Easter and the Queen's Birthday

Easter. Wow. It's been an age since I posted last. Busy, busy, busy. Looks like I managed to post again after the four day weekend. Heh. Ah well, it was a nice relaxing four days off. The highlight of the long weekend would have to be the Qantas v Ansett Social Cricket Cup. Oh yes and Happy Birthday to our Queen. Jolly good show!

So the cricket. Saturday. The inaugural Qantas vs Ansett Shield Cricket Match. Bwhaha. Why? Well one of the guys works at Qantas and during a clean up at the office they found this unused shield. Yoink! (Well not quite - cost him something in the order of $50).

Ten players for Ansett, and eleven for Qantas (includes one female). And the rules? Retire on 20, everyone gets a bowl (max 3 overs), immunity on Zero and no LBWs. Neat! It turned out to be a down-to-the-wire match. Unlike the Jason Gillespie double ton slaughter unleashed upon the Bangladesh Tigers.

Qantas scored 8-203 after the 30 overs. Not a bad effort at all. I ended up with 1-22 off 3 overs, got owned - but that happens. Meh, a catch was dropped in one of my overs as well! (Then again, I dropped one, so I can't complain). Top score for Qantas - 39 runs.

Ansetts turn. Off to a flyer of a start with 30 runs being scored in the first three overs - however things slowed right down and at 15 overs we were struggling to keep pace with our required run rate (95-odd runs at the end of 15). What was humorous about our innings start was that Dinesh was out three times before heading back to the pavilion on one run. Just wasn't his day.

When it was my turn to bat in it was approximately 4-120 . As it was immunity on zero, I decided to maximise the situation. First ball, gave my self some room and let loose. The ball sailed over the long-on boundary for a solid six. Solid hit indeed. I put on a great partnership with Dillan (who retired on 20) and Derrick (who retired on 20 after I left) before I had to leave the crease... yes on 20 not out. A good solid rear guard action by the three of us!

5 overs to go and there was still 30 to get - and by this stage I was a spectator. Who would have thought! Some good planning by the Qantas team meant that the final overs were being bowled by the most experienced bowlers in their side. However, Tom and Ant destroyed their bowling. Clobbering 18 in one over to effectively seal the match.

Ansett defeated Qantas with 5 wickets in hand (and 2 overs to spare). Go Ansett! The good news is that there is another Ansett/Qantas clash planned for the Queen's Birthday weekend. So i'm looking forward to it!

Speaking of the Queen it is her 80th birthday today. The reigning monarch of the Commonwealth. Happy Birthday! She's done an excellent job as Queen, and she deserves a mention in todays entry.