The Greyhounds travelled to Gifford last night to take on the mighty Goblin Ha’ in our annual friendly fixture with them. 

In a finely balanced but very friendly contest played in warm evening sunshine,  the Goblins ran  out eventual winners by 2 wickets – the first time they’ve beaten us for a number of seasons so congratulations to them.  Summer holidays and other commitments meant both sides could only muster 10 players each but with the  Greyhounds going for youth over experience (7 colts & 3 seniors) debutant skipper Jono Moore felt his “pups” would be able to cover any gaps the field.

Although Jono lost the toss, the Greyhounds got the result they were looking for when the Goblins elected to field.  It was at this point things appeared to begin to go wrong when Jono decided on an unorthodox batting line up with players going in in height order – smallest first, tallest last.  This meant an opening a pair of Rebecca Moore (4’ 11”) & Jono (5’ 2”) followed by Kerr Stoddart (5’ 3”), Luke Grey (5’ 4”), Adam Hastings (5’ 5”) Chris Cash (5’ 6”), Stewart Nimmo (5’ 8”), Michael Bunker (5’ 10”), Gareth Burnett ( 5’ 11”) & Tim Bunker (6’ 6”).  However, with Rebecca, Jono & Luke all back in the hutch with just 2 on the board, Past President Bunker was beginning to wonder what had happened to the Club since handing over the chains of office to Ross – would never have allowed that  in his day!  Anyway runs began to accumulate as the players got taller, much as the skipper had planned, with Kerr constructing a patient innings of 14, Cashey & Gareth both retiring on 20, Michael run out on 18 and Tim not out 15.  With Gareth retired ( & under Goblin Ha’s rules not allowed to return), Tim lost his  final batting partner and keen to carry on he quickly signalled back to the “pavilion” for Rebecca’s identical twin sister, by some strange coincidence also called Rebecca, to pad up quickly and get out to middle.  This enabled Bunks to put on another 2 or 3 before Rebecca was bowled trying to cut one way to point – so 103 all out (though with 2 retired not quite “all out”) and with Goblins assuring us that was more than enough, Jono felt reasonably confident.

Adam opened the bowling followed by Michael, Stewart, Kerr and although each bowled reasonably tightly and made scoring difficult, the first break through didn’t happen until the 5^th over when Cashey came on working off a shortened run up ( 4 steps instead of 5).  Luke picked up a another wicket in the next over and sharp fielding in the covers ran out one of the Goblins with a direct hit.  Things were now looking good and looked even better when Bunks stepped up – with 2 for 2 in his first over, he was in devastating form and didn’t he know it, informing incoming batsmen he wouldn’t like to face himself!  However, the Goblins then began to dig in and the Greyhounds only picked up 2 further wickets – Michael and Cashey in the second spells.  At this point the score board seemed to moved from 52 for 5 to 94 for 6 when Rebecca came on for her second spell.  Sensing victory,  the Goblins pushed on to 102 leaving Jono the last over and the challenge of delivering 6 dot balls.  With the sense of occasion and responsibility getting to him, Jono sent his first delivery down leg side only to be crashed away to square leg for 4 leaving the Goblins celebrating a rare  2 wicket victory over the Greyhounds (106 for 7).

So a great night of friendly social cricket came to an end and after a pie & pint in the Bowling Club, the Goblins bade us farewell for another season and an invitation to join them again next year for another match in this long running series.

For the record :  Jono 0 runs & 0 for 8(all  off 2), Rebecca 0 & 0 for 12, Kerr 14 & 0 for 16, Luke 2 & 1 for 12, Adam 6 & 0 for 10, Cashey 20 (rtd) & 2 for 7, Stewart 1 & 0 for 16, Michael 18 & 1 for 15, Gareth 20 (rtd) & W/K (1 catch) and Tim 15 (n/o) & 2 for 10

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