NOTES FROM THE WEST INDIES BARBADOS INTERNATIONAL OVER 60s TOURNAMENT FROM STUART RIDGE
AUSTRALIA OVER 60s BARBADOS PLAYING SQUAD JANUARY 2023
Back: Glenn Richardson VIC; Syd D’Mello WA; Sam Davis WA; Stephen Moore TAS; Greg Hoysted VIC; Stuart Ridge NSW; Kent Officer QLD; Claude Orlando TAS; Dale Thornton VIC
Front: Mike Riley SA; Peter Mills VIC; Peter (Archie) Dudderidge VIC; Eric Higgins (c) NSW; Peter O’Reilly NSW;Alan Bougoure QLD.
WEDNESDAY 18 JANUARY (PRE TOURNAMENT)
Will find out if I’m in the side for the first competition game tonight Barbados time v England tomorrow (Monday). If I’m playing I should be able to give you an update on that for next week’s Camperdowner.
Otherwise, so far we have had a centre square practice at the Wanderers ground where I believe CCNSW have played.
And a warm up game v West Indies 60s at Pickwick CC (next to Foursquare Rum Distillery and venue for the England game) which we ended up winning quite comfortably. They had a couple of decent bats and a couple of bowlers who looked as though they would have been a scary prospect when younger – including one who still had a decent bouncer (first I’ve seen in 60s). But fell away pretty quickly once we got past them.
Had a decent bowl myself. Came on first change as the other main opener fancied the same end (downhill with wind). Broke a good opening partnership and put the brakes on scoring rate so was happy with that. Wickets as expected were rolled mud with a few clippings but a little bit in them for the bowlers and some swing with the pink Dukes we are using.
You’ll be able to see scores from the tournament here:
O60s BMC Caribbean Cup 2023: Schedule – Cricket West Indies Masters Association (“CWIMA”)
And scores from the practice game here – a bit informal with a few 2nd chances and recycling to get everyone some game time.
League: Australia vs West Indies – Cricket West Indies Masters Association (“CWIMA”)
Will let you know what happens with the first game.
GAME 1 MONDAY 30 JANUARY 2023 AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND
Fantastic start coming out on top in an epic battle with England.
Very proud (even as a ‘Pommie exile’) to be presented with a baggie green before the game.
England were celebrating holding us to 140 on a tricky pitch and large slowish outfield due to some overnight rain. We got off to a good start against the openers but then were quickly bogged down against their slow bowlers. Lindfield’s Peter O’Reillly was the backbone of the innings with a patient 43.
Not a lot in it for the seamers but with the pink Duke ball giving a bit of shape, we were able to tie down the openers to 20 off the first nine before the scoreboard pressure forced a rash shot for the breakthrough and my first international wicket.
England then imploded with a series of poor shots against our spinners falling to 8-45 before a tense and stubborn rearguard partnership of 70 for the 9th wicket kept them in the game. However, the run rate had been creeping up and a final breakthrough with 4 overs to go slowed them further and allowed us to close out a 15 run win.
Scorecard: Australia 8-142 (45 overs) defeated England 9-127 (45 overs)
S. Ridge dnb and 9-2-25-1For full details of the game, seehttp://www.windiesmasters.org/cwima/viewScorecard.do?matchId=953&clubId=30679
Match replay with good commentary
GAME 2 v REST OF THE WORLD WEDNESDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2023
The Rest of the World won the toss and made the unfortunate decision to bat first in a wicket still a little damp with overnight due. Games start early at 9:30am and I think the covers were not removed early enough. Plenty of movement in the air and off the wicket made scoring very difficult. No batter got in and with a regular fall of wickets we knocked them over for 46 in 28 overs. I got into a good rhythm and bowled 9 straight – 6 maidens, 2 for 5 and picked up MoM.
By the time we batted the pitch had settled and we completed a comfortable 10 wicket win. A few familiar faces in the RoW side from the Southern Highlands Vintage side – Ian Bradburn, Gary Whitaker and Mark Preddey.
Stuart Ridge being presented with MoM award for Australia v Rest of the World
GAME 3 v USA FRIDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2023
An easy win v USA. Batted first, scored 268 and then rolled them for 68. Had another tight opening spell picking up a couple of wickets, 5 overs 2 for 4.
GAME 4 v WEST INDIES MONDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2023
A nail biter v West Indies. A good side with at least a couple of ex first class players. Sent them in after a little overnight rain and contained them well to 144 in their 45 overs. No wickets this time but probably my best spell – 9 overs 0-16.
Our innings closely mirrored theirs for run rate and loss of wickets but some cool finishing got us home by 2 wickets with 5 balls to spare.
Both games streamed and available on You Tube for anyone interested.
Australia v USA at Pickwick Oval
West Indies v Australia at BNOC
We are now guaranteed a spot in the final at Kensington oval on Friday where we are told
“FYI. Just received this from Raj @ BMC O60s Caribbean Cup re the Australian Honorary Consul’s (James Gardiner) role Friday
He [the Australian consul] will be going to the Presidential Suite in the main pavilion. We are hoping to get the US & English ambassadors there also along with some of the WI cricket legends. Sir Wes Hall is expected there to do some of his book signings, etc. He will be expected to mingle with the players and guests there during the time he will be there.”
I’m having a rest for the next game and hopeful for selection on Friday against the winners of the England v WI game tomorrow.
GAME 5 v INVITATION WEDNESDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2023
A day off for me and another comfortable win. Whilst a dead rubber in terms of getting to the final still a bit at stake for individual performances with competition for places in the team for the final at stake.
Scorecard
http://www.windiesmasters.org/cwima/viewScorecard.do?matchId=964&clubId=30679
After completing the round robin stage unbeaten in 5 games, Australia qualified to play in the final at Kensington Oval against second placed England whose only loss was against Australia in the first round.
Final table after round robin.
| No. | TEAM | P | W | L | Points | Win % |
| 1 | Australia | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 100 |
| 2 | England | 5 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 80 |
| 3 | West Indies | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 60 |
| 4 | Rest of the World | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 40 |
| 5 | Invitational XI | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 20 |
| 6 | USA | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
England won the toss and elected to bat first.
On a good pitch with a fast outfield we contained England reasonably well until their number 5 Edward Gordon-Lennox took the game away from us with a brutal 75 off 55 balls including 6 sixes to post a total of 9-238. We gave him a couple of lives including an early missed stumping and a relatively easy drop of my bowling in my second spell before his final onslaught.
Personally, I was pleased to continue my tight bowling from earlier rounds despite an expensive last couple of overs at the death against some good hitting from Gordon-Lennox.
We felt the total was achievable in the conditions but England bowled and fielded very well giving nothing away. The first half of our innings followed a similar trajectory to theirs but we were unable to sufficiently accelerate and steadily lost wickets as the run rate crept up.
Despite the final margin looking comfortable it was a hard fought game with the main difference being the Gordon-Lennox innings.
Scorecard for the final:
http://www.windiesmasters.org/cwima/viewScorecard.do?matchId=968&clubId=30679
Full replay on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jLCsmUBXcI&t=915s
The full match report from the Australian Veterans Cricket Facebook page was:
Match report Australia vs. England, O60 Big Man Cricket Caribbean Cup final , 10 February 2023
The scorecard can be found at cricclubs.com, under Cricket West Indies Masters Association (CWIMA)
The venue was the historic Barbados test ground at Kensington Oval. The privilege of playing on such a storied ground was icing on the cake in this competition to players on both teams. The outfield was, understandably, huge, the grass uniform and tightly mowed, and the pitch was flat and firm. A perfect venue for the top two teams of the tournament. Australia had played strongly and consistently through the five games of the minor round, beating all teams, including England, and looking to repeat their first round result. England had the one loss – and were intent on avenging that loss to Australia.
England won the toss, and had no hesitation in batting. The English openers saw the Australian opening bowlers off, only for Merriman to fall to Dudderidge’s off-spin, with a comfortable catch in deepish gully with the score at 34 off ten overs. The large outfield was quite quick, with the boundaries either sloping down from the square or at least level, so good shots were rewarded. Grant and Braithwaite settled in and motored along at an average of almost five runs an over until Thornton had Grant caught behind on a well-earned 54, at 93 runs off 22 overs. Just three overs later Douglas was run out by a sharp piece of fielding by Thornton, with only 18 added to the score. That brought Gordon-Lennox to the crease with the score at 3 for 111, with some 20 overs left. Dudderidge continue to bowl tightly, and soon had Braithwaite LBW after a useful 34. Dearden (7 off 9) was caught behind off O’Reilly, and Butterworth (9 off 12) was caught by Thornton off Ridge. At that point, 36 overs and 175 runs on the board, Gordon-Lennox teed off on the attack, blasting 6 sixes and five fours, although he had luck go his way several times. He was eventually caught off Riley to a brilliant diving catch by Miller at cow corner, with the score at 224 off 43 overs. Caunt batted confidently to take the score to 236 before being run out by substitute fielder Bougoure. Riley took the last wicket on the last ball – after having bowled a contentious wide the previous ball. England put up a healthy 239, which was thought to be a reachable score.
Both teams were invited to the Presidential Suite at Kensington Oval for a wonderful lunch spread. On the way upstairs we passed Sir Gordon Greenidge, sitting like an unassuming spectator in the stands! He chatted amicably to a number of the players before we headed upstairs where we were greeted by Sir Wes Hall signing his book for players. Cricket royalty indeed!
Australia started solidly, with Higgins and O’Reilly going along at 4 runs an over until O’Reilly (21 off 36, with four superb 4s) was removed by a smart leg-side stumping, overbalancing and lifting his back foot slightly. Thornton, Officer and Hoysted fell rather quickly, so the score was now 4 for 70 after just over 20 overs. The required run rate at this stage had escalated to 7 runs an over – still doable, but with England having five fielders right on the long boundaries it was becoming more of a strangle. Higgins batted superbly, but some eight or nine of his powerful sweep shots went straight to the sweeper on the leg side boundary, and a similar number of signature cut shots went either to point on the sweeper at deep backward square. Fatigue had crept in, and he fell finally for a well-earned 53 off 84 balls, all with only four 4s, having pushed the score to 107 with 5 wickets down and only 17 overs to go. The asking rate had climbed to 8 runs per over. Richardson and Miller tried to push the score along, with Miller falling for 6 at the end of the 33rd over with the score on 129. Twelve overs and 111 need at over 9 runs an over. Dudderidge joined Richardson, and they pushed aggressively, scoring 37 in the next four overs at the elevated asking rate, and giving hope to the Australian supporters. But such aggressive batting against the English field meant taking risks, hopefully calculated, but both Richardson (40 off 44 with only two 4s) and Dudderidge (12 off 12) fell on the same score, followed by Ridge on the same score of 156. The asking rate had ballooned to 11 runs per over at that stage. The Australian wicketkeeper, Orlando, pushed aggressively but sensibly, ending up 11 not out off 8 balls, including one booming six over cow corner, until Riley was bowled attempting a pull shot to the vacant region behind square leg, ending the Australian chase on 168 in the 39th over. Three of the English bowlers took three wickets each.
Australia’s choice for England’s man-of-the-match was easy, with Ed Gordon-Lennox with a power-hitting display of 74 runs off 55 balls. England nominated Australian captain Eric Higgins for his fine 53.
So despite coming in second to England, all the Australian players enjoyed their time in Barbados, bonding as a group and performing solidly the entire tournament. Credit to England for coming back strongly after their first match defeat.
As something of a consolation, Australian players featured in several top-5 categories in the tournament:
Batting: #5 Glenn Richardson, 165 runs at an average of 82.5
Bowling: #1 Mike Riley, 12 wickets at 8.83 off 33.3 overs
Fielding: #2 Claude Orlando, 5 catches, 2 stumpings and 2 run-outs from fielder throws.
Player rankings: #2 Stuart Ridge, 880 points
#4 Archie Dudderidge, 675 points
Note: A player ranking score was used to determine the player of the tournament and despite not contributing with the bat and not topping the wicket tally or averages, the algorithm used obviously rewarded my tournament best economy rate (only pushed above 2 in an expensive last over) to rate my efforts 2nd overall.
My overall figures for the tournament:
5 matches
Bowling 41 overs 6 wickets 89 runs 14.83 average 2.17 runs/over economy rate
Batting – 1 first ball duck!
Fielding: 1 catch, 1 run out