Bingles Blow Away Big Fat Gypsies THE PENMAN

Three straight losses loomed as an ugly Christmas present for the Killara Bingles, with the side having undergone mass changes for the second time in a month. Desperate to snap their losing streak on the eve of the festive break, Killara captain Julian Nicholls unwrapped an early present by winning the toss & inserting the Chatswood Gypsies. Promoted to new ball duties with the reliably dynamic Will Reed, The Penman wasted the Kookaburra sheen with a loose opening spell. Reed though, was as irrepressible as ever & snared an early pole. The short boundaries, poor run ups & toothpick sized wicket certainly hindered the attack but there was no doubting the quality of ball striking by Chatswood Gypsies Shane Watson lookalike. Lee Furlongs partner-a-like was without peer as he reached 50 within 20 overs, most of the Bingle bowling feeling the heat. Tim Mitchell, one of a number of young players making their B-Grade debuts, hit the crease strongly & with rhythm; he took Killaras second wicket in the 10th over but the Gypsies were rollicking along at a run a ball. Mitchell claimed a second victim impressing all with good carry & a consistent line Chatswood 3/108 at drinks & with a slight advantage. The period after drinks would prove the low point of the Bingles bowling effort. Watto hammered The Penman upon his return to the attack, Vamvouklis conceding 25 from his fifth & sixth overs in a disappointing spell. 77 runs were scored between the 20th & 30th overs as The Gypsies eyed a total of 250+. Catching issues had haunted the Bingles of late & again chances were spilled throughout the innings, however all but one were exceptionally tough opportunities. Toby Waller aka Shane Watson highlighted a dominant display by reaching his ton with whopping six over midwicket. Reed was returned to the attack & snapped a fifth wicket partnership that had yielded 65 but much of Killaras energy in the field had been sapped. As gangly, unorthodox &, to be blunt, ordinary as the technique of Chatswoods number 6 was, he managed to bumble & batter his way to 42, receiving as much luck along the way as there are calories in a box of Crispy Cremes. With 200 up in the 32nd over, The Bingles could have slumped further if not for persistent & unlucky spells of bowling from Sam McKenzie & Samit Kalra. Both might have had a hatful of wickets on another day but luck certainly escaped them at OH Reid Field. Wallererh, WatterI mean, Watson was eventually dismissed by Nick Pluss, whos late entry into the bowling attack proved a Nicholls masterstroke. On the back of another strong spell by Mitchell & perseverance from Kalra & McKenzie, Pluss nipped out two more wickets to halt the run rate & curtail the total to a chaseable 250, although one or two Bingles need reminding that the game was far from over. A makeshift opening pair of The Penman & debutant Pat Brackin strode out & were at ease from the outset. Though the batsmen scored steadily rather than quickly, their cause was generously assisted by the opposition bowlers who offered a litany of sundries throughout the innings. Brackin was brutal when he wanted to be, while Vamvouklis nudged here & there, the pair combining for an opening stand of 50 by the 11th over. Chatswoods lack of bowling depth was evident as soon as the first bowling change was affected. Having seen off the openers, Brackin & Vamvouklis were handed a mixture of no-balls & wides; the total racing to 0/80 after 14. With both batsmen set, the only chance of a wicket was likely to be a run out & chasing a trademark quick single, The Penman was caught well short of his ground attempting one to cover. The direct hit was the only legitimate highlight of the Chatswood innings even with a pre-dinks wobble from the Bingles. Brackin & Mitchell followed Vamvouklis back to the stand in quick succession, allowing youngster Jack Philp to meet Nicholls in the middle. The captain has been utterly dominant as far as run scoring is concerned this summer, a six to get off the mark just a small taste of his free flowing confidence. 3/131 at the break & Killara had surprised themselves with how well, & rapidly, they were travelling. It was a total annihilation upon the resumption. The money for old rope tossed up by the Chatswood trundlers troubled neither Nicholls, nor Philp. For a period the run rate hovered at an outrageous ten an over,

despite a comeback by the opening pair. The Gypsies had no answers to the ferocity of Nicholls & the common sense batting of young Philp. The skipper blazed past 50 for the fourth time this year & if not for the horrendous amount of extras would have had a ton in the offing. Philp too notched a beautifully composed half-century, stunning most after the game by admitting that his previous season best had been one! A seven wicket victory was achieved in the 31st over, a seemingly imposing target made to look as impressive as tissues for a Christmas present. Julian Nicholls sublime 80 not out & an undefeated 58 to Jack Philp made for enjoyable watching for the cheery Bingles, Killara overjoyed to notch up a victory against a truly unpleasant opponent. The captain was expectedly named man of the match but credit also to each of the players on debut Tim Mitchell (2wkts) Pat Brackin (29) & Jack Philp (58*). The win cements Killaras place in the top four going into a three week Christmas & New Years spell although challenges are already presenting themselves for 2013. Will Reed, Jack Mansfield & Luke Achterstraat depart the squad for varying amounts of time in the back end of the season, while the bruising Jared Barry is unlikely to bowl in the new year. The NSCA B-Grade competition is certainly winnable for this club, but a question remains over whether The Bingles have the depth to cover their absentees & the consistency in performance that evaded them over the last four weeks. What cant be questioned is the talent & ability that lies within the individuals in this team. ** Thats The Penman signing off for 2012, see you in 2013 when the competition resumes but keep your eyes peeled between now & then for a Penman Special Edition Mid-Season Report Card. In the words of Tony Grieg - Compliments of the Season!