With the Old Scotch 1st XI game away against Old Geelong washed out on Saturday and Haydos Heroes 3rd XI having their game rescheduled, it was left up to the Celebrities in 2nd Division to carry the Scotchie flag into combat against battle hardened opponents Old Caulfield at home at Meares Oval.
Batting first after a rain delayed start, the Scotchies were in early trouble with two wickets down, when Glenn "Speedy" Gonsalves purposefully strode to the wicket. In unison with Scotch College 1st XI tyro Sam Dawborn, the two batsman set about the bowling with enthusiasm. Dawborn showing his undoubted class and Speedy Gonsalves peeling off boundary after boundary as their partnership reached 76, when Dawborn departed for a composed 31.
Yet another Scotch College 1st XI product, Tom "Happy Gilmour" Edney, joined Speedy and the attacking batsmanship continued as another valuable partnership of 50 was posted, when Edney also departed after a cameo of 17.
Speedy Gonsalves was eventually run out for a princely 78, a star spangled innings that consisted of 14 glorious boundaries that propelled the Celebrities to a competitive 5 for 143 off a rain shortened 32 overs.
The Old Caulfield batsmen tore into the run chase, smashing boundaries inspite of some good bowling from the Scotchies. The Celebritries total of 143 was not looking anywhere near enough as at the 24th over, the Old Caulfieldians were 6 for 122...8 overs to score only 22 runs to win, with well set batsman Patel on 39 not out.
Captain Fantastic Harry Hackett threw the ball to man of the hour Glenn "Speedy" Gonsalves in hope more than anything else.
Speedy produced a corker first ball to take the wicket of Shah. One for none! Speedy then cleaned bowled Poulter the very next ball. Two for none!
A single was taken by the new batsman, and then with the last ball of his first over, Speedy captured the prized wicket of Patel! Three wickets in an over!
Old Caulfield were now 9 wickets down with still 19 needed for victory! After another over, they now needed 13 to win with six overs in which to get them. Up strode Speedy Gonsalves yet again, and with the last ball of his second over he castled Guyett to give the Celebrities an unlikely 9 run win.
Glenn Gonsalves finished with the figures of 4 for 5 to go with his magnificent 78 with the bat to claim Man of the Match honours in emotion charged scenes.
In truth, the victory was very much a team affair with Dawborn and Edney making valuable contributions with the bat, and the bowling unit exerting pressure under difficult circumstances with Ben Summerfield miserly with the ball taking 2 for 16.
But the day belonged to Gonsalves - an all round performance up there with the best of them.
Next week Tom Murray's 1st XI are at home against Old Haileybury on Sunday the 14th of December. Get around the lads as they lead the way to glory!
In the mean time...