It is interesting how your perspective of a game changes as a result of a couple of extra runs here and there.

Standing proudly beside The Match Manager at the presentations at the end of the day (it’s a different story if you have just lost), I was preparing for a short victory speech which acknowledged a courageous effort by Southland, but focused on the professional and patient effort by The Willows to grab victory by just two runs.

How things can apparently change! Halfway through the speeches, an embarrassed scorer (who will remain nameless due to our appreciation of his giving up time) came running from his station in the corner of the ground waving the score sheet. Whispering to me, he announced that there had been an adding error earlier in Southland’s innings and it appeared that they had in fact got the runs that were required to win the game.

Prompting an immediate change in mindset, I gave greater thought to the match and the performance of the Southland team in particular. Yes, we had bowled and fielded well to defend our score of 198, but perhaps more appropriately (and deserving of victory), was the effort of the Southland team that started for some that day at 5.30am.

In classic dedication to playing at The Willows, they made a sterling effort to fly on the morning of the match from Invercargill, play our game, and then return to Invercargill that evening to prepare for an inter-school game against Shirley Boys’ High School the following morning. On top of this was a couple of stand out performances, namely from Finn and Dawson with the bat, and Robinson with the ball.

Earlier in the day we had set a reasonable total, with good contributions coming from Cowlishaw, Johnstone and O’Gorman, but an impressive display of pace bowling from Robinson curtailed any effort to achieve a more respectable score of over 200.

The Willows’ bowling and fielding was solid, and we thought we had done enough for victory. This proved not to be the case, and it was Southland’s mature approach to opening the batting that proved the difference. Their first two wickets earned them 150 runs, with Finn, Dawson and Low all playing a part.

So, despite walking proudly from the field thinking we had defended The Willows’ honour; perhaps the efforts, dedication and devotion to playing at The Willows displayed by the Southland Boys’ team was more deserving on the day.