Transplant Australia David Hookes Memorial

Australia v GBTCC

Adelaide Oval No 2 - 29th September 2004
1 Day Game - 45 overs per innings

By any standards this was an extraordinary day.   We had to arrive at the ground at the ungodly hour of 8am so that the match (some of it anyway) could be screened live on Australian breakfast TV.   Being very shy and retiring types and always shunning the limelight we couldn't get there fast enough if the truth was told.  

I was hoping we would win the toss and bat first so that I could send the Aussie nation back to sleep with some more Boycott like batting.   We lost the toss and I was consigned to the outfield, not even my mother, who loves me very much, would be able to spot me as she was munching her cornflakes.   Apart from that she was 12,000miles away!

Before any cricket started, the likeable Australian captain, Nick Harris, received a phone call to say that a donor kidney had become available and he could be having a life saving transplant that day.   It was a very emotional moment for everyone who was there that morning and put into perspective why we were all here.   Nick was even considering passing up the chance for a transplant and was deciding whether  to play cricket or not when he received another call to say that the kidney was not in fact a perfect match and that the operation would not take place anyway.

How he coped with that situation only Nick will ever know, and my admiration and respect for him will live long in my memory.    Needless to say the TV cameras had not yet arrived and they missed what would have been an unbelievable story.   After all of this pre match excitement Nick had to pad up and lead out his Australian team to open the batting.

Update:   Nick Harris finally received his kidney transplant on 20th April 2005.   Congratulations Nick from every player and supporter of GBTCC.

Australia innings

Bowling:

Nick Harris continued his amazing day and batted beautifully with Dave Wightman, they threatened to put on a massive total.   Our own maestro Colin Mitchell had other ideas and came on to bowl, he changed the course of the game by claiming 3 wickets in his first over and bagged 5 in total (again).   Alistair and Gareth both bowled well and Dave Parker and I bowled 14 cost effective overs between us.   We would have to bat well to have any chance of winning.

Bowling:

Dave Parker again batted very well scoring at a good pace allowing me to blunt their attack without having to worry too much.   Colin Mitchell moved serenely to 24 and Gareth blasted a quickfire 9 before we had an almighty collapse.   Doug Choat a young man playing his first proper game of cricket put 8 runs against his name and Andy Knox finished with 11 no.   We got stuffed!

We officially lost by 48 runs.

Men of the Match: Nick Harris (Australia) / Colin Mitchell (GBTCC)

Umpires:   Peter Weekes (Australia) / Bill Dow (England)

Scorer:   Rita Artis (South Australia)

Summary:

If the Aussies are reading this I would be obliged with the names of your catchers, likewise ours please Colin / Al.   If you made a catch let me know and I will insert it asap.

If you have any comments to make on my appraisal of the events above, feel free to let the world know what you think by leaving your comments in my 'Guest Book'.

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