Yeah we lost, apparently that can happen still

Toowong 279 (60.4) def PDCC 259 (85)

M. Boys 4/61(20) & 143, R. Corrigan 3/49(7), S. Kazi 3/91(17.4) & 23, J. Sharma 23

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If this was a fairy tale, and I was the author, then this isn’t the ending that I’d hope for, but alas I must write about the first loss of the season.

It began a week ago, in Nundah on a fine winter’s day. The setting was Boyd Park, a suburban park next to the local state school and council library, a top of the table clash.

Team selection proved to be difficult for this game with a perfect storm arising from phase two exams and phase one holidays still in full swing. This depleted the stocks and meant that two doctors working nights had to be called in.

This proved calamitous at the beginning when Corrigan won the toss and elected to field. With only nine men at his disposal, there were a mere seven fielders to patrol what was a large field.

However, who needs fielders when you can just bowl you opponents? Because that’s just what Boys did with the new ball, picking up a wicket maiden in his first over from the Boyd Road End. Kazi took the ball from the Eton Street End and the two bowled with what some would describe as guile.

Damien Fleming would be proud of the two as they traversed the avenue of apprehension right outside Toowong’s off stump. Boys took two and Kazi took one, as the pair bowled all the way to the first drinks break and had Toowong in a spot of bother at 3-50 after 20 overs.

After drinks, Chaudhary was brought on to replace Kazi and bowled a spell of 12 overs without much luck, narrowly missing the edge several times. Corrigan replaced Boys shortly after and came on for immediate success taking a wicket with his first ball.

He would go on to take another two in a row shortly after with the last causing some controversy as what was thought to have been an edge appeared to glanced the stump with the off bail on the ground. The batsman was promptly dismissed after much discussion in the middle. Corrigan was unable to get the final wicket for the hat-trick and would end with figures of 3-49 from his seven overs.

At this point, Toowong were 6-91 and the Doctors were looking for a knockout punch. However, it wasn’t to be and the lower order wagged to support White who had seen his partners drop one by one.

A sixth wicket partnership of 66 swung the tide towards Toowong and the game was slipping away from the Doctors. Kazi returned to give a spinning option in the absence of Panju and had success in removing Dreter.

Toowong kept pressing through with Dhanrajpaul stepping in where Dreter left and adding another 49 with White, before Boys finally bowled his man for 59. Dhanrajpaul would continue to take on the Doctors and a few lucky breaks and dropped catches let him adding another 73 runs with the last two wickets to get Toowong to 279 from 61 overs, Dhanrajpaul finishing on an unbeaten 86.

With time remaining in the day, Boys and Sharma were sent out to weather the day out and they successfully did so and put 42 on the board.

A week later they would start with the gusto of last week, but Sharma would fall early for 23, nicking one to the keeper. Douglas would soon follow for one after an errant cut to Point and Chaudhary shortly after with a quick fire 18 leaving the Doctors at 3 for 78, Huggins the chief destroyer.

Boys would go on to anchor the innings. Partnering with Boyd consolidate with a 46-run partnership. Followed by another 44 runs with Perera and 39 runs with Summers. In amongst this Boys would pick up his ton and would celebrate with his trademark modesty, a simple bat raise of recognition. The crowd that had gathered for a one-year old's birthday party had at this point all turned around to watch the game, I assume, probably, well at least most of the men had, except that one guy that seemed to be enjoying the fairy floss a bit too much. Anyway, I'm getting side tracked.

Corrigan (fresh off the plane from AMSA convention) was the next man in and promptly the next man out when he was fooled by the quicker one that skidded on and took the top of his stumps. Suddenly, the Doctors were in trouble.

However, Boys continued without being phased and with Kazi would put on a partnership of 50 that brought them right back into the game. It would take a miracle to get him out at this point and that’s exactly what Toowong produced with a stunning one handed catch in gully to send Boys back to the sheds.

It was then left up to Kazi and Pham to finish the job, but they would collapse quickly, with Kazi feathering the ball to the keeper from a half-hearted push at the ball and Pham would be run out trying to take two.

The Doctors would finish an agonising 20 short and so the story should end, though this is merely the first chapter in what is the rivalry of the competition. The youth of the Doctors against the wisdom that comes with the age of Toowong, but will that age catch up with them if they were to meet again in the finals, or will the Doctors inexperience be too much to overcome?

The progress this team has made in the past 12 months can only be marvelled at and really we can only hope for the blockbuster rematch of the two giants of the competition to show them what we really have.