The young Crusaders side from Melbourne looked impressive as they warmed up and results from their tour suggested The Willows team had a fight on their hands.

The Willows won the toss and batted first. A slow but solid start between Shaun Coffey and Mike Hawke suggested the rain the previous day would play a part in the first innings tally.

Their partnership yielded 49 runs and our thoughts of 250 were reviewed by the 20th over. 200 seemed more appropriate. At the end of our 40 overs we had managed to get through to 176 for 8. To their credit, the young Crusaders never gave up in the field and chased everything.

With nothing to lose The Willows opening bowlers, Willie Lonsdale and B. Jobson (a Crusader ring in) came out firing beating the bat of the Crusaders’ batsmen with ease. However we couldn’t sustain this pressure throughout the 40 overs and the Crusaders peeled off their target in the 37th over. All was not lost as it was with pleasure after some peer pressure, I might add, to see Bert Walker at the bowling crease for the first time in two years. The old operation excuse didn’t wash as the team required his services. “Good stuff Bert.”

Regretfully The Willows had to relinquish the Bradman Trophy for the first time.