partnership with his third wicket and Bezer finished the innings off with this his 6th wicket for the day, not without some controversy.
Great effort from all the bowlers, particularly Bez, closing out the Warrringah innings for 109 in 44 long hot overs.  
Chasing 109 we lost the standard early wickets, myself, O’Neill and Rixon to be 3 for 24. Fish and Doherty? (no that is not a typo) then steadied the ship to put on a 50 run partnership in even time before Fish holed for a well-made 27. Coves now 4 for 75.
Doherty pushed on in the heat belting the attack all around the park, at one point having both long on and off back on the fence. (True story!) With pure exhaustion then getting the better of him he missed a straight one to throw away another 50, with a run a ball 44. This brought Piri to the crease with Nishant who both batted well to close out the remaining overs and get our total past the Warringah total in the process. Nishant then had a brain fade losing his wicket in the final over of the day for 18.
Another strong bowling and fielding performance has set up this game for us next week as we now push for the 10 points.


Thrid Grade Report: Lane Cove V Warringah

I hate cricket, by J B Clarke


Fourth Grade Report: Lane Cove V Warringah

Too cagey to write a report.



Round 10 of the Muppy Cuppy @ Mike Pawley: Sky Muppets take on the Men in Green
 
 
Bwett hear, I mean here. ‘twas a hot summer day, 8 players, 40 degrees, Nev hungover from Xmas party the night before – 5th grade looked primed for a big match. As former 1’s skip it was a delight to share the sheds with the 5’s boys, they really are a nice bunch – except I’m not sure they enjoyed watching the 1’s boys warm up. Lets just say that 4 of the Sky Muppets were seen standing mid pitch before the game, chomping away on a couple of durries (and another seen working through his second Tooheys New!!!) whilst our lads were hard at work during our strict 1 hour warm-up regime – Demi really keeps this 1st grade machine I spent years developing as well oiled as a Boris kebab. However, I think it’s fair to say the Sky Muppets don’t eschew the professionalism of 1’s, or 2’s, or anyone else really for that matter. Good to see the high standards that Dub set years ago are being maintained........
As we were sharing dressing rooms – let me say, what an honour it was for the 5’s boys to be graced with our presence – I heard rumours that due to the fact Lance’s 5th grade Muppeteers aren’t very good, and only had 8, that wiley old Nev lulled the Warringah skip into a false sense of security – something about not being very good, having 8 players and reminding their Skip of the heat......outcome was both captains agreeing to avoid a toss and allow Lance to bat first. Well played Nev, at this point the match was evenly poised.
Smiddy and Damian put the pads on early doors and went in to face the Green Men (Mars Attacks anyone? Geof?). Sadly Demi was run out early and Smiddy followed suit shortly after. But Nev was chortling as this brought the beguiling Pete Gallichan to the crease with Purdy Jack. Hang on, what match am I writing this TWIC for?  Ha ha ha, oh the unpriceablenesslessness. Oops. My bad. Sorry everyone. So Nev utilised a reverse batting order in order to stave off the inevitable, cagey tactic. Sudsy and Drew opened up with a decent stand of 15. Sudsy went soon thereafter before Dastardly Dick and Nev started piling them on Doherty style. Nev, Dick and Sharples quickly retreated to the air conditioning as did Cosmo Cramer and Sprucey leaving Stev-o Baker tantalisingly short of a big score. But it was all to play for. The 5’s boys, despite trying to talk half the first grade team into batting for them, set a hugely competitive total of 72 from an agonisingly slow 15.3 overs.
Quick change of costume during the intermission and Lance came out firing with the pill. Nev was suffering heat exhaustion and went with the batting order for the bowling line up. True story. I was sitting under the first grade tent nursing my poodle (cannoodling fine no doubt) watching Sudsy and Drew open up the bowling. I had to head scratch myself as I thought I saw a similar thing 45 minutes earlier, or at least 2 paragraphs above. Hard to be sure. Hard to be anything really, except just plain hard. Yes. (good sledge Holty? Been really channelling your areas here).  Actually, speaking of SPOTY – he arrived late and missed the warm up – cost him a pineapple at least. Anyway, there was a game going on next to 1’s on Saturday, hang on, Nev is sitting next to me???? What happened? You guys only started bowling 45 minutes ago, let alone the match 90 minutes ago? Why are you sitting here watching 1’s? I know we are first grade, but why are you hear? I mean here?
I was unsure of all this commotion so I checked the score book. The 5th Grade Green Men (lets call them 5GGM for simplicity) did it tough and past Lance’s huuuuge first innings score without the loss of a wicket. I’m glad they had the opportunity to play next to us, Pete Gal scored more than the Muppeteers combined, heck, even Devola nearly achieved that feat.
After the loss of Petey Gal Corny piled on a quick fire 29, Christmas contributed 20, SPOTY 25 but Devola almost stole Petey’s thunder with a pedestrian 69’er. Evenly poised for next week where we expect the grass to be cut quite short for the 1GGM chase.
What TWIC is this? I’m confused. Wait, Ricky retired?
 
 
Burt Dickardson
Former 1’s Schkip, Current Covie Legend