Iona/Koo wee rup battle in defeat

On Sunday the Iona/Koo wee rup veterans over 60s cricket side were brought undone in what could have been the battle for the wooden spoon against Bayside at the Iona Cricket Ground.

For a change Iona/Koo wee rup had 13 players and Bayside only had 10 players, so John Moore volunteered to play for Bayside.
Iona/Koo wee rup won the toss and batted as another dismal opening partnership ended in the first over when Ron Wernke was bowled by Trevor Loffel for a second ball duck.

After 10 overs Iona/Koo We Rup were 2/28 when Andrew Patterson(6 from 25) was bowled by Dan Gatt. Andy Parker (17 from 30) retired before Mick Scully (0 off 12) was out caught by Ben Piper off Gatt's bowling.

The score was 3/52 at the 20-over mark, Scott Williams (24 off 30) retired before Iona/Koo wee rup lost their third wicket when a 10-metre throw from Dan Gatt found the mark to run out Greg Watsford (7 from 21).

That man again, Dan Gatt had his hand in the fourth out of the five Iona/Koo wee rup wickets to fall when he bowled Russell Ferguson (7 off 13). The score was 5/87 in the 33rd over.

Ross Farmer (5 from 30), Graham Davey (12 from 30) and Jon Martindale (4 from 17) all retired before the end of the 40th over when Jim Gregory (2 from 3) and Bill Neaves (6 from 11) were both not out and Iona/Koo wee rup were 5/102, which did not appear to be a match winning score.

Bayside bowling: Dan Gatt 6-3/7, Trevor Loffel 6-1/9, Ben Piper 7-0/17, Mick Aldred 6-0/8, Laine McCooke 4-0/18, Raynor Barkhoff 5-0/20, Phil Gleeson 5-0/16.

Bayside's opening pair of Laine McCooke and Trevor Loffel wanted to finish the game in a hurry, as by the eighth over the score had reached 32 before Trevor Loffell (12 from 20) was lbw to Mick Scully's bowling.

One run later Laine McCooke (21 from 28) was caught by Andrew Patterson off Mick Scully's bowling.
Bayside were soon 4/42 in the 13th over after Phil Gleeson (2 from 10) was bowled by Mick Scully and Neil Christie (3 from 10) was caught by Jim Gregory off Mick Scully's bowling.

Ben Piper (4 off 11) was caught by Mick Scully off Graham Davey's bowling, David Jamieson (9 from 30) had retired and by the 20-over mark Bayside were 5/58. Half the batsmen out and and only 45 runs to make off 20 overs.
Iona/Koo wee rup were not going to give in without a fight.

Mick Aldred (2 from 4) was caught by Mick Scully off Greg Watsford's bowling and Raynor Barkhoff (17 from 30) retired, before Bayside lost two wickets for one run, John Moore (1 from 4) was bowled by Mick Scully and Bruce Stammers (0 from 8) was bowled by Andrew Patterson.

Bayside were 8/84 in the 32nd over. A simple enough task, 19 runs in eight overs, but Dan Gatt (9 from 30) retired and when Raynor Batrkhoff (21 from 40) was lwb to Scott Williams bowling Bayside were 9/95, still needing eight runs off 15 balls with the last pair at the wicket.

David Jamieson (21 off 56) and Dan Gatt (15 from 40) saw Bayside over the line with six balls to spare.
Iona/Koo wee rup bowling: Mick Scully 8-4/17, Andrew Patterson 8-1/24, Greg Watsford 8-2/22, Graham Davey 8-1/18, Scott Williams 4-1/13, Jim Gregory 3-0/9, Jon Martindale 1-0/0.

A fantastic game of over 60s cricket that went down to the wire. Both captains led from the front Mick Scully was involved in six dismissals out of nine and Dan Gatt 4 out of 5.
Next week is the last game for the 2025/26 season of over 60's cricket, Iona/Koo Wee Rup play Rupertswood at Koo Wee Rup.