Postcard from NSW

G'day 

Hope you are keeping well and looking forward to the new season there...not long to go now...I see Anuj Dal played in Barbados for Notts...he is a contemporary of Rhys Hayes...a fine young player...Kimberley CC and Nottingham High School ...would have loved to have seen Rhys in the green and gold..hopefully he still could.

I have had the pleasure of umpiring a CCCA  [Central Coast Cricket Association] Grand Final 6th Division game between Woy Woy [the Sharkies] and Lisarow [the Magpies] . The score was Woy Woy 130 all out . Lisarow 131-6. This match was on Saturday and Sunday.

On Tuesday I played for Central Coast Over 60s at Awaba Oval near Toronto which is in a beautiful rural area south of Newcastle. There was a buzz amongst us as Newcastle had Bob Holland in their side. Famously he is the oldest player to debut for Australia as a 38 year old. He played at Trent Bridge in the 1985 Ashes series. He mentioned to me that although he was very much a tailender he batted as a nightwatchman no 3 in that Test.

Awaba Oval is a beautiful ground. A typical Aussie Oval surrounded by bush with a neat pavilion. We batted first and scored 166 in 42 overs. Yours truly was out bowled neck and crop I'm afraid for a paltry 3. Nevertheless I faced 5 balls of a Bob Holland over and was determined not to get out...which I didn't to him. It was a hot day with the strong afternoon sun beating down relentlessly. The hosts made the target in the final over . Bob Holland was still at the crease with 27 not out . A true gentleman he was happy to talk cricket and have a good yarn after the game as chicken sandwiches and ice cold beers were enjoyed  

This weekend I'm off to Canberra, the Manuka Oval more precisely to see the Sheffield Shield Final between WA and NSW . Custom and practice dictates that the Ladder leaders...in this year's case NSW host the Final...not so this year. The SCG has been taken over by the American baseball teams Arizona Diamondbacks and the LA Dodgers. Their league's first match of the season is here in Australia. To cricket fans here it's all crazy. So why? Simple $$$s. Worldwide TV especially Asia where there is a growing baseball market...big Asian pop. in Australia etc etc. Just watched ABC News which had cameras and reporters at SCG....didn't even mention the Sheffield Shield Final. Anyway I am looking forward to the game. Normally the fixtures are 4 day as per County Championship but the final is always a 5 day match and is so . Am going for days 3 and 4 . It starts tomorrow. Will report / take pics. Adam Voges captains WA. Steve Smith skippers my adopted State NSW. Good players on view notwithstanding those in Bangladesh. Bollinger who has been bowling well for NSW replaces the injured Johnson there.

cheers

Andy