Itchy has to carry the Fathers the rest of the way

Peter Roebuck

Wednesday 10 December 2008

WESTON CREEK - From the looks of things, Itchy will have to put the Fathers on his shoulders from here to the next Grand Final, the way he did in the 2008 Grand Final, the way he did on that last magical finals series drive.

I confronted Itchy with that burden Monday and he didn't even blink.

Those slumped shoulders of yesteryear have given way to a ‘Bring It On’ swagger -- what every championship team needs to see in its leader.

"I like bowling the ball, believe it or not," Itchy said. "That's my specialty, that's what I'm here for. I take pride in our fielding game, and try to get us in good run out situations. That's what I grew up doing."

Placing this kind of onus on Itchy a year ago at this time would have frightened Fathers fans to death, but not now. Asking Fathers fans whether they'd prefer Itchy over Norris a year ago would have been dismissed as folly, but not now. Itchy knows this team so well, he loves The Big Game so much, that he has reached the stage of his development where he is fully capable of making everyone around him better, so fans shouldn’t sweat the big pre-Christmas games.

"Playing playoff games, and you win some of those big games, it gives you a sense, and your teammates a sense that no matter what happens, how we start, or what's going on in the game, we're gonna find a way to win this game, we're gonna find a way to bounce back," Itchy said.

The Fathers are WICC Open C champions for plenty of reasons -- the best fielding side in indoor cricket, the legs of Nads, Mayor McCheese and Madman, the pugnacious batting of Gladdy, Gilly and Hugo, Snorky and his coaching staff, superior veteran leadership -- and the winner who leads their revitalized bowling attack.

Editor’s note: Shortly after this article was published Itchy was dumped as captain in a vicious car park coup d'etat. It is unclear if this article was to blame or if it was related to Itchy’s man of the match performance in a sub-standard team loss to the ‘In2itive Bilby’s’.

'In2itive Bilby's vs Founding Fathers scorecard 'highlights' below (click for larger version)

Family Night at the WICC a Massive Success

The FFCC Fan Club rivals the Mouseketeers for sheer enthusiasm, raucousness and charm. And they were HOT! HOT! HOT!

Rosie
Jasmine
Millie
Liam
Angus
Archie
Jasper
Ella
Oscar
Tanja
Bianca
Amber
Brookie

And the Founding Fathers were scintillating HOT! HOT! HOT!

The Fathers took the ball in hand and The Hapless Thrill Killers were restricted to a paltry 158.

FFCC Bowlers:
Cheezy 2 for 10
Madman 3 for 12
Nads 1 for 13
Gladdy 1 for 16
Billy 2 for 17
Norris 1 for 24
Itchy 0 for 29
Snorkey 2 for 37

The Fathers were confident at the midway point except for Nads whose body language had all but conceded victory and forshadowed an early retirement. "We need to get back to our winning ways" said Nads. Itchy let rip and gave Nads a right good rev up and away the Fathers went. "We ARE winning Nads. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING - YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH SON! Now get out there and OPEN UP THE SHOULDERS!" Itchy sent in Snorky and Gladdy in a move of sheer genius rivalling Einstein's notion of the existence of a comological constant.

Snorky 16
Gladdy 22

The Fathers were well on there way with the first skin.
Next up Nads (prancing like a Gnu in croc infested waters) and Billy the Kid
Nads 34
Billy 8

The Fathers put on 80 runs in the first two partnerships and were on par for the required total of 159.

Enter Captain Itchy and Norris:
Itchy 15
Norris 30

Tail enders Madman and Cheezy needed 34 for victory:
Madman 31
Cheezy 44

200 runs on the board and Fathers were loitering with esky in the carpark before the Thrill Killers had collected the ball from the boundary.

MAN OF THE MATCH - MAYOR MCCHEESE ESQ.
CAPTAINS DRESSING DOWN - NADS
SITTER - TAKE YOUR PICK WE ALL DROPPED AT LEAST ONE
CATCH OF THE MATCH - GLADDY (hounourable mention to Itchy for snaring one that ricocheted off his box!)
FINES - Billy (for not getting a FINE) Snorkey (failed to take the hat trick) Snorkey (jack pot delivery - 14!); NADS AND MADMAN FOR GETTING THE CAPTAIN'S ORDER REGARDING THE OPENING BOWLER HOPELESSLY CONFUSED.