Founding Fathers step it up a notch

ROUTERS, W. CREEK

With Finals Season looming, the Founding Fathers sent a clear message by stepping it up a notch last night at the WICC. In an unusual break from their traditional "shock and awe" approach, the Founding Fathers toyed with the Happy Salmons in a seesawing marathon inevitably crushing any hope of an upset with a sudden, cracking SEVEN! at the eleventh hour, and all light faded as the din of the WICC settled to a faint, distant murmur.

Captain Kermie was pleased. "I reckon we did the right things right and left the wrong things for the other wrong blokes except for a few wrong things that didn't go right - but we're definitely in good shape for the finals." When asked about his tenure as Captain of a seemingly invincible Founding Fathers squad Kermie could only complement his colleagues: "This week I hardly had to pull The Captain's Manifesto out of my pocket, it was like we were all singing from the same Bon Jovi songsheet".

After the traditional pre-match settler in the bushland setting, the Fathers Won the Toss and decided to serve it up cold to the Happy Salmons. Itchy started the seesawing affair and set the tone for the mind games with a mixture of pacy short and full pitched deliveries varying unpredictably in line. Gladdy continued the theme and after two overs the Fathers were wicketless and debutant Cheezy was looking around wondering just what on earth he had gotten himself involved in. Our Kylie was handed the ball and sparkled with two deceiving dot balls first up, and then the wickets started to tumble as the pendulum swung. Nads cleaned up the partnership and three wickets had fallen in five deliveries. But the seesawing games had only just begun.

Norris opened the door for the second partnership after a wicketless first over but after Kermie, Cheezy and Harmy finished them off for only one additional run. Cheezy decided after his first four deliveries in the baggy tie die that it was time to swing the pendulum yet again taking his first wicket by creating a brilliant run out opportunity finishing 2 for -1 in his debutant over. Harmie upped the ante finishing them off with 2 for -2 including yet another "first ball" wicket.

Sensing weakness, Itchy, Kylie, Nads and Kermie took a steady stream of wickets holding the premiership partnership to a mere 7. But the pendulum had life in it yet. The final first innings partnership put on 41 and the Happy Salmons were thinking they had gotten themselves out of jail and had their tails in the air with jeers of "triple figures! - yaaaaaaa!" Duuuhhhhhhh. The ever gritty and determined Fathers remained resolute and retired to the tea break for a pleasant ale.

Captain Kermie searched the manifesto and liked what he saw. It had been written and it would be so. The 101 run chase began with Kermie and Gladdy putting on 45 in the first three overs and it was looking like it was done and dusted. Had the swing of the pendulum succumbed to friction? Had the laws of the universe been somehow corrupted by the forces at play in the WICC? Two run outs later and it was match on and the Happy Salmons were thinking anything could happen.

Harmie and Nads stepped to the crease and it all seemed to unravel; after two overs they were -2 chasing 19 for the skin. The Fathers sat sipping their ales in anticipation. And the pendulum began to swing again. When the "steady the ship" partnership dust settled the skin was safe and the Fathers needed only 40 for victory. But all bystanders at the WICC looked on with a special interest knowing that there was something more to come in the uncanny "too-ing and fro-ing" character of the match. The Fathers drained their ales.

Debutant Cheezy and one of the living legends in Founding Fathers Folklore: Our Kylie, strode onto the pitch in an air not dissimilar in confidence to the strut of a cat-walk supermodel. It was all too sexy and commenced with brimming confidence. After the first over 16 runs had been added and the Fathers were back in control. And then the pendulum... Poor little Our Kylie was OUT BOWLED three times in the next over (that's a FINE!) and the fingernails returned to the mouths of Itchy and Norris who had been tasked with bringing the Fathers home in the "open the shoulders" partnership. Cheezy and Kylie recovered with Cheezy on 20 runs (NOT OUT!). Cheezy warmed to the task and finally struck a boundary from the third last ball of the partnership. (He's ahead of you on boundaries Hugo!) There would be much hazing in the carpark later that evening.

In the final partnership Norris took the stike urging composure and conservatism in a futile effort to reign in his enigmatic partner. Norris scrambled through with a 1 off the first delivery in a close run out chance at the non-strikers end. Itchy looked confident slashing at and missing the next delivery and looked to the skies for tranquility. Out Caught off the next delivery and the Fathers score dropped to 99. The pendulum demonstrated it was cold and nondiscriminatory with its victims. Early in the second over Itchy smashed one straight down the pitch and Norris was caught out of his ground and the scores were level. The WICC went quiet. The Happy Salmons were already drinking from the cup of victory. The Fathers' esky was nearly empty.

As the end of the 14th over drew near, the scores almost level, Norris on strike, destiny loomed. The unsuspecting bowler served up a fullish delivery wide of the off stump and the Canook in Norris flashed back to his younger days as an ice hockey player, looking to slapshot the puck into the top corner of the net from his defensive position on the blue line. Time seemed to slow and Norris became connected to all forces in the WICC, including the forces of the pendulum, Norris could see the anticipation and hope in the bowlers eyes, he felt the gaze of the Founding Fathers as they looked on clutching their empty beer glasses, he could sense Itchy down the other end thinking "smash it Norro", and the planets aligned with the pendulum of Norry's bat as he smashed all hope of Happy Salmon victory straight into the back net for SEVEN!

From then on it was a steady flow of runs and the Fathers cantered home in a 29 run victory. It gets no better than this in indoor cricket.

The Carpark
The Fathers were thirsty after such a monumental victory that clinches a finals berth for the squad. There could be no Esky large enough, or full enough, to quench the thirst of the Founding Fathers after the indoor cricketing night of nights but just to be sure and extra slab will be on hand for all future 9:30pm fixtures.


The Sitter of the Match
Our Kylie - it was a beauty


The Man of the Match
Our Kylie - best bowling (3 for 1) and second highest run score (22) - best plus/mins +21. The man is a legend.


The Fundraiser
The Fathers are in arrears and require funds. Everyone bring money next week - the usual $100 or so.

In the 8 next week (9:30pm):
1. Kermie - Captain
2. Our Kylie
3. Gilly
4. Nads
5. Madman - beer boy
6. Gladdy
7. Itchy
8. KEVIN!

It's never in doubt.

There are others who can play so let me know if you can't.....

Available:
Cheezy
Andy
Harmie
Norris