With Dave Martin
The footy season is barely over and already the flanneled fools amongst us are measuring out their run ups, rubbing linseed oil into the trusty willow and wondering whether those ragged grass stained strides are good for one more season.
Most years the first few games are spent watching it rain for a couple of hours before giving up and heading for the nearest pub… or playing on grounds where the grass is so thick the most sumptuous cover drive is a quick single and any score in double figures isn’t a bad knock,
And so it was the day the Foster B’s met ‘the prisoners’ in a classic early season encounter under leaden skies at the Foster Showgrounds.
Back in the day Won Wron prison had a team in the B Grade of the South Gippsland Cricket Association. The quality of their side depended quite a bit on who was ‘doing a stretch’ at the time but they always played in great spirit and obvious enthusiasm.
This day they turned up in a mini bus driven by one of the guards. Their captain, Johnny Sykes, won the toss and elected to bat first.
After a spot of fielding practice and some energetic limbering up Foster Captain Shacky set his field and strode to the top of his mark. Johnny Sykes and his opening partner strode to the wicket and the umpires took up their stations.
Traditionally the match begins after everyone is in position and the umpire at the bowler's end signals to the two scorers to check that they are ready to begin as well.
But this day there was only one scorer sitting at the official scoring table in front of the pavilion with pen in hand.
“We need another scorer.”
Time stood still…
“Come on boys, we need another scorer.”
Still nothing…
Eventually a tall, bespectacled figure stumbled off the bus and began slouching towards the scorers table.
“Not you Henry,” said Johnny Sykes firmly
Henry turned on his heel and got back on the bus.
Johnny sighed deeply then turned back to us shaking his head
“Sorry fellas… He’s doing five years for fraud.”
