The Willows CC vs North West Schools XI 19th October 2024

Report from The Willows CC Facebook Page

After an exhausting 40 over stint behind the sticks, veteran Joe Bennett had earned his rest. “I’ll bat 11” he announced to Willows skipper Andrew Nuttall. Not expecting to bat from there he changed into civvies and contemplated where his body ached most.

You can see where this story is heading. Joe, our illustrious author, raconteur and Lyttelton’s finest after a spell umpiring, offered to collect his teams match / lunch fees. His day done; with a chilled glass of rosé pending. Not quite.

Wind back to 1pm. After a sumptuous lunch, the visiting NW team – which had already created a record with the composition of their team crossing nine different high schools across the city and outliers – won the toss and elected to bat.

Aditya Tiwari and Harrison Dick looked in superb nick. They shot off to a positive start and set the tone for some good NW batting. Harrison with 41, Austin Earl 41 and skipper Brayden McLeod 35 all batted with confidence as they rattled on 184/8 in their 40 overs.

The Willows used 6 or 7 handy bowlers who all kept good line and length throughout. Stand-out were Kelvin Scott who eventually snapped up the top order and Isaac Daly whose flight and guile polished up the lower order. It was feared that NW’s 184 was twenty light.

The Willows openers of Kelvin Scott and Arsh Singh relished the perfect batting strip and ripped into it from the get-go. The break-through took a while but CBHS lad Isaac Daly, coming in at #3, continued the onslaught. The Willows were well ahead of the run rate with a cruise to the end ahead .. BUT..

How often the case. Wickets tumbled, more quick exits, mayhem in the pavilion as the NW sniffed a chance. Even Joe Bennett was forced to unpack his coffin and resemble his whites in case he was needed. Finally, after a streaky skied mis-hit fell safely, The Willows limped home and Joe was not required. Importantly, Joe, along with 21 other young blokes had had a damn good afternoons romp, playing cricket at the best cricket wicket in the province, by a mile!

POD awards to Sam Carell (NW) for his “3 wickets for spit” and Isaac Daly (CBHS) for a handy double. The after-match finished with some fine oratory from the two captains, Tim Grocott (SBHS Head), Shane Young (BWUCC) and of course Joe – who reminded us that he along with Andrew, Ben Dormer, and yours truly played together in the first ever match at The Willows, way back in 1994!

– John Mitchell (Match Manager, former Willows President & Burnside HS Headmaster)