Police cricket team wins Gosse Shield

The SA Police cricket team triumphed over an Australian Army side to retain the Gosse Shield at the scenic Parkinson Oval, Kensington Gardens last December. The police side last fought for the shield – a limited overs (50) competition – at Brighton Oval in March 2000, and has retained the coveted prize since 1988.

In magnificent, 27-degree weather, nine of the 12 police players made their Gosse Shield debuts. They were: Russell Stanborough, Rob Beattie, Phil Butchart, Dave Salter, Peter Gladigau, Rob Gregory, Jeff Zweck, Loren Franz and Sam Bailetti.

Police team captain, Martin Clifton, won the toss and decided to bat, before Beattie and Stanborough opened the batting. Beattie was dismissed for five, after he slashed wildly at a short, wide one. That left the police side at one for nine.

Butchart then joined Stanborough at the crease and quickly showed his class, slaying the wayward army attack with a number of glorious shots on both sides of the wicket. He displayed particular aggression on the leg side.

When Stanborough reached 50, Marty Faull engaged him in a mid-pitch chat, which turned his performance completely around. He began to savage the hapless army attack, smashing three sixes and 11 boundaries.

Butchart was finally dismissed for a magnificent 79, which included 16 fours. The police side then stood comfortably placed at two for 176, with Stanborough on 84 not out.

Salter joined Stanborough and the pair made a rapid-fire 69 partnership. But Stanborough was finally dismissed for a magnificent 134, which included three sixes and 17 fours.

Next to the crease was Clifton, with the score at three for 245. With 10 overs to go, a huge score seemed to loom. However, a mini collapse rather than endless runs followed. Two wickets fell for three runs. Salter was dismissed for 14, and Clifton, dismissed for three, failed to hit his straps.

The police team stumbled to five for 248, as Gladigau joined Rob Gregory and put a halt to the collapse. The pair put together a 19-run partnership, until Gladigau was dismissed for seven. The police team now stood six for 267.

Zweck then joined Gregory but was out for a duck. His replacement, Faull, seemed to lack fitness, as he was run out attempting a third run, and was out for three. This left the police side at eight for 281.

Franz then went to the crease but was dismissed without adding to the total. Next to join Gregory was Bailetti, and this pair took the score to a daunting 288 by the end of 50 overs.

Gregory remained 19 not out and looked a solid prospect for the Australian and New Zealand national cricket carnival in Sydney in November this year.

The best army bowlers were opener Johnson, who took five for 28, and Percey, who took two for 55.

Now poised to bat, the army team needed 5.76 runs per over – a challenging task indeed.

Gladigau and Zweck opened the bowling, with openers Croxford and Marshall going about the run chase in a solid manner – 0 for 50 after 18 overs. Some tight bowling from Gladigau, Zweck, and Butchart ensured that no easy runs were on offer. Zweck claimed the first wicket with the score on 50.

Captain Martin Clifton smashes one through covers

Butchart then claimed three quick wickets, leaving the army reeling at four for 65. A solid partnership between Hutchinson and Bennett took the score to 92, before Franz – with medium-pace bowling – dismissed Hutchinson and left the army at five for 92.

This sparked a catastrophic batting collapse, as the army was dismissed in the 36th over for 129.

• Police bowlers: Gladigau zero for six, Zweck one for 33, Butchart three for 33, Faull – whose follow-through is longer than his run-up – zero for 19, Franz two for 14, Gregory zero for zero, and Beattie one for one.
• Man-of-the-match: Stanborough for his 134, and Butchart a close second with 79, and three for 33.