Crowd has a ball as Paul and Woolford brawl in light-hearted local hit-out
By Peter Fitzgerald
Wednesday, 2 February 2005
There was Julian Salvi and Matt Adamson on legitimate hat-tricks.
There was Jeremy Paul on a hat-trick of his own - trying to avoid getting dismissed from three consecutive deliveries.
And there was even an underarm delivery from Matt Giteau to Lincoln Withers, just as Trevor Chappell bowled to kiwi Brian McKechnie on the same day 24 years ago.
As expected, yesterday's charity cricket match between the ACT Brumbies and Canberra Raiders at West Belconnen Leagues Club was something to see.
And the cross-code clash to raise much needed funds for those affected by the Boxing Day Asian tsunami was a hit.
While a miserable Canberra afternoon weather-wise threatened to wash-out proceedings, it didn't dampen the spirits of more than 1500 fans who turned out.
Although counting was not complete late last night, organisers were hopeful and expected to reach their $20,000 target.
If it was champagne cricket the crowd had come to see, it was always going to be disappointed. Most players batted with only one pad in an early sign the bowling pace was never going to reach great heights.
Raider Lincoln Withers struggled with the concept that the ball was meant to travel further in the air than his bat.
And Brumbies hooker Jeremy Paul soon learnt that sledging Raiders captain Simon Woolford from the slips would result in a brawl between the two at the end of Woolford's impressive 57-run opening partnership with Matt Adamson.
For the record, the Brumbies defeated the Raiders by 24 runs.
After posting 151 from their 20 overs - each batting pair faced four overs each - the Brumbies appeared in trouble after Ryan O'Hara and Phil Graham's solid 26-run stand followed Woolford and Adamson's hit.
But from that stage on, the rugby lads got on top of the league boys. Quality bowling from Brumbies' Patrick Phibbs, Radike Samo, George Gregan and Matt Giteau slowed the Raiders scoring, not to mention the rough batting display by fourth pair Withers and Todd Carney, who managed a lame -12 between them.
In the end, celebrity Australian batsmen Brad Haddin and Raiders veteran Jason Croker required 50 runs off the final three overs but not even three consecutive sixes by Haddin off Gregan in the final over could deny the Brumbies a deserved victory.
Brumbies centre Giteau openly praised his own performance after the match but acknowledged the real reason for the game.
"I got a few runs and got the big scalp of Brad Haddin so yeah, I thought I went OK," he said after the match. "But it's not about that really. Today was for a great cause and it was great the crowd still came, despite the terrible weather which was put on."
Raiders captain Simon Woolford echoed Giteau's thoughts about the worthy cause, and wasn't afraid to run his eye through individual performances as well.
"Jeremy Paul, well he bowled short and slow and was pretty ordinary all-round. For our guys, Matty Gafa and Clinton Schifcofske were terrible bowlers, so I only gave them one over each," he said.
Luckily it was all for charity. The match will now become an annual event.
By Peter Fitzgerald
Wednesday, 2 February 2005
There was Julian Salvi and Matt Adamson on legitimate hat-tricks.
There was Jeremy Paul on a hat-trick of his own - trying to avoid getting dismissed from three consecutive deliveries.
And there was even an underarm delivery from Matt Giteau to Lincoln Withers, just as Trevor Chappell bowled to kiwi Brian McKechnie on the same day 24 years ago.
As expected, yesterday's charity cricket match between the ACT Brumbies and Canberra Raiders at West Belconnen Leagues Club was something to see.
And the cross-code clash to raise much needed funds for those affected by the Boxing Day Asian tsunami was a hit.
While a miserable Canberra afternoon weather-wise threatened to wash-out proceedings, it didn't dampen the spirits of more than 1500 fans who turned out.
Although counting was not complete late last night, organisers were hopeful and expected to reach their $20,000 target.
If it was champagne cricket the crowd had come to see, it was always going to be disappointed. Most players batted with only one pad in an early sign the bowling pace was never going to reach great heights.
Raider Lincoln Withers struggled with the concept that the ball was meant to travel further in the air than his bat.
And Brumbies hooker Jeremy Paul soon learnt that sledging Raiders captain Simon Woolford from the slips would result in a brawl between the two at the end of Woolford's impressive 57-run opening partnership with Matt Adamson.
For the record, the Brumbies defeated the Raiders by 24 runs.
After posting 151 from their 20 overs - each batting pair faced four overs each - the Brumbies appeared in trouble after Ryan O'Hara and Phil Graham's solid 26-run stand followed Woolford and Adamson's hit.
But from that stage on, the rugby lads got on top of the league boys. Quality bowling from Brumbies' Patrick Phibbs, Radike Samo, George Gregan and Matt Giteau slowed the Raiders scoring, not to mention the rough batting display by fourth pair Withers and Todd Carney, who managed a lame -12 between them.
In the end, celebrity Australian batsmen Brad Haddin and Raiders veteran Jason Croker required 50 runs off the final three overs but not even three consecutive sixes by Haddin off Gregan in the final over could deny the Brumbies a deserved victory.
Brumbies centre Giteau openly praised his own performance after the match but acknowledged the real reason for the game.
"I got a few runs and got the big scalp of Brad Haddin so yeah, I thought I went OK," he said after the match. "But it's not about that really. Today was for a great cause and it was great the crowd still came, despite the terrible weather which was put on."
Raiders captain Simon Woolford echoed Giteau's thoughts about the worthy cause, and wasn't afraid to run his eye through individual performances as well.
"Jeremy Paul, well he bowled short and slow and was pretty ordinary all-round. For our guys, Matty Gafa and Clinton Schifcofske were terrible bowlers, so I only gave them one over each," he said.
Luckily it was all for charity. The match will now become an annual event.
