First up win for Baw Baw Vets

On a beautiful Sunday at Bellbird Park, the first round of the new season of Masters Cricket Victoria was played.

Local team, the Baw Baw Veterans, who recently adopted the nickname of the Bandicoots, took on the Mornington Stingrays.

The stingrays won the toss and decided to bat on a good batting deck at Bellbird Park. Some very tight bowling saw the visitors struggle to get going early, but they had reached 38 before the first wicket fell.

However, it was in the 17th over, so the run rate was crawling at just over two runs per over. At the 20 over mark, the Stingrays had collapsed a little to be 3/41.

While their rate increased slightly in the second half of their innings, they never really got on top of the tight bowling and enthusiastic fielding of the home team. Mornington finished their 40 overs with 7/92.

Best of the bowlers was Kevin Larkman with 2/8 off six overs and Pete Felstead with 2/ 8 off five overs. Other bowlers to chip in with a wicket were Steve Head, Paul Clarke and Mark McLauchlan.

So, it was with a bit of confidence that the Bandicoots batters took to the crease after the lunch break. After losing a wicket early, with the score on just 10, the next three batters took to the bowling a little mercilessly to ultimately pass the total in the 18th over.

Mark McLauchlan led the way with 34 runs off 30 balls, with Daryl Williams and Paul Clarke also retiring after 30 balls with scores of 28 and 21 respectively.
While the game ended up being a bit lop sided, it was a milestone for the Mornington Club, as it was the first time they had fielded a second team in over 60s cricket.
So, as their captain noted after the game, there were 11 Mornington players who had a game of cricket who wouldn't have had that opportunity, if there was only one Mornington team. Congratulations to their club for showing that initiative.
On another positive note for Mornington, club stalwart Ian Rowland, known to all and sundry as 'Woofa', played his 200th game of masters cricket for their club.
Next weekend the Baw Baw Bandicoots travel to Wandin the take on the Yarra Valley Bulldogs.