Short Form of the Game

In the days long before Twenty20 cricket had been formulated and turned into the dollar-driven colour-laden machine that it is today, shorter forms of the game of cricket on the South Coast were still prevalent, and during their time in existence they provided as much enjoyment and festivity as the marketable version does today.

In the late 1970's and through to the mid-1980's, Twilight Cricket was played on the South Coast, usually on a late weekday afternoon, with games featuring an array of cricketers from all Grades, all just looking to get some extra competition in their week. Most games were played on a friendly basis, though I do recall being told of a match between Kiama and Lake Illawarra at Jamberoo back in 1985 that ended up becoming a bouncer-fest due to some disagreements in the umpiring. The aim of course was to win the toss, to ensure that whatever fleeting sunlight may have been available in late spring and early autumn was utilised by your team, leaving your opponents the dimness of twilight and dusk to manufacture the runs required for victory. Unfortunately, with the competition being of a semi-serious nature, the collection of scores hidden at the bottom of the inside back page of the Kiama Independent generally only show results without much detail, and I was not old enough at the time to participate myself. It is a shame. One can only imagine the kind of stories that would have come from such a competition. The few conversations I had at Club training 30 years ago with those that played in the Twilight comp have well and truly faded into the mists of time.

Several Clubs used to conduct a Double Wicket competition, at their most popular during the late 1970's and early 1980's as well. Most competitions ran within a single club, under the lines of all competitors being drawn out of a hat to find their partner. The first batting partnership would then face four overs, two from each of their opposing team. Then the teams would swap and complete the match. Fielders would generally consist of any number of other teams competing while they awaited their match - sometimes only 6-8 on the field, other times up to 12 or 14.
My one dalliance with the Double Wicket competition was a pre-season hit out at Kiama to get people prepared for the new season. I was 14 years old and did not really know most of the Grade players, and was just trying to get a run in a Grade team. My name was drawn out to be partnered with a guy I had never met, and whom I soon discovered had probably never played the game of cricket in his life. I was summarily run out off the second ball I faced when he refused to run on my call (or, as I've more often thought, was unaware that running between the wickets is something that is done in cricket). He was then dismissed three balls later, and so our total of zero was passed by the first ball my partner bowled (or rather, lollypopped with an action I have rarely seen the equal of) to the opposing batsman. I then spent the next four hours fielding in early September heat, unable to really show anyone whether I could play the game of cricket. Thus was born my reluctance to ever play this form of the game again.
At times, there appeared a couple of bigger competitions within the District which offered prize money to the winners, and this attracted ready-made pairs equipped to be able to both bat and bowl to a high standard to attempt to take the trophy. However, their popularity waned in a similar way that occurred with twilight cricket.

One event that was always enjoyable in its time was held and run by the Albion Park Cricket Club. In the late 1980's and early 1990's, the Albion Park Six-A-Side Competition was held on a Sunday generally in February each season. All Clubs were encouraged to enter teams in the event, as well as Clubs from outside of the South Coast District. Some even entered more than one. Games started at about 8.00am, both on Keith Grey Oval and on Albion Park Showground, now called Des King Oval. Teams fielded six players, and games were played over five eight-ball overs per side.
Each player except the nominated wicket-keeper had to bowl one over, with run-ups to be kept to a minimum of four metres, which were marked at each end, while the five fielders tried to find the best spot to field where they would be most effective. Two matches would be played in tandem, with the first match having the first team bat, followed by the second match having the first team bat. The first match would then have its concluding innings, followed by the second match's conclusion. This kept the day moving with few interruptions and allowed the players to rest between innings. It was a great concept, and a terrifically fun day to not only participate in, but to watch for players and spectators alike. Once the finals were reached, all games were moved up to the Showground, where all players and spectators would congregate to watch the conclusion of the day.
 I couldn't tell you who won this competition over the years. By the end of the day, you were either too plastered to recall (if you were knocked out in the early rounds) or too buggered from chasing a ball around all day (if you happened to make it through to the final rounds). I know that Kiama had a team in for three consecutive years in the 1990's with a solid playing squad. Brett Gregory, Darren Gregory, Steve Norris, Jason Wills, Scott Danswan, Peter Netherclift, Steve Holz, David Bryant and your humble correspondent were just some of the players who were in the squad during those days. We entered because it was a fun way to enjoy our cricket after the 'serious' nature of our 1st Grade seasons at the time, and we all enjojyed each other's company both on and off the field. We also wanted to win. But the games were spectacular, and there was fun times to be had.
Many of the games were spectacular, and most were fun to be a part of. However, there are two specific events which still stick in my mind of the games we played and watched.

One was of watching future Kiama player Mark Shoudra playing an amazing innings in one game for Gerringong on Des King Oval. Our Kiama team was sharing the field in our match, and after our innings of fielding had been completed against our opponent, we sat back and watched "Shoudy" let rip. In today's modern short-form games you have the ramp shot and the reverse pull and the switch hit all becoming commonplace. To be honest, with only four or five fielders in evidence in this competition you didn't need to resort to that kind of cricket, but you often had to do a lot of running. Mark wasn't fond of that kind of cricket, and instead decided to unleash his best and favourite (and some would say only) shot - the big hoick over mid wicket. In a format where most players were reaching a maximum of 20 or so before bottoming out through either exhaustion or over-swinging, the left handed Gerringong slogger took to the bowling, and single handedly smashed 80-odd in the four and a half overs he was at the crease. It was great to watch, and it was a shame that there wasn't a bigger crowd at the time to see it. But in the days before Sanath Jayasuriya started the pillaging of bowling attacks in ODI cricket around the world, this was some of the best aggressive cricket I'd seen at any level. The bowlers couldn't find their line (and with everyone having to bowl just one over it was a tough ask) and the fielders never seemed to be in the right position. Eventually all four available fieldsmen were placed on the leg side boundary, but Shoudra just kept putting it over them. When he finally holed out, having scored all but half a dozen runs of Gerringong's total, it was to a standing ovation. Unfortunately, despite his heroics, he was unable to get his team over the line.

My favourite memory was of the year Kiama made the semi-finals of the tournament, only to be faced with a juggernaut. Sydney Grade club Campbelltown had, in recent times, been drawing upon some of the best of the South Coast's cricketers, and bringing them to the Sydney competition to show their wares. Amongst them included Shane Lee, Kerry Penfold and Graeme Smith, just to name a few. With the local flavour in the club, they had been encouraged to enter a team in that year's competition, and they were obviously the team to beat. The team they had to beat to make the Final? Kiama.
We had a good team that year, and by making the semi-final we thought we were a sneaky chance to take out the title. Even when we were drawn against the Campbelltown All-Stars, we still thought we might be a chance. Losing was never really an option when you had Gregory's and Norris's and Wills's in the team.
Campbelltown batted first, and set a fairly tough target. Our reply stuttered under the disciplined and well drilled bowling, and victory seemed a long way off.
Steve Norris was our second-to-last batsman, and when he came to the crease Kiama needed a miracle. The talk had been animated before he was required, with plenty of helpful suggestions from batsmen who had already failed to produce the goods. K.C.C non-playing supporter (and if you'd ever seen him play, you would know why he is non-playing) John Cincotta, better known to most in the Club as "Bono", had teased Steve with the promise of a case of beer if he could hit a six. It soon became obvious that Steve was going to be batting when Shane Lee (who had just recently begun his First Class career with New South Wales) was bowling his over. This led to Bono doubling his offer if he could hit Shane Lee for six. Jason Wills' stumps went cartwheeling, and Steve strode to the crease.
It was a marvellous sight. Steve with blue shorts and his white cricket shirt hanging out untidily, his thigh guard wrapped loosely over his upper left leg, gloves being pulled on, his hat slightly cocked to the left. He asked the umpire for centre, and checked his guard. He then looked to the left, and then the right, checking where the sparse fielders had been placed. Then, with Shane standing just a metre behind the umpire at the top of his allowed run up, Steve raised his bat, and in a perfect imitation of the Cleveland Indians' catcher Jake Taylor at the end of the film "Major League", he pointed towards mid-wicket, calling his shot. The crowd loved it, the theatricality of the moment defining the fun atmosphere of the contest.
Shane ran in, and obliged by dropping the ball short and rising up into rib cage. But oh dear me, anyone who has seen Steve Norris bat knows that he is a compulsive puller, and instinct took over. As Shane and the Campbelltown boys eyes followed, Steve swung the ball high and handsome well over mid-wicket into the crowd sitting in the bleachers, and they went wild. It was a perfect moment, one that captured the fun and enjoyment of the competition. And it cost Bono two cases of beer.

No, we didn't pull off a miracle and win the game, but Steve's moment had defined how that form of the game was played, as a fun day where players from all Clubs mixed on the field and socially off the field. It was a shame when the plug was pulled. It is the kind of event that I sometimes think could still work today, on so many levels. And in the days before widespread video cameras and camera phones were available, it is just the memories of moments like Mark Shoudra and Steve Norris that remain.