Page 33 - WPHCCC 2024-2025 Yearbook

partnership before lunch, we needed Wu and Preeds to get us there - and they did. A huge momentum driver for us leading into the main break.
We were only on about 15-20 through 15-20 overs, but we had 9 wickets in hand and 50 overs to get the runs.
Spirits were optimistic. Wu threw up a lung up on the hill, his coconut water failing to hydrate him adequately. He waved off the strong stuff and told L Mac to go to the servo and get him a coke. "How dare they make me field for 90 overs yesterday with no rest" he kept saying between vomits. He was determined to be carried off the field for victory. "I was always going to live until my mid-90s, but the stress of not beating these blokes has taken 15 years off my life, I will die in my 70s if we don't beat them."
Wu and Preeds returned after lunch but the partnership was quickly broken, Wu gone for 12 caught behind. 2/25 and still a long way off when Billy Gaunt was elevated to no4 to join Preeds in the centre. Billy has been a new man since a new flame arrived in his life - he has been quick witted, chirpy, confident. And he is scoring a lot of runs. Many of which were not in A Grade through the year. But two important knocks in the SF had him walking out with his chest pumped. That chest was quickly wound back to his body when he was dropped by Knox at point on 2.
For the next hour or so, Billy and Preeds began to build a foundation into chasing the target.
They were picking off singles and two's all over the ground and we very quickly got to 50, then 60, then 70. The game seemed to be moving quickly but then it all came to a screeching halt. The over rate slowed. Berowra fielders were asked to swap positions mid-over.
Bowlers pulled out of their run-ups. There was a clear mindset shift from the Berrowra leadership. Defensive fields were set. Were they playing for the draw? Billy and Preeds were not concerned, they brought up the 100 and we were beginning to have a real sniff. That was until they ended up both at the same end in a huge mix-up but Berowra butchered a certain runout. They got to tea and the momentum was very much in the WPHCCCCC sails.
Tea time and for some unknown reason, catering was not provided.... but it didn't matter, we were too nervous to eat. Billy and Preeds were looking good, but we all know that WPHCCCCC LOVE a collapse from a winnable position. Many of the senior players were pacing around, unable to sit still. Wu told me that he would jump off the Berowra change room roof if we lost the game from this spot. "And I don't want you to revive me" he said.