Stallions Triumphant, G Mann Special

Due to popular demand, I'm daring to post this cricketing report here for the benefit of 'the old boys'..... Proof yet again that G Mann is made of special stuff.


A triumphant weekend for the Stallions, picking up two victories including a thriller at Nairnville.

On Saturday we turned up at Kilbirnie with a 120 run lead and 7 wickets remaining after a strong performance in the field on the first day. We lost three wickets for not too many before Avid and I put together a partnership for the seventh wicket. Avid looked as elegant as ever in making 33, and I ended up with 48 (or so). Glen and Sleyer belted some quick runs before the declaration which came at 211/9- leaving the Bullets 276 to win from 55.

We started well with the ball, Glen being typically unlucky in his first spell while G-Mann at the other end knocked the top off the order with three vital and deserved wickets. Dan and I took things through to drinks, adding a couple more wickets so that they needed 6 an over from there with only 5 wickets in hand. They put together a bit of a partnership from there, with what appeared to be their best batsman coming in at 7. Avid and Krishant bowled without a lot of luck, as we continued to put down chances- by my count a total of 6 in the day’s play. With the pressure building and a tight finish on the cards Glen came back and turned the match in our favour again, taking three wickets in successive overs, leaving them with 70-odd to get and the tail lubed up. Graham picked the last two up in the space of three balls, deciding to give the cricketing virgin at no.11 a beamer first ball in between. A good effort in the field to stick with the task, Graham ending with 5-30 and Glen with 3-38. A seventy-seven run victory to the Stallions and our first two-day win of the season.

On Sunday we showed up at Nairnville with a make-shift side, unwittingly sporting a former Wellington/Canterbury rep. We batted first and lost a reasonably steady stream of wickets at one end, with Graham standing firm at the other. Their handy first-change bowler picked up 5 wickets, including a hat-trick, and we were 85 for 8 when G-force and I came together and started picking up the pieces. With a bit of help from the field our interesting running wasn't exposed, and G went on and on like a true work-horse, largely mastering the demon urge to dominate and playing a fantastic knock. We started to find the boundary regularly and put on around 140 for the ninth wicket, which must have been demoralising. Graham unselfishly tried to clear the rope when on 99 and didn't quite make it to what would have been a thoroughly deserved century- 99 wasn’t worth a mention in his touching post-match call to Crystal… We finished up with 235, this season’s humble top run-scorer weighing in with 66 from no. 10.

We opened up with S. Chan- coming off two shoulder operations and half a run-up- and the redoubtable Rhino. Chances were created early on, and Graham picked up two important wickets to add pressure to their chase. Sunny had no luck, with our fielding ranging from very good (usually on the ground) to unfortunate. Graham got through 6 overs in his first spell, including a very sharp return catch, a great contribution after a draining innings. I chipped in with a couple of wickets, and Sunny finally had some luck as Kris calmly swallowed a mini-skier at backward square leg. From 90-5 they recovered before the slingy dippers of “Nath” Shackleton picked up a handy wicket via the safe hands of Master Goyal. Shack and Avid did a good job in the middle overs, but Onslow built a solid partnership for the seventh wicket which left them in a good position with seven overs to go and 48 to get. They couldn't pick up many boundaries, however, and G and I mostly kept things tight, while again the fielding ranged from Stallion to Pony-worthy. They needed 35 off 5, then 22 of 3, and when Graham bowled his last over they needed 14 off 12 with four wickets remaining. The inimitable Mr Mann broke the partnership and claimed another wicket for good measure, leaving them 8 to get off the last over. The first ball they snuck a single, the second they tried another with the ball next to the stumps, only to see a sweaty whippet swoop down and somehow propel the ball towards the stumps in time for the run-out. Enter their shaggy headed, big-mouthed opening bowler. He stepped back to leg first ball and succeeded in padding a 70kph thunderbolt onto middle pin, giving the Stallions a famous victory by six runs. Very satisfying to pull that one out of the fire given our history with close finishes and the lingering feelings associated with Onslow… Once again, a big bat-pat to Graham Mann who was phenomenal in both innings, grabbing the ultimate fine double of 99 and four wickets. Well done also to Hamish, who put his hand up to keep and did a fantastic job in very difficult conditions, grabbing a catch off G and letting through very few byes.