Pakenham Gazette contributor John Moore is currently braving the heat, playing for Victoria in the 2023 Over 70’s National Cricket Championships in Bunbury, Western Australia.
Moore, a member of the Victoria-5 team, is playing Division 3 at the championships, alongside Kooweerup stalwart Graham ‘Daisy’ Davey.
Moore sent through this report, which clearly identifies Davey as producing the highlight individual performance of the carnival so far.
Over 70’s – Division 3
• Round 1 – Victoria 5 played New South Wales 3
New South Wales won toss and sent Victoria 5 into bat.
Wavell McPherson and Graham Davey opened the batting and were off to a bright start, scoring 12 off the first seven overs before McPherson 1 (17) was caught.
Just five runs and three overs later Arthur Manser (WA) was bowled for a 10-ball duck, but 2/17 looked to be a reasonable start for a good score.
But that soon changed when just five runs were scored in the next five overs before Victoria lost three wickets with the score on 24.
Peter Cassell 2 (14), Bob Brigden (first-ball duck) and Davey 9 (44) all departed the scene.
The total had limped to 31 in the 20th over before Joe McMaster 2 (12) and Denis Drummond (Tasmania) 5 (15) lost their wickets.
Two runs later, another two wickets fell with Paul Denton 0 (4) and John Moore 0 (2) both dismissed.
Victoria lost its tenth wicket in the 26th over when Graeme Chinnery (WA) was bowled for four off 21 balls.
Ian McLeod 0 (9) was not out, and the top score was Extras on 14.
A score of 37 is not likely to win many games.
NSW had a slow start by scoring 16 off nine overs before Graham Davey claimed his first wicket.
Their second wicket fell with the score on 20, this was Davey’s second wicket.
Lunch was taken with NSW 2 for 28 off 14 overs, needing 10 runs off 26 overs.
I am not sure what the NSW players had for lunch but after lunch they lost five wickets for three runs.
One wicket fell to Joe McMaster and a first-ever hattrick by Graham Davey (two wickets of the hattrick were stumpings by Wavell McPherson) saw the Vics in with a chance.
The scores were level when NSW lost their eighth wicket.
Yes, it was that man again, Graham Davey, with figures at that stage of 7/1 off 5.4 overs.
Unfortunately, an inside edge went for two off Davey’s last ball.
After 20 overs NSW was 8 for 39…a win by two wickets.
It was the Graham (Jack) Davey show, with final figures of six overs, three maidens…seven for three.
The other wicket taker was Joe McMaster with 1/9 from his three overs.
• Round 2 – Victoria 5 played South Australia 3
Peter Cassell won the toss and sent South Australia into bat.
Graham Davey was in the action again claiming the first wicket when the score was five in the 4th over.
SA was 2 for 12 in the eighth over when Davey was involved again, this time a catch off Paul Denton’s bowling.
Victoria claimed its third wicket in the 23rd over with the score on 69, when Peter Cassell took the wicket.
SA captain Clive Wundersitz retired on 36 from 71 balls.
By the 38th over SA lost their fourth wicket with the score on 102 when Joe McMaster took the wicket.
Four runs later McMaster made a runout, and he took another wicket, bowled.
Also, Peter Cassell took his second wicket and after 40 overs South Australia was 7 for 106.
Vic wicket takers: Graham Davey 7-1/13, Paul Denton 7-1/10, Peter Cassell 6-2/21, Joe McMaster 6-2/14.
The captain, in his wisdom, opened the batting with Ernie Horgan and Arthur Manser (WA).
Victoria lost its first wicket with the score on seven, but it was in the 11th over when Horgan was bowled for a 28-ball duck.
The other opener, Manser was bowled for eight off 59 balls.
Finally, by the 20th over the run rate had reached one run per over.
The third wicket to fall, was Graham Davey 3 (6), then Joe McMaster 7 (16).
Victoria was 5 for 70 when Denis Drummond 24 (65) was LBW.
Paul Denton lasted one ball and the Vics were 6 for 70 in the 32nd over.
In a great captain’s innings Peter Cassell 21 (19) took the total to 88 before he was out.
Stephan Jones (WA) did not make a run off the nine balls he faced, and this brought John Moore into bat needing 10 runs off seven balls.
Moore scored a single off the first ball and could not hit the next five balls before he was bowled.
Graeme Chinnery scored a single off the final ball to take the score to 8 for 100.
The potential ‘match-winner’ Wavell McPherson, could not get the strike and he finished not out 16 (25).
This was another loss for Victoria but we certainly put a scare into both of our opposition teams.
Victoria Results: Division1 and 2
Division 1
Round 1: Victoria (1) 1/56 def Western Australia 10/56. Victoria (2) 6/114 lost to South Australia 8/142.
Round 2: Victoria (1) 1/39 def New South Wales 10/38. Victoria (2) 9/136 lost to Queensland 4/161.
Division 2
Round 1: Victoria (3) 4/152 def NSW 6/149. Victoria (4) 5/135 def QLD 8/130.
Round 2: Victoria (3) 7/121 def New Zealand 8/120. Victoria (4) 10/115 lost to SA 6/125.
Round 3 and finals in all divisions are/were played on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 November.
-John Moore-
