The Jags returned to their old stomping ground of Division 2 and got off to an encouraging start to the new season despite losing the toss and being put in on a challenging deck at Burnside by Marist-Harewood.
Spandan Mukherjee (on debut) and Duane "Sneak" Pettet (back for an 11th year of herding cats) grafted along at just under 2 an over for the 2nd wicket and copped plenty of reminders about the soporific pace along the way. "Spanners" dispatched the occasional long-hop on the way to a well-compiled 24 before falling to the last ball before the mid-innings drinks break at 45/2.
With the sting taken out of the ball, Hugh "I did Nazi that coming" Quirk, Blake "Praying for an injury-free season" Hansen, Jonathan "Keen as Mustard" Hanson and Jono "Catches everything but a cricket ball" Hamilton all provided jaunty little cameos with the bat. Plenty of pinched singles were taken as boundaries on the heavy outfield were at a premium (only 7 in 45 overs), the Jags hustled their way to 138/7 before the enforced declaration.
Elliot "Four Dads" Anderson-Evans (opening the bowling and batting for the 6th time), in tandem with Scott "Potty" Mason then embarked upon a 28-over marathon bowling partnership that put the 1st innings total into perspective. Elliot nagged away like an unimpressed mother-in-law in a 14-over spell that cost just 21, probing the corridor of uncertainty so often that it'll never look the same again.
His efforts set the stage for Potty (into his 36th Saints season, but 1st game of morning grade in 21 years) to wield his magic at the other end. The crafty lefty goaded a succession of ambitious shots out of the Marist batsmen, who were perhaps unaware of the tales of lament whispered around town by his 1265 previous club cricket victims. 21 consecutive overs from the Airport end later and he had bagged himself his 10th career 6-for. During the spell he had a shot for a 9th club hat-trick but will have to wait another day for that inevitability.
Rounding out the innings was a promising spell from newcomer Raash "White line fever" Mukherjee, who might need to work on his appealing technique but asked plenty of questions to keep everyone (on both sides) on their toes. Brother Spandan managed a neat run-out as part of a tidy display with the gloves.
Marist were bowled out for 93 in 41 overs, giving the Jags an invaluable 45-run lead heading into next week. With the average age of the so-called "nursery team" Jaguars line-up on day 1 being 31 - including a 36-year gap between oldest and youngest (likely the most extreme range in Saints 3rd XI history) - this team of absolute athletes is grateful for the 7-day gap between gamedays right about now.
Player of the Day: Scott Mason
Notable milestones:
- Debuts: Raash & Spandan Mukherjee
- Elliot Anderson-Evans: 150th St Albans wicket
- Scott Mason: career-best morning grade bowling figures (previous: 6-71)
