Gordon vs Manly circa 2014 when is a draw not a draw

Gordon District Cricket Club | November 25, 2024

With Gordon facing a 7^th Round clash against Manly at Manly Oval on Saturday 23^rd November 2024, it is fitting to recall the tenth anniversary of one of the closest fought matches ever played by Gordon.

Manly had scored 387 the week before and Gordon faced a formidable attack of Nic Bills, Mickey Edwards, Nick McLachlan, James Munting, Stephen O’Keefe and Ahillen Beadle. The Manly team which also included Jack Ritchie, Tim Cruikshank, Cameron Merchant, Adam Crosthwaite and Jay Lenton went on to win the premiership that season. 

The following is an extract from the Weekend Wrap and probably best describes the day. (Excuse the political statement about Clive Palmer)

While the weather was fine, there were electrical storms predicted later in the day, making a chase for 387 that much harder. Iain Beverley and Reece Bombas opened the batting for Gordon and started well taking the score to 43 before both players ended up at the same end and Reece as run out for 27. Bevo was out soon after for 21, but had played his role well, blunting the Manly quicks with some resolute defence. With Steve Colley out LBW soon after Gordon was 3 for 66 and in need of a rescue. 

The rescue came and did it ever! Harry Evans and Elliot Richtor held out till lunch and then completely dominated the second session with some excellent batting against a top class Manly bowling attack. The over rate however was slow with Tim Cruikshank making as many fielding changes as Clive Palmer makes Bill changes in a day in the Senate, to try and stem the tide. The batting was some of the best seen at Chatswood, with both Harry and Elliot running well between wickets and despatching the many short deliveries to the boundary. 

The problem was the storms were brewing and with the over rate well below the required rate and lightning on the way, the match would soon be stopped with the covers put down just in time before the mandatory removal of players and officials from the field, if lighting is spotted by the umpires.

With the first storm passed, Elliot and Harry continued to push toward the total of 387, but there was another more violent storm on the way. This time the Gordon players tried desperately to cover the wicket square, by getting one of the two main covers down, but were called off by the umpires and not allowed to complete the job. This is the rule to protect everyone, so no complaints. 

A sudden very strong gust of wind blew the covers into a rumpled pile, but still covered most of the wicket while the rain pelted down. The storm fortunately was short, but a very small 10 cm square section of damp area near the bowling crease, delayed the match further until play resumed at 5.30 pm with 24 overs remaining and 150 runs still to get. In the end this delay of an extra half hour was probably the difference in the result of the match. 

Due to the delays the innings was reduced to 80 overs. Fortunately, in the last innings of a match there is no time restriction but light would be an issue if the over rate remained the same. Harry and Elliot continued to bat very well as they pushed the score to 305 with some excellent pull shots against fast, short bowling and some inventive running between the wickets scoring twos in gaps with many of the fieldsman on the boundary. When the partnership passed 213 they had achieved the record of highest First Grade Partnership for the 4^th wicket beating the 213 scored also by Harry Evans with team mate Reece Bombas back in 2011. With the record partnership reaching 239, the pair passed the highest partnership for the 4^th wicket in any grade of 236 between Kris Colley and Andrew Crosland in 4^th grade in 2010. Unfortunately, soon after Elliot was deceived by a slower ball from Beadle and was caught in the deep.  

With the light deteriorating with some more cloud, the middle order weren’t able to survive and we lost wickets as everyone kept going for the target. Axel Cahlin played a good cameo innings pulling three balls to the boundary against a barrage of short deliveries aimed at the debutant. He will certainly remember his first innings in the top grade. 

Harry kept the fires burning while Chad Soper and then James Kennedy helped the skipper to have us only needing 5 runs off the final over. With JK facing and the light getting very difficult, the Manly quick Mickey Edwards, played his role perfectly with four bouncers in a row that JK tried his best to hit. On the fourth ball JK and Harry had to try a desperate single but James was run out at the bowlers end still leaving us 5 to win with two balls remaining and nine wickets down. This time a yorker wide of off stump went past a reaching Harry Evans bat for no run. Was it a wide? Harry thought so but not the umpire.  The final ball, another fast yorker went past leg stump with a flurry of bat and feet seeing the ball race to the fine leg boundary with Manly adamant they had an LBW decision. The umpire signalled four runs to Harry and the game was over and it was a draw with the scores equal.

The aftermath discussions will have a lot of “what ifs” with only 80 overs bowled in 351 minutes of play and time lost with rain, lightning and a small damp area, but in the end, it was tough first grade cricket where no quarter was given or taken and the tactics almost got Manly a victory and prevented a memorable Gordon win. You would think in the 774 runs scored either team could have got one more, but then who said cricket was an exact science.

Harry Evans finished on a magnificent 151 not out and Elliot Richtor scored 136 including 6 sixes all over mid-wicket or backward square.

What a performance for zero points!