Pleasure. 31/3

Alright another working week had passed and by Friday arvo the Bashers Pleasure group chat was going off like a hat in an RSL. Bambi had finalised his team that was to face Daredevils including 2 bashers making their debut, and a few ring ins from Leisure.

Just before noon on another wonderful Sunday we started to trickle into cages, each one bringing his own confidence to the table. Whites were bought and the gear was ready, fake news was last to arrive and somehow was able to swiftly dodged esky duties. We piled on the bus, on time if not a touch early and with a full esky. As the average banter began to be thrown around we sat comfortably and started our journey to SCSC on probably the most oversized team bus most of us have seen. 8 people on a 52-seater.

We arrived at the ground at a good time, enough for some of us to buy a quick snack and then get started on a warm up. As Korean was warming his hands and nailing the rest of the team with beautiful catching practice the captain, Bambi was off sorting out the toss. Guess what? Bambi won the toss! Bambi won the toss! There were a few whispers from the opposition that Bambi may have used a double-sided coin and I cannot confirm or deny that. But, the toss stood and he elected for the Bashers to bat.

We trundled across the ground to the tents by the creek. The openers, Haseena and Bat crack took a few throw downs before chucking the lid on and walking to the crease. A quick inspection of the pitch by both batsmen realised that nothing had at all changed since last week with the exception of probably the fattest painted crease lines in the Northern Hemisphere. With the openers getting ready to face the first ball it was brought to the attention of the Bashers waiting in the sheds that we had a few nationalities in the team. 8 different nationalities represented the Bashers this week, a club record if I was informed correctly. Flying the flag for the locals was Warcry and Glitter, Swiper and Fake news were representing India and Bambi and Bat Crack were holding down the fought for the English. U-turn was wearing his Sri Lankan flag on his sleeve and Korean and Friendzone had New Zealand and Australia covered respectively. Antigua was well supported by Hindenburg and last but not lost representing the most densely populated country in the world, Bangladesh we had the man himself Haseena.

Anyway, back to the batting, Haseena and Bat crack started well and put on an opening partnership of over 50. A few lives in there but nonetheless we were still none down for a while. One of these lives was a Mankad opportunity, where Haseena had backed up so far some of us thought he was playing on the far pitch. The bowler warned him and that was that. After that it looked as though Haseena had bricks for boots. The runs kept coming, however Haseena lost his wicket and was out for 30-odd. That brought Swiper to the crease but he must have thought he left the oven on because he couldn’t get out quick enough. Caught at point off a juicy full toss for a whole lot of not a lot. Bambi came to the crease and things were looking good for bat crack. He survived a heavy LBW shout but the very next bowl edged it into the waiting hands of the keeper. Bat Crack going for consecutive 50s, out for 49. Bambi and Glitter steadied the ship but some unlucky running between the wickets ensured the Daredevils saw the back of the Skipper for a solid 20. Glitter and Korean were getting peppered by wides which kept the run-rate reasonably healthy and the Bashers were looking to post a healthy score. Korean unselfishly through away his wicket and that meant both the debutants were in the face the final few overs. They survived a few run out chances and the Bashers managed to post a defendable score of 6/190 30 overs.

A quick change of Innings and we were in the field. Warcry and Bambi starting with the new rock. Warcry bowled very tidy from the pavilion end for his first 5 overs and was very unlucky not too take a wicket. Warcry was able to soften up the opening batsmen and it made easy work for who Bambi steam rolled in from the other and bowled a brilliant spell. Through his constant complaining about a “sore thigh” he was able to take 3 brilliant wickets. He was on a hattrick at one stage after a brilliant swiper catch. He sent the slips fielder U-turn to chase the 4^th batsmens middle stump after he sent it cartwheeling into a different postcode. That was it for a while though, the bashers just couldn’t break the 4^th wicket partnership. As the overs passed and the runs kept coming the Bashers weren’t looking so comfortable. Some very tidy overs in between a couple of loose ones wasn’t enough and, in the dwindling, probably unsafe light the Daredevils were getting closer and closer. U-turn among others ran the wrong way while trying to field the bowl (doesn’t take a genius to figure out how he got his name) It was getting cold and several players started to complain about the long shadows taking what little heat was in the air. Warcry came back and took a quick wicket but unfortunately it was all too late. Daredevils needed 3 of 12 balls. Fake news bowled the 29^th over, a brilliant one at that with an LBW shout going his way on the first ball. 4 dots followed before a wide. 2 to win off 7. The new batsmen at the crease probably had night vision goggles on because mate, it was getting dark. He swung and smashed it in the air, but hard and high enough to miss the cover fielders and it went to the rope for 4. Daredevils win.

After the match we had to do a quick naming ceremony for U-turn and Glitter, as they weren’t coming back on the bus we did it there and then. We prepared the box, however both players were quite disgusted and managed to somehow get away with washing it under the drinking tap. Honestly don’t think cold water would really fix anything anyway. Alas, they both did their drink and were officially christened by the Bashers.

All in all a tough day on the park but we nearly witnessed a Mankad. Next time Bashers!