IPTA vs IP Australia Weekend Report 2017
27/03/17
Roger Green, Watermark
On the weekend of 7-8 March 2017, representatives of IPTA and IP Australia met in N-E Victoria to take part in the annual cricket and golf matches.
On the Saturday, the golf event was held at Corowa Golf Club, just over the border in NSW. Unfortunately, Matt Fellew was the only player from IP Australia who showed up for the golf, which resulted in IPTA claiming the golf trophy. Mark Williams for IPTA had the best stableford score, followed by Roger Green.
The shortage of golfers was possibly due to the alternative choice of some to do some wine tasting at some nearby wineries in the Rutherglen region, which continued into the evening at the Poachers Paradise Hotel which served some excellent full bodied durif and shiraz wines.
The cricket match on the Sunday was held at the Barkley Oval, Rutherglen. IP Australia won the toss and elected to bat. Unfortunately, both teams were under strength in numbers, but not in quality ! Consequently, both captains agreed to play a shortened match of 25 overs per side.
IP Australia made a steady start against the opening attack of Mark “Willo” Williams and Rhys Munzel, before the Attorneys captain, Chris Cao, came on to bowl to take the first wicket thanks to a good catch from Willo in the outfield.
IP Australia then consolidated with a good partnership between Shraya, who scored 46, and Hatinder, who top scored for IP Australia with an excellent 56. Their partnership was broken a fine catch from Willo at mid wicket off the bowling of Roger Green, who bowled two tidy overs taking 1-14.
Just when IP Australia looked like cutting loose, Andrew Butler, who started the match as wicket keeper, took off his pads and came on to bowl. He wreaked havoc in the IP Australia middle order taking four wickets for 24 runs off 5 overs. Chris Cao managed his bowlers well so that everyone had a bowl. Willo held three good catches, and there were some enthusiastic fielding displays from the attorneys, including Dan Bolderston and Nigel Pereira.
In reply, Mark Williams and Andrew Butler put on a solid half century opening partnership, before Butler fell to the wily bowling of Hatinder for 11. Willo was then joined at the crease by Rhys Munzel, who has recently ‘seen the light’ to join the attorney ranks converting from the ‘dark side’ after several years at IP Australia.
Willo continued to score freely and went on to reach his century hitting many boundaries in the process. He was ably assisted by Munzel who, after a sluggish start, also hit several boundaries before hitting the winning runs, finishing on 48 not out. The attorneys won with a couple of overs to spare, and Mark Williams was awarded the A. Ward Award for man of the match for his 128 not out.
After the match, the attorneys and IP Australia players met for dinner at the Victoria hotel to socialize and discuss the events of the day, before adjourning to the bar for more competition at pool and darts. Matt Fellew was the “Killer” player on the dartboard.
