This match was played on an historic day for the Club – 6 December 1998 – which coincided with the official opening of the ‘Waiter Hadlee Entrance’ . The traditions of cricket which all Willowers are jealous to uphold were never better observed than by the 1949 New Zealand Team which toured England. The Club was therefore honoured to be able to host some ofWalter’s comrades from that tour – Bert Sutcliffe, Martin Donnelly, Geoff Rabone and John Hayes.

Although the quality of our match may not have been as high as that of the 49ers, the Boys’ High team certainly outplayed us and were probably deprived of victory by rain and bad light.

The school side, on winning the toss, batted with aggression and intelligence on a very good pitch. The two openers, J. Hantz and A. Bailey batted particularly well, putting on 114 against an attack which included two ex-internationals in Stu Roberts (a little slower than at his peak) and Dayle Hadlee (considerably slower with his now well-flighted off-spinners). The good start was built on by a very sound and stylish innings by C. Sowden which helped to get School through to a very competitive score of 253 for 8 in 50 overs.

Paul McEwan picked up 5 wickets with his gentle outswingers, and helped to keep the School side down well below the 300 target which at one stage looked very possible.

Our reply rather started and stuttered. It was interrupted by an extended afternoon tea interval when the entranceway was opened and continued thereafter in moist conditions and deteriorating light. The School bowlers were enthusiastic and one or two of them more than a bit lively in pace. A typically belligerent 40 from Rod Latham and a battling innings from David Bond kept us in the game, but wickets fell regularly. An excellent, aggressive unbeaten half-century from Lee Germon gave us a chance, but a pretty dim one.

When play was finally curtailed, we needed about 10 an over with only six overs left.