v Flaxton Wanderers XI

Wednesday, 19 February 2003Report by Mike Hawke

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The Willows 233/7

A Nathu 75, M Hawke 63, G Miller 25

Flaxton Wanderers 80/9

Match tied

The pressure was on to produce a win at last over Flaxton Wanderers and things were looking mighty good following an excellent batting performance by the Willows on John Gardner’s pristine wicket. With Anup Nathu top scoring with 75 and the Vicar scratching 63, the Willows made a very competitive 233/7 declared. Within minutes of Flaxton Wanderers batting they were in dire straits. The superb catch from stand-in wicket keeper, Geoff Miller, to dismiss John Masefield for a duck, had us all pretty excited and at that stage Flaxton were 11/3. They never recovered from accurate bowling by Jacob Wolt. A brilliant run out plus some accurate bowling by Burrett and Steady had Flaxton teetering on 72/9. A first ever victory over Flaxton Wanderers looked imminent and it was probable that Vicar Hawke would be made an honorary Canon, presided over by Bishop Mike Dormer. However, the boys can’t have been praying hard enough because the rains came down and the floods came up.

We managed to keep playing but slowly and surely our two excellent umpires succumbed to the weather and with teeth chattering and faces white as the snow that threatened, the game was called off. So a moral victory to the Willows but the cup stays in the hands of Flaxton Wanderers and with Johnny Gardner, much to their delight and relief. lt was an excellent day that finished quite appropriately at the local watering hole in Rangiora where many more sermons were preached. Amen.

Umpires: B Watson & T McLisky

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