Great Cricket Stories Yarns and Quotes

Chambo Off To Work We Go wrote:Ian Chappell

The Australians were on tour in the West Indies and playing a one day game. Not sure the exact date, but possibly mid-late 70s.

The crowd had swelled to huge proportions, at least for a smallish ground. The stands were overflowing, the mounds chockers and no small number of people hanging from various structures, trees and the like.

Chappelli, as always, was standing at first slip and happened to notice a patron swinging from the top of one of the light towers with a bottle of rum in his hand.

Every other over, when he was facing that way he noticed the level in the rum bottle ever diminishing. Eventually the bottle was empty and it was remarkable that this fellow had not plummeted to his doom.

However, even more remarkable was that he continued to hang on one-handed, still cradling the empty bottle.

Chappelli, eventually came to query why he hadn't ditched the bottle a long time earlier.

A few overs later, the answer came to him..........the bottle was full again......and not with rum!

A resourceful lot are the West Indians.

Dowe shall not drink ....

Good one!

We go back to 15/11/2005 for this one
SA V WA
Adelaide Oval

SA 7/552 dec
Boof Lehmann 301 not out [400 balls]
Cosgrove 89[193]
Dorey 4/104 [37]

WA 281
Rofe 6/49[23.5]
Campbell 122 [129]

SA 2/129 dec
Blewett 61 *[76]

WA 271
Cullen 5/93 [27.3]

SA won by 129 runs
It was the summer of 2005/2006
SA had a good blend of youth and experience
The new kids were Cosgrove, Ferguson, Cam Borgas , Bailey, Cullen
The others in the line up this game were Deitz, Blewett, Boof, Manou, Rofe, Gillespie
I was excited about where SA cricket was heading in those days with this good line up
But unfortunately a few of the new kids didnt live up to their early expectations

Day 2
I was there on this day, watched Boof killing the Sandgropers
I was impressed with Doreys bowling, he beat the bat of Boof and Cosi relentlessly in this innings , but unfortunately Brett had little support
There were a group of three partially inebriated spectators who were watching the game , all thoroughly engrossed with Boofs amazing innings
During the second session on Day 2
Marcus North bowled a ball that was scored from
The 3 guys in the crowd stood as one and gave a loud elongated standing ovation
As this applause subsided one of the guys yelled out
"" Well done Western Australian spinners 0 for two hundred !!!
Some of the Western Australian players had a giggle , as did I with my 2 mates !!!
This is how the WA spinners ended up when Boof declared soon after
Beau Casson 0/122 , Marcus North 0/46, Adam Voges 0/46 , thats 0/214

The three WA spin triplets ,ended up with total match figures of 0/252

Sheffield Shield
How it commenced

In 1892 WG Grace led a English team to Australia
A patron on that tour was the Earl Of Sheffield , who generously donated 150 pounds to the Cricket Council Of Australia to be used for whatever purpose they wanted to
This money was used to create a 46 inch X 30 inch silver shield , now known as the Sheffield Shield
There were 3 teams in the inaugural SS season, Victoria won the shield against New South Wales and South Australia in 1892-1893
South Australia won the second SS in 1893-1894

Before the SS there were 2 trophies provided by a guy from Sydney
There were awarded in the New South Wales v South Australia games
These shields were made of bronze
These massive Bronze shields were awarded to the best bowlers from each team
These cumbersome bronze trophies were more than a handful, and transporting them back to Adelaide needed quite an effort
Added to this was the threat of bush rangers , such is life in those days

There is a story about when the South Aussie bowler was presented the big trophy, and rocked up at the South Australian border at customs
In the days nearing the end of the 19th century you had to pay a customs tax for importing works of art
The payments were evaluated at 25 %
Seeing the trophy was valued at 25 guineas , it attracted a tax of about 6 guineas

The bowler who on occasion who won this trophy was Fred Jarvis
He refused to pay the tax, and his trophy was impounded temporarily , but was later returned to Fred tax free !
Things were different in the Bronze age

15/2/1884
4 day match
Australia XI v Combined XI

AU 318
Murdoch 83
Giffen 1
Demon Spofforth 4/101 [53]

COMB 222
Jones 88
Demon 28
Palmer 6/75[56,3]
Giffen 3/62

Following on
COMB 113
Massie 29


AU 1/20
Giffen B Demon 2

That man George Giffen had a real humdinger when COMB was dismissed in the second dig for 113
George had the battle of Hastings bowling figures of 10-66 of 26 overs
Was this the first time 10 wickets was taken in a First Class game in Australia ?

What a player
George was also the first player to score a ton for the Norwood Cricket Club , as a teenager against a rival namely the Right Honorable Charles Kingston in the 1875-1876 district season

Heres a yarn when George was travelling with his companions in the Mediterranean on a really cold day
George was eating an orange and discarded the peel over the rail into the sea
Heres what George had to say
*To my consternation , 2 diamond rings , had been presented to me as a trophy by the Norwood Club, the other a gift from my brother, slipped off my finger, and went the way of the orange peel.
Some of the peel struck the taffrail, but unfortunately none of the rings came back on deck*

By George, he lost his Diamond rings , lost in the Medit'err'anean sea

Heres another game involving George Giffen
South Australia v GF Vernons English X1
Adelaide Oval December 1887
5 day match

GFV 382
Read 183
Giffen 5/163[78]

SA 143
Giffen 6
Jarvis 75

Day one commenced on 24/12
They had XMas day off , and at the end of day 2 on 26/12 SA was bundled out on a perfect wicket some 239 runs in arrears
The story goes how George Giffen was woken up by a messenger that a conspirator had savaged the pitch
Play could not rightly commence on this sticky wicket
Someone had watered the pitch , and pieces of the turf were lifted out by a mans heels, making this pitch uneven
Can you imagine how Jessie Hide, Arthur Lance and Les Burdett would have reacted to this !!!

The Poms wanted to call the game off , but had felt an obligation to honor the sponsors of this tour
The pitch was prepared , the Poms could only have though that this match was a mere formality , and the SA team would capitulate on the uneven deck
SA top 3 Charles Godfrey, John Craigie and George Giffen batted in the first session , and made it to lunch for the loss of only Craigies wicket
After Lunch the pitch had dried and the treachery had been seen off by the top 3
The Poms were most probably astounded by the South Australian batting in the 2nd dig , and indeed Georges contribution

SA 493
Godgrey 119
Craigie 36
Giffen 203

The 493 ends up being a record for a colony v a visiting International team at the time

EG 0/59

The Poms needed 265 to win, it appears they didnt have enough time to make the runs

Giffen, Craigie and Godfrey made their then highest scores in first class innings in this 2nd dig of SA

The perpetrator of the pitch hacking was never apprehended , despite a reward being offered
No one ever found out why he mangled the deck, although Giffen mentions a motive may have been gambling orientated
The Poms might have been bewildered of the events of this match
And that man George Giffen starred again


Another exceptional effort was performed by George Giffen
Playing for Norwood in District Cricket in January 1893
Norwood v Adelaide
Giffen took 10/149 and then carried his bat making 172 not out
Thats a pretty rare and amazing feat

No wonder they named a Grandstand after him

As you can all see, Ive posted much about George Giffen from his 1898 publication With Bat And Ball

Heres a part of with George commenting on the incoming batsman

*While you are waiting for your innings, do not keep your attention too strained on the game
One may see a batsman, already padded , sit in the shade of the dressing room, staring at the match which is being played in the bright sun for an hour or two
The wicket falls
He quickly takes off his coat and walks out to the wicket, and perhaps is bowled straight away
The ball is a simple one, and he wonders what is the matter
Simply this - that for one thing by sitting still for so long he has slightly numbed his joints, and for another thing the glare of the sun into which he has suddenly come has blurred his vision
The batsman who are waiting for their innings should always endeavor to sit in the same light in which they are going to bat, or better still, to stroll casually about while they are waiting. *

Makes sense , and on countless times I did what George says was wrong
I would sit underneath a shady tree or a darker lighted area b4 commencing an innings

Adelaide Oval
10/11/1982
Australia v England

Australia 438
G Chappell 115
Botham 4/112

England 216
Lamb 82
Lawson 4/56

England follow on 304
Gower 114
Lawson 5/66

Australia 2/83
Dyson 37 not out
Willis 1/17

I was there on Day 1 when this happened
The scoreboard at one stage was this in the second session :

Wessels C Taylor b Botham 44
Dyson c Taylor b Botham 44
G Chappell not out 44
Willis 0/44

Viv Richards

The master blaster , a batsman who appeared to think that he could conquer any bowler, and invariably did so
I cant forget this gum chewing superstar, the swagger , and the intimidator he was with his powerful batting displays

There ends up being 2 reasons why he almost didnt become one of the most belligerent batsman Ive ever seen
As a young lad, he had to decide between soccer or cricket
He chose cricket
Also as a teenager his father took his family to America to live because of employment, young Viv decided to stay and live with his grandmother

1968
Leeward Islands Tournament games
Antigua v St Kitts

A 16 year old Richards came in to bat at number 3
This is how Viv recalls the innings
* "' The local derby atmosphere went to my head and I began verbally attacking the St Kitts bowlers
I sauntered out at number 3, feeling very cocky indeed.
It was one of those moments which many cricketers dream about
I was living my own drama
But on the very first ball, they appealed for a catch at short leg
There was no way I had hit the ball, but the umpire gave me out
I was outraged
For a while I just stared at the umpire
then I stamped my foot and, very slowly, I thumped my bat on the turf
then, before walking off, I remained for a few more moments at the crease, in some kind of enraged contemplation
By this time the crowd must have sensed that something was very wrong
After watching my reaction they leapt onto the field and began to demonstrate
Within minutes they were 'holding' placards saying No Viv No Match '' *

The authorities reversed the umpires decison, Viv restarted his innings
After the match, it made the head lines, and shortly after Viv was sensationally stood down from playing cricket for 2 years for his misdemeanor

Vivs performance in this game ends up
Out for a duck, but the decision reversed
Being dismissed for a duck soon after in this first innings
In the second innings being dismissed for a duck
In essence the young Viv made 3 ducks in 1 game !

1947
4th Test
Australia v England
Adelaide Oval

EG 460
Compton 147
Lindwall 4/52

AU 487
Morris 122
Miller 141 not out
Bedser 3/97

EG 8/340 dec
Compton 103 not out
Toshack 4/76

AU 1/215
Morris 124 not out
Yardley 1/69

Match drawn

This Test match stood out for 2 very remarkable feats
Dennis Compton and Arthur Morris both scored a century in both innings for their teams , in one of the rarities of Test Match cricket

The other was in the English second dig
On day 3 England progressed from 0/96 to 8/274
The Poms scored a staggering 178 runs in a days play ...
End of day 4
EG 8/274
Compton 52 not out
Godfrey Evans 0 not out
These 2 put on an unbroken partnership of 85 from 8/255 to 8/340
This enabled Dennis Compton to score tons in each dig
But Mr Godfrey Evans provided the highlight of day 5
Evans made 10 not out off 96 balls in 133 minutes
Evans made his first run in this innings only after batting for 95 minutes !

Come to think of it , had Godfey Evans taken 1 more minute to score his first run , he would have something in common with Herb and Dorrie Evans ....

Great stories, scrappy, enjoying them.

Here's another article from 'backstop', from the 'wicket to wicket' website.

By Back Stop

Despite being a traditionalist when it comes to cricket, I have to say watching it now is a bit more entertaining than it was many years ago when Trevor ‘Barnacle’ Bailey would race to 50 in a brisk 246 balls faced. A six was a relatively rare event, although you had to hit the ball further to score one in those days. More of that later, though.

One of the problems of being a traditionalist is that you have to keep up not only with changing times, but also changing terminology. When I played cricket (‘the good old days’), a batsman who had been “beaten in flight” usually walked back to the pavilion or the change-rooms. Now, that miscalculation usually results in the ball only just clearing the fence instead of finishing 10 rows back. I’ll ignore the current fashion for catches having to be made without the fielder’s breath going anywhere near the boundary rope. Sixes used to have to clear the fence. Now it’s a rope placed anywhere between silly mid-off and short long-on.

Did you pick the traditionalist’s error in the last paragraph? My apologies, I referred to the pavilion, when of course I should have said ‘the shed’.

I’m learning, though. I kept hearing that the bowlers had been “putting the ball in the right areas”. At first, I thought they were talking about the eastern suburbs, but after extensive research, I discovered this meant exactly the same as ‘bowling line and length’. I was relieved.

I’m getting the hang of it, though, but there’s still work to do. We used to take a ‘five for’. At times it was an even better ‘five for not many’. I don’t hear it any more at first class level and for a long time now I’d thought the opposition had recruited several batsmen from Poland, until I was quietly appraised of the real meaning of ‘poles’ in cricket while embarrassing myself in a cricket discussion on the subject.

Anyway, back to the ball getting hit for 6 off mistimed shots. It’s the bats. I used to prefer a short handle bat and when Gray Nicholls brought out the Scoop, we thought modern technology had reached its limit. I didn’t do weights, so the lighter the bat, the better I liked it. It didn’t make much difference to me, the only fielding positions I checked when batting were gully and square leg.

Big hits? I’ve seen a few. We all know about the big hits in first class cricket, but they lose something vital that all suburban cricketers can say when comparing big hits. The difference is this: First-class cricket: “it went on to the top of the XYZ Stand”. Suburban cricket: “I saw Paul Roberts hit the top of those trees at the northern end of Flinders Uni’s ground and nearly clear them. You know the ones”.

Everyone nodded and knew exactly how it was hit and where it went. It’s compulsory after such a statement for each listener to add something, as in “I saw (insert name) hit one that smashed (insert unfortunate player’s name) windscreen in the car park at (insert huge ground’s name). This is usually followed by an awed silence as we all search our memory for one to beat it. We always do remember one, but by now a bit of exaggeration is understood to be necessary.

I admit I’m living in the past and this was made clear a week or two ago when, for the first time for some years I looked into the change-rooms (sorry, ‘the shed’) at my old Club at Collins Reserve. Where there used to be benches around a floor which was vacant except for the ‘match kit’, there were now eleven match kits. I asked if the club was wealthy enough to afford such largesse, only to be informed that each match kit was one player’s gear! It was a far cry from hoping your favourite bat wasn’t being already used by the ‘not out’ batsman or trying to avoid the pad with the broken buckle.

Seeing all that expensive gear, I wished I was still playing, although I have to say the chances of a comeback at some stage are extremely high.

If I can get myself a bit fitter, of course.

Heres a couple of old sayings that might have applied to Trevor Barnacle Bailey

Goosegame
And old saying used when batsman where defending and taming out a game for a draw

Barndoor
A barndoor batter was one who blocked every delivery

Trevor Bailey must have been a valuable Test match all rounder
2290 runs @29.74
379 wickets @ 29.21

Scrappy wrote:Viv Richards

The authorities reversed the umpires decison, Viv restarted his innings
After the match, it made the head lines, and shortly after Viv was sensationally stood down from playing cricket for 2 years for his misdemeanor

Vivs performance in this game ends up
Out for a duck, but the decision reversed
Being dismissed for a duck soon after in this first innings
In the second innings being dismissed for a duck
In essence the young Viv made 3 ducks in 1 game !

2 years!
The way the ICC dish out discipline these days it would be 2 minutes and the player would probably get an apology for his inconvenience.
Ranatunga made a career out of this stuff!

Scrappy wrote:Heres a couple of old sayings that might have applied to Trevor Barnacle Bailey

Goosegame
And old saying used when batsman where defending and taming out a game for a draw

Barndoor
A barndoor batter was one who blocked every delivery

Trevor Bailey must have been a valuable Test match all rounder
2290 runs @29.74
379 wickets @ 29.21

Barnacle Bailey or "The Boyle" was a magnificent commentator. At the Oval test of 1985 an Australian left arm orthodoz bowler of limited ability was bowling to Graham Gooch. Bailey's end of over comment was "Gooch just took 8 off that over, that is too many". I was expecting Bailey to say something along the lines of "Gooch is taking too many risks" but instead Bailey added "If you only take 4 an over off of his bowling and treat the other five balls with the utmost respect they will keep him in the attack, and there is no way that he could ever get you out."

Fantastic stories guys. Keep 'em coming. Enjoying them immensely.

Australia V South Africa
Triangular series
May 1912
Old Trafford

This was a series played in England , England also played against these 2 teams that season

AU 448
Kelleway 114
Bradsley 121
Matthews 49 not out
Pegler 6/105

SA 265
Faulkner 122
Whitty 5/55
Matthews 3/16

SA follow on 95
Taylor 27
Kelleway 5/33
Matthews 3/38

AU win by an innings and 88 runs

Charles Kelleway
Australian opening batsman Charles Kelleway had a game to remember
Its not too often a person makes a ton and takes a five for when bowling in a game

Thomas James Matthews
Also called Jimmy Matthews , born a South Aussie in Mt Gambier
Was a dual sportsman, having played for the mighty St Kilda Football Club
Jimmy made 49 not out
In the SA first dig after toiling for 0/13 off 11 and a bit overs overs , Jimmy took a hat trick getting the last 3 batters out for a hat trick and finishing with 3/16 [12]
Jimmy would have felt over the lunar with the game he was having
In the second dig Jimmy took the new ball and finished with 3/38 [8]
Not a bad effort and a game 49 runs undefeated and 6/54 for the game
The astonishing thing about the 3/38 is that Jimmy took another hat trick
2 Hat Tricks in the one match !
For a bowler it does not get any better than this, surely !

Thomas Ward
Spare a thought for Tom , on debut in this match , the South African wicket keeper
Batted 11 in the South African first dig and came in at 9/265
Tom was out first ball and the third player out in Jimmy Matthews hat trick
Tom might have impressed someone with this innings
Tom got a promotion in the batting in the second dig
The score was 7/70 when Tom came in to bat in the second SA innings
Tom was out first ball again
And yep, Tom was the 3rd player out in the Jimmy Matthews second hat trick as well
Can anyone actually believe this happened !


16/2/1933
Tom Ward passed away on this day
It also happened to be the same day England won the Ashes back when EG defeated AU at the Gabba

Please note
Im not sure anyone has ever acknowledged Tom being last man out in 2 Test Hat tricks in a game
T Ward deserves Award for this effort !

Pakistan v India Test series
1984



First Test
PA 428
IN 156 + 6/371
Match drawn

Second Test
IN 500
PA 6/674
Match Drawn

Third Test
This match was scheduled for 4/11/84

Indian Prime Minister , Indira Gandhi had his this to say on 30/10/1984
" I am alive today, I may not be here tomorrow. I shall continue to serve to my last breath and when I die every drop of my blood will strengthen India and keep a united India alive.""

The next day 31/10/84 Indira Gandhi was assassinated, and indeed prophetically her speech of the day before became fruition , "I may not be here tomorrow."

The 3rd Test match was cancelled , the Indian team returned home
Pakistan never got to bat a second innings in the series

Canterbury v Auckland
February 21/22/24
Christchurch, New Zealand

CA 291
AU 142
CA 288
AU 245

Canterbury won this Plunkett Shield game by 192 runs
And this happened in Aucklands first innings

Auckland were 9/137
Canterbury left hand fast bowler Daniel McBeath was bowling at the number 11 batsman Robert Coates , a batsman who was to end up with a First Class average of 5.00
Mcbeath had bowled unchanged in this innings and had taken the first 9 wickets
Mcbeath has his chance to make First Class history and take all 10 wickets in an innings
Mcbeaths first ball at Coates was driven gently in the air to mid on to fieldsman James McEwin
Its was a sitter and McEwin dropped a simple catch to deny a 10 wicket haul
Coates was dismissed in the next over
His dismissal ends up being
Coates c Patrick b McEwin 5

That prick McEwin drops a dolly and then takes the 10th wicket !
Mcbeath ends up with 9/56 [24]
And all this on Coates debut innings in the Plunkett Shield !

I wonder if the unlucky Mcbeath exploded or erupted on day 2 of this game played on 22/2/1919 at Christchurch ?
Exactly 92 years later on 22/2/2011 Christchurch had a horrific earthquake
And on further investigation McEwin was born on , would you believe 11/9/1898, 103 years before the Twin Towers disappeared ...

Rod Marsh
During an Ashes Test Match
Ian Botham, the beefy English all rounder, was taking guard when Rod greeted him with this comment
"' So hows your wife and my kids "...

Scrappy wrote:Rod Marsh
During an Ashes Test Match
Ian Botham, the beefy English all rounder, was taking guard when Rod greeted him with this comment
"' So hows your wife and my kids "...

Yeah I heard that one in the all time greatest cricket sledges.
Not sure what Beefy's response was, but that too would have been good.

There are many others from the test arena.

Swervin' Mervin' has a few.

Chambo Off To Work We Go wrote:

Scrappy wrote:Rod Marsh
During an Ashes Test Match
Ian Botham, the beefy English all rounder, was taking guard when Rod greeted him with this comment
"' So hows your wife and my kids "...

Yeah I heard that one in the all time greatest cricket sledges.
Not sure what Beefy's response was, but that too would have been good.

There are many others from the test arena.

Swervin' Mervin' has a few.

Beefy's response was "The wife is fine, the kids are retarded"

March 1996
South Australia v Western Australia
Sheffield Shield Final
Adelaide Oval

WA 9/520 Dec
Gilchrist 189 not out [187]
Gillespie 3/96

SA 347
Nobes 103
Julian 5/95[30.2]

WA 8/169 Dec
Moody 72
Gillespie 4/33 [9]

SA needed 342 to win outright or draw to win the SS
SA 9/208
Brayshaw 66
McIntyre 6 not out
George 1 not out
Julian 4/56[29]

Match drawn SA win the 1995/96 Sheffield Shield

I was there for the whole game
They were tense times, South Australia were smashed in the 94/95 SS final by Queensland , and needed to stand up, or suffer the ignominy of successive SS losing finals
WA comprehensively outplayed SA for most of this match
It was the dawning of Adam Gilchrist in that amazing innings of 189 not out in a whirlwind 187 balls [did the WA skipper have to declare ?????? ]
WA were 5/215 when the great keeper came in to bat , SA would have been right on top if Adam was out early enough
SA did a fair job making 347 in the first dig , the star was Paul Nobes , who made 103
Paul also made a ton in the SS final of 94/95 , so we could say he was a man for an occasion
WA went for quick runs in the 2nd dig, and set SA a target of 343
WA dec just after tea on day 4 , and gave themselves every opportunity of taking 10 wickets
SA were 2/53 at stumps day 4
Blewy 22*
Dizzy 4*
At 4/169 on day 5, SA looked safe enough
But Julian [4/56] and Hogg 3/42[36] bowled well enough to have SA on the ropes by the last session

From memory at Tea SA were 8 wickets down
Siddons and May were the 2 not out batsmen
It just seemed a mere formality that WA could get the last 2 wickets on a wearing 5th day deck
May was dismissed for a riveting 0 made in 52 balls , 8/198
Siddons that dashing prolific SS scoring batsman made a slashing 4 off 134 balls in 166 minutes , 9/202
It was left to Peter McIintyre 6 not out off 45 balls and Shane George 1 not out off 30 balls to see it through , after batting the last 20 or so overs
Yep, Timmy and Shane batted out the most dramatic last wicket stand Ive ever seen in the SS comp , SA survived the 129 overs WA bowled at them

Question
Ive heard this from within the inner sanctum of South Australian cricket
With a few overs to go, it has been bandied around that Hogg had one of the last 2 batters [either May or George] caught at short leg off a bat pad inside edge
This has been told to me by more than 1 person
Could it be that WA were robbed of a Sheffield Shield win they probably deserved to win ?
Or was it a fabricated yarn, spun to a few, to put drama into one of the most absorbing cricket games off all time ?

Scrappy wrote:March 1996
South Australia v Western Australia
Sheffield Shield Final
Adelaide Oval

WA 9/520 Dec
Gilchrist 189 not out [187]
Gillespie 3/96

SA 347
Nobes 103
Julian 5/95[30.2]

WA 8/169 Dec
Moody 72
Gillespie 4/33 [9]

SA needed 342 to win outright or draw to win the SS
SA 9/208
Brayshaw 66
McIntyre 6 not out
George 1 not out
Julian 4/56[29]

Match drawn SA win the 1995/96 Sheffield Shield

I was there for the whole game
They were tense times, South Australia were smashed in the 94/95 SS final by Queensland , and needed to stand up, or suffer the ignominy of successive SS losing finals
WA comprehensively outplayed SA for most of this match
It was the dawning of Adam Gilchrist in that amazing innings of 189 not out in a whirlwind 187 balls [did the WA skipper have to declare ?????? ]
WA were 5/215 when the great keeper came in to bat , SA would have been right on top if Adam was out early enough
SA did a fair job making 347 in the first dig , the star was Paul Nobes , who made 103
Paul also made a ton in the SS final of 94/95 , so we could say he was a man for an occasion
WA went for quick runs in the 2nd dig, and set SA a target of 343
WA dec just after tea on day 4 , and gave themselves every opportunity of taking 10 wickets
SA were 2/53 at stumps day 4
Blewy 22*
Dizzy 4*
At 4/169 on day 5, SA looked safe enough
But Julian [4/56] and Hogg 3/42[36] bowled well enough to have SA on the ropes by the last session

From memory at Tea SA were 8 wickets down
Siddons and May were the 2 not out batsmen
It just seemed a mere formality that WA could get the last 2 wickets on a wearing 5th day deck
May was dismissed for a riveting 0 made in 52 balls , 8/198
Siddons that dashing prolific SS scoring batsman made a slashing 4 off 134 balls in 166 minutes , 9/202
It was left to Peter McIintyre 6 not out off 45 balls and Shane George 1 not out off 30 balls to see it through , after batting the last 20 or so overs
Yep, Timmy and Shane batted out the most dramatic last wicket stand Ive ever seen in the SS comp , SA survived the 129 overs WA bowled at them

Question
Ive heard this from within the inner sanctum of South Australian cricket
With a few overs to go, it has been bandied around that Hogg had one of the last 2 batters [either May or George] caught at short leg off a bat pad inside edge
This has been told to me by more than 1 person
Could it be that WA were robbed of a Sheffield Shield win they probably deserved to win ?
Or was it a fabricated yarn, spun to a few, to put drama into one of the most absorbing cricket games off all time ?

45 balls + 30 balls equals 12.5 overs not 20... Thats if they got to the crease in successive balls

Yeah I quoted from memory on that last session
So it would have been Jamie Siddons would have batted some of the last 20 overs or so as well
So it would have been perhaps South Australia 8 wickets down with the last 20 overs to go

Scrappy wrote:Question
Ive heard this from within the inner sanctum of South Australian cricket
With a few overs to go, it has been bandied around that Hogg had one of the last 2 batters [either May or George] caught at short leg off a bat pad inside edge
This has been told to me by more than 1 person
Could it be that WA were robbed of a Sheffield Shield win they probably deserved to win ?
Or was it a fabricated yarn, spun to a few, to put drama into one of the most absorbing cricket games off all time ?

I have heard the same. According to folklore Peter McIntyre was supposed to have admitted whilst on a tour of the subcontinent shortly after the Shield final that he should have been given out caught in close. I have the video of the finish of the game somewhere at home. I have seen the incident a number of times but it was inconclusive on TV. Kerry O'Keefe was commentating at the time and he at first thought that McIntyre was out, caught off the glove but after watching the replay changed his mind especially given that Brendon Julian at first slip never even appealed. So who knows. The umpires were neutral and very experienced, Steve Randell and Darrel Hair so there would have been no bias there. Traditionally the umpires considered the most biassed in Australia if not the world were the Victorians and the Western Australians so it was perhaps just some sort of justice if McIntyre was given not out when he should have been given out.