Last Sunday, an eager Lismore hosted Kerry in a Div. 3 league match. After days of glorious sunshine, there was some concern that the game might be affected by rain but this was not to be the case.

Instead what unfolded was the dismantling of a poor Kerry side by an ever improving Lismore team. There were similarities to last week’s performance, some welcome and some not quite so welcome.

Kerry batted first and the story might have been different had even a few of their individual batting performances matched that of their opener Kazinsky who batted stoutly at one end for a steady 39 off 34 overs while those at the other end lost their heads entirely.

Despite Lismore’s attempts to make the game as difficult to win as possible by dropping catches while practicing for the club ‘air banjo’ competition, the majority of the Kerry team, exemplified by R. Rutland’s 3rd ball duck, caught by Rotte W. with closed eyes, decided that mediocrity was the catchword (excuse the pun) of the day.

It must be said though, that the Lismore bowling was excellent. Amazingly, there were no runs scored at all from the pavilion end until the 18th over. Accurate and tight, the different bowlers found something to exploit on the track, especially the hard, burnt, poisoned areas on which it is possible nothing will ever grow again.

Perhaps caught up in the glories of yester-week (!) captain S. Rotte decided to bowl through his allotted overs. This was an odd decision by the captain as his performance started badly and got worse, amounting to little more than a cocktail of long hops, full tosses, half volleys and other assorted pies.

Indeed his performance all round was a bit like the apple pies at tea – all dry crust and not in the least bit fruity. It was a decision likely painfully regretted the next day (as he is ticking on a bit) but one that didn’t, on this occasion, contribute to a loss. However, it is worth remembering the talent we have at our disposal in Lismore.

There was little to cheer the Kerry batsmen. And this included trying to anticipate where W. Rotte was going to spray his deliveries. He used every inch of the ten feet wide wicket, of which there are five in Lismore Cricket Club (for this season at least), three for the Senior team and two for the youth grade players.

The Kerry innings came to life with the penultimate ball, captain R. Kimber smashing Ashraff over mid-wicket for 4. After 40 overs Kerry had accumulated 86 runs.

The 17 maidens and 6 ducks in the Kerry innings illustrated a very impressive performance by the Lismore bowlers and with the exception of the skipper, those who actually got to bowl acquitted themselves admirably.

As with the match last week, Lismore’s openers struggled to get the ball away but stuck to their task manfully. Again the pace was slow, but perhaps this is what is required to focus the batsmen numbered 3 to 6. Perhaps there is the discovery of some semblance of responsibility lacking in the last few seasons. Whatever the reason it is welcome. At 15 runs for 2 off 12 overs the match wasn’t really in danger although with nothing added to the score by either S. Rotte or J. Keating, an eyebrow or two were raised by the spectators.

However, Ashraff joined Finn and proceeded to launch an attack on the Kerry bowling that at one stage the umpire J. Ind considered a threat to low-flying aircraft. Ashraff and Finn took a particular liking to the bowling of R. Rutland, his figures of 44 off 6 overs even worse than the deplorable Rotte. Might I remind the players that the nets were erected for practicing and are neither a handy target for trying to puncture the ozone layer nor will you get a prize for landing the ball on the roof…entertaining though it is to all involved.

Finn fell just short of his half century (46). Bryan joined Ashraff to apply the coup de grace. This was particularly brave of Bryan who many thought had done himself an injury earlier in the game performing a double twist, reverse somersault and half pike, in trying to avoid a bowl which, in the end he had to catch. And so the innings closed with Lismore the very worthy and comfortable winners with 5 wickets and 15 overs to spare.

And so the winning start to the season is extended. Very satisfying to win but, as with last week, very satisfying to see a team complimenting experience with youth which augers well for Lismore Cricket Club.

Many thanks to the scorers, Kerry’s scorer in particular a font of knowledge on the new rules, (just what was that music they were humming?), to Ayrton for his work on the ride on mower and to Loretta for cutting the inner circle. For further information on playing for Lismore, please call Shayne Rotte on 0861223784.