Page 34 - WPHCCC 2024-2025 Yearbook

About 10-12 overs would need to be bowled before the final drinks break, so it was a good opportunity to put a good dent in the chase and have a partnership still going strong into the final hour. They kept going about their work until Billy, who had played the late cut so well throughout the day, chopped on off Griff for a well-made 67. He was disappointed but greeted back by respectful applause from the Berowra crowd. The applause quickly turned to sledging to Assman, who was next in. His red shoes were likened to traffic cones. It was fair to say the Berora boys were on to their second beer.
Now Assman doesn't have many gears as we know. He is very black and white, mainly the former. We needed about 65 at this stage to win, off about 25 overs - plenty of time to knock the ball around and do it in singles. Assman had other ideas. His third ball, he decided to hit Griff over the Clubhouse - but he got too much underneath it, caught on the deep midwicket boundary for 0. From 2/125 to 4/129, it was a little wobble.
We just had to get to the final break unscathed and Harry Hando was tasked to get us there. He walked down the stairs to the ground, the Berowra crowd had clearly moved onto their third beer as they delivered some choice words to Harry for not closing the gate. Harry is such a gentle soul, he wouldn't hurt a fly - so when Preeds heard those words from out in the middle, he was PISSED OFF.
He dropped his bat and helmet and walked directly to the crowd and told them to rack off. And boy didn't the crowd whimper back into their burrow like little pussycats. I have never seen P like that before, he was like Rambo. I don't think we realised it at the time, but that show of solidarity to a teammate was huge - it got us up and about. I told Scott Reid to get the crowd to pull their heads in. "You should be the responsible one" I yelled. Jamaican then told me that it was Grant Reid.
Harry and Preeds got us to the final break and the equation couldn't have been simpler. 20 overs. 56 runs to get. 6 wickets in hand. It was less than 3 an over, you would back us from this position to get the job done. But remember loyal readers, WPHCCCC love to collapse like deck chairs. It has happened so often through the years. But would it happen again today?
A solid start to the final 20 turned bad when Harry skied a ball off Griff straight to the keeper. 5/151 chasing 185 for victory. Rudd joined Preeds to put on another 6 runs before he was bowled by Griff. 6/157. Tom Hando was elevated in the order but departed two balls later. 7/157. Remember that little simile you read before about deck chairs?????
Preeds screamed out to K, he wasn't going to be left to die at the other end. "GET LICHAAA IN". K turned to Lichaaa. Lichaaa wasn't dressed, had no pads on, no gloves and no bat. He scrambled, got ready, screamed at K to ask where his kit was to steal his gloves and picked up a random bat. He copped abuse on the way down to the ground which levelled him - Wu spotting his shoulders pulling back as he walked past the Berowra crowd and gave a wry smile to the words. Lichaaa had scored a