On a warmish day in Wy Yung, the Baw Baw Veterans took on the Gippsland Goannas in round two of the over 60s competition.
After losing the toss, Baw Baw took to the field on what looked to be a fairly good batting wicket and a fast outfield.
Despite the ball coming off the track a little slower than expected, the Goanna batsmen adjusted to the slower speed pretty well, getting off to a brisk start.
Ray Smith and local Bernie Symons opening the batting. They both retired after facing 40 balls, Smith for 40 and Symons for 36.
After 10 overs the Goannas were 45 without loss.
While Daryl 'Carrots' Williams and Russell Vincent certainly did not bowl badly, the Goannas openers were adept at putting away the loose ball.
At the halfway point of the innings, the Goannas had reached 88, still without loss. A potential score of over 200 looked likely.
Some tight bowling from Tony Wyatt (6 overs for 17) and Brett Carey (7 overs 2/21) helped to bring the run rate back under control.
Towards the end of the Goannas innings, Mick O'Neill (5 overs for 23) and Rod Pallot (4 overs 2/10) bowled well and helped to restrict the Goannas to 175 off their 40 overs.
While this was still a respectable score, it was not what could have been from the powerful Goannas line-up. Good bowling and tight fielding after the drinks break had brought the Baw Baw Veterans back into the game.
The Baw Baw batsmen took to the crease with a cautious optimism needing 4.4 runs per over, having achieved 5.85 runs per over last week.
However, we were looking at a vastly higher standard of bowling against the Goannas. And so it proved to be.
Baw Baw lost two wickets before the end of the fifth over for only 17 runs, Adrian Quirk and Symons the wicket-takers.
While some resistance was offered, the run rate slowed to a crawl as Baw Baw limped to 4/36 in the 14th over.
By the drinks break Baw Baw had fought back to a more competitive position of 80, but with five wickets down.
Alex Miller, with 18 runs off 17 balls and 'Carrots' Williams 29 off 30 balls lead the charge and Paul Clarke played the anchor role with 12 off 30 balls.
The score moved along to 120 during the 30th over before the sixth wicket fell, but the chase was still on with 10 over to go and 55 runs needed.
Mick O'Neill had played a terrific innings for 25 off 33 balls and Basil Kehayas and Russell Vincent both played very well to get 12 and 17 respectively.
However, the wickets fell regularly through the final few overs and Baw Baw fell 19 runs short.
It was a terrific game of veterans' cricket, played in exceptionally good spirit and could have gone either way.
The Goannas over 60s have another game next Sunday away to the Endeavour Hills team, while the over 50 team hope to start their season with an away game against the Eastern Hawks.
The over 70 team will play at Toongabbie against the West Gippsland Wombats on Tuesday October 28.