Rain Stops 3, But The First XI Leave Greenvale Reserve With 6 Points

On a day that saw covers remained fixed in place across nearly the whole state, three of Uni’s 4 Premier teams were washed out and shared the points with Greenvale on Saturday. The First XI, however, waited through rain, hail and thunder to get their chance at the Kangaroos, and the wait proved well worth it. 

First XI

Having posted 2/191 last week, the First XI were in the box seat to make a game of things should the rain hold off at any point on Saturday. For the better part of the morning, it did not. Unperturbed, however, the Students put in a good shift on the ‘Saturday Super Quiz’ aided by resident general knowledge aficionados, Nik Sakellaropoulos and Nick Burke. As the clock moved past eleven, a few MUCCers who couldn’t sit still ventured into the natural expanses of Greenvale Reserve for a game of “Where’s Gregs?” be sure to try your hand at it below!

With lunch called at around midday, Jarrod Martignago, Mark Stafford and Steve Reid all turned their attention to the races at Flemington, Reidy picked a few winners, and at this rate is expected to be mortgage free come Christmas. 

As the clock ticked past 3, and with every other first grade match abandoned, the rain stopped, and the Students went about getting the ground ready for play. MUCCers could be spotted super sopping the covers, sweeping puddles to spread the water, and taking a leaf blower to some of the wetter sections of the ground, before the covers were finally removed at 4 O’clock. With a decision made to commence play at the almost inconceivable time of 5:05, Uni would have 30 overs to bowl out Greenvale and claim the only points in the competition.

It didn’t take long for the first breakthrough, as Stafford and Martignago, whose form on the cricket field is better than on the punt, combined for the first wicket. Reid wasn’t to be denied either, as he also found the edge, to put the Kangaroos in strife at 2/11, after only 8 overs.

 With just over 20 overs left in the day, McKenna threw Fawad the ball, and from this point on, the best leg spinner in the country bamboozled the Kangaroos, and helped seal the perfect day for the Students. Turning the ball both ways at will, and with fielders surrounding the bat, Ahmed spun his way to the unbelievable figures of 6/9 off 3.3 overs. When he took the final wicket courtesy of a McKenna catch at short point, the win was sealed, with 5 overs to spare, as Uni bowled out Greenvale for 50 in 25.3 overs. A fantastic effort, there was no doubt that Ahmed would be this week’s Resilience Project Player of the Week. 

An incredible result, the win was thoroughly deserved for a team that lost up to 10 hours of play across the two weekends. Moreover, in only his third game as captain, Fergus McKenna deserves plaudits for his steadfast resolve in ensuring a game went ahead, even at times when a result may have seemed unlikely. 

The Victory places Uni on top of the ladder, one point clear of second placed Prahran, as they prepare to take on Geelong in a Saturday/ Sunday 2-day fixture next weekend.