Round 1 - rusty slaps

round	opponent	them	us
1	warriors	121*	139

* 30 run handicap

BATTING

		out	partnership	total	power
g	vaughan	3	33	33
ivan	jamie	1	38	71
brendan	richo	4	43	114	bat
jimmy	steve	3	25	139	bowl

BOWLING

	wickets	runs	power
brendan	2	5	bowl / bat
g	0	9
ivan	1	11
jamie	2	7
jimmy	1	10
richo	3	-1
steve	0	35
vaughan	2	15
handicap		30
	11	121

(triple double) Match Slapper: Richo


Johnny called this evening. Holidaying with the lovely bride-to-be, he's been swimming with sharks, eating freshly-shucked oysters by the dozen and found a place in Broome selling schooners - elaborate ways of relieving the pain of letting his teammates down. Such hedonism and the Bondi contingent deciding another week off was in order saw Richo hard at it again on the phone this week to put a side on the court.

Having initially ruled himself out with a wonky back Slem answered the call, making a welcome return along with Jimmy. Ivan nominated a bloke he used to play country school-boy Rules against down in Mexico, which sounded to us like little more than rolling punch ups, thus twenty-third and New Slap Vaughan was named to make up the eight.

Richo made good on his threat to hand over the reigns (there were pleadings to the contrary let me assure you) so I thought we'd get straight into it and field. Then I thought possibly a wiser move would be to bat. At once it occurred to me we should field and that Richo would be sorely missed.

The Warriors were gifted a healthy 30 run start to get them under way and at the breaks were 61, 96 and 117 - curbed in the third pair by that sweet McGregor deception, 2/7 for the night. Not that we'd bowled badly, perhaps with the exception of Slem who in fairness was having occasional movement issues from the neck down. The rest of us were largely moving well, aside that is, with our hands.

Things clicked aside from Slem's back in the last pair however. Richo began with a brutish over that will have left its mark (several actually, red-turning-to-blue one would expect) on one Warrior, the Skipper finding another way of creating mirth among the team. Spirits thus lifted Brendan, Ivan and Jimmy were well supported in bowling fine overs to keep the total in check at 121.

Each pair contributed to what was not an easy ask. Vaughan settled in well despite having to not only open the batting but do so with an unreliable partner - typically only getting out when stranded by the dope at the other end. Jamie and Ivan put together 38 while contending with Warriors gun bowler Ben. Having bowled too well mostly in opening and closing, Jimmy was also on sheet anchor duty with Slem and they got us home smartly.

Pending an outside chance, we now make do without Brendan and Richo `til Round 11. Brendan was in everything tonight, power overs for and against with the ball (2/5) and bar the blight of one very adventurous call batted with his usual vigor alongside the Skipper. Ball in hand Richo turned in the figures of the evening (3/-1) and was a convincing Match Slapper. Both can be confident of regaining their positions, well somewhat at least.

ICAA	200	v	C. KILLERS	119
FLOGGERS	157	v	GOODFELLAS	82
T. LAST BALL	200	v	FORESPINS	forfeit
CSH	176	v	FRANTIC	138
WARRIORS	121	v	PITCHSLAP	139
REGULATORS	120	v	REX LIONS	161
MY FACE	bye
OLD PIGS	bye