And the Juggernaut Rolls On...

We're currently running 2nd and met today fellow semi final contender Baulkham Hills at our home ground (Daniel St Park) in the 3rd and final one day match of the season. After our obligatory middle order collapse (we were 5/60 at one stage) we finished our full allotment of 42 overs at 9/185. Top scorer and rescuer of the innings was Noyz Brewster with 60.


Highlight of the innings though was Joey's end of innings theatrics when we went to town with several boundaries and one all mighty six that cleared the fence, the 20 metres of grass where we were sitting and then the parks boundary fence to crash fair smack in the middle of our captain Terry's bonnet of his Subaru.


Of course before we had to go out and field, Joe had to pose seductively on the said bonnet with the dodgy bat he uses. This shot was taken very quickly though as Terry was at this time looking for a large object to bash Joe with...


We then fielded and made early in roads into the Baulkham Hills top order to have them 3/10 and from then on we really did cruise (it was hot!) to bowl them out for 112. I did get my first catch of the year too, so I was happy.

This final shot is when it was all over and were considering which pub to go to... of course it was the Coolibah Hotel - proud sponsors of Greystanes Cricket.

Stanwell Park

On a day when there was apparently sharks in the water, we went off in search of them to Stanwell Park, which is north of Wollongong. Its a great beach, and has all the great things for kids - patrolled surf beach, 2 lagoons for swimming in, a park with swings, hang gliders soaring overhead and of course a great shop that sells all sorts of beachy food.

This is Brooke and Kate enjoying the sand... they took turns at burying themselves in, but got too scared to go neck high...

Avert your eyes! Yes thats me in the surf sans shirt carrying Kate.



Dinner for us was a couple of Fisherman's Baskets... we stayed until 7:30 at the beach before heading up the hill to the where the Hang Gliders take off from...

And here we are on Bald Hill... thats a massive drop behind us and I cant believe people actually enjoy jumping off their in a kite...

Stanwell Park: 5 Stars.

Time has flown

Can't believe its Friday morning and I havent posted all week!

We have had a great time this week despite the lousy weather (which its
raining again today!) and managed to get to the beach and the pools
despite the rain periods.

Last night Niki & I were able to go out for a bite to eat and a walk
around Darling Harbour with ice cream as the kids were staying at Niki's
parents... Had a great meal at the Malaya in Lime St. I have eaten
there plenty, but it was Niki's first visit. Highly recommend the Salt
& Pepper Prawns and the Kapitan Chicken.

Off to pick the girls up from their Nanny & Poppy's place and then
ponder what we will do. We were going to go to Jelly Bean Pool today,
but the weather sucks. Could be a movie day.... :(

Greystanes Cricket Recommences With A Bang

The second half of the cricket season began today with a one day match
against Wenty Leagues - our clubs arch enemy!

In the first game against these guys this year, we struggled to beat
these snotty 16-17yr olds who sledged us mercilessly regarding our
significant years on them and our, on average, significant girth on
them. But we won, and had the last laugh.

Today, again we were greeted by the same young guys (first year out of
junior ranks methinks) who basically didnt seem too fired up for the
game and were very much still on holiday mode. This showed on the field
as we ran right threw them to bowl them out for just 45 runs. Mind you,
they batted for 21-22 overs and their run rate was abysmal. Their
application to batting was horrendous and yet according to our 12th man
Enoch who was scoring; they seemed to continue to rate us as the "worst
bowling attack they have faced". Considering we are running 2nd to
date, this is a big call.

Anyways, we got to a tieing score of 45 without loss in only 12 or so
overs before yours truly got himself bowled trying to slog the winning
runs and then my opening partner Will got himself out next ball
LBW trying to do the same.

We sent in Big Nards (he of a significant girth) to slog the
winning runs over midwicket.

It was 4pm on a Saturday afternoon, some 2-3 hours short of scheduled
stumps. What to do in such a situation? We goto the pub of course...
where we probably had more excitement in trying to win the meat tray as
we discussed the need for Sydney's Greater West to have a classy topless
waitress bar with a good bistro... but that story is for another day...

Raining? Lets go swimming...

We went swimming today at the Springwood Acquatic Centre. Big milestone today was Brookie went down the waterslide (the one in the background) twice. She went once willingly, once with some coaxing, but not again until "she is five"... which is in 3 months anyway. The weather was pretty miserable today and to have an indoor swimming centre 15mins away is pretty good for lazy rainy days. 

These South Africans Shit Me

Went to the SCG for Day 3 of the 3rd Cricket Test against South Africa and on my perusing of the internet, I saw this article from the Sydney Morning Herald, which will undoubtedly be in hardcopy tomorrow.



These Sth Africans started the taunting when they arrived in Australia by saying "we expect to be sledged and will be disappointed if it doesnt happen" and then they feel free to shoot their mouths off in the press whenever it suits them. Now what really gets my goat is that today, Andre Nel spent a good part of his day yelling at our batsmen, playing up to the crowd and basically encouraging the crowd to sledge him.



All day he was waving, clapping, bending over deliberately to the crowd (a subtle moon) and really seemingly enjoying it. Now this article appears. Seriously, there are dickheads the world over, and as per The Yobbo's View, Bryce Courtney is responsible for bringing the word "kaffir" to the vocab of Australians.



But to be honest, surely a 6'4" Sth African can take a racial taunt (no matter its bad taste) without running to the umpire and complaining when he had originally encouraged the crowd to give him heaps? It is impossible to police 24,000 people to prevent racism. It doesnt happen in society, why should it happen at sporting events?


Racism is awful and I don't condone it, but when can we stop looking to the omnipotent "authorities" to save us?


Also, bring back full strength beer! To watch Graeme Smith butcher any chance of Sth Africa making a game of it was horrendous and the fact I had to do it sober even worse!

New Years Eve - Pina Colada Remix

Well, NYE was better than I thought. We had an eclectic guest list that meant that everyone there new "of" each other, but no one really new the other people... strange, but it actually turned out quite good.



For example, my parents were there who know my best mate Noyz but other than the occaisional g'day at cricket, don't know each other... then Niki's girlfriends Julie and Teena and their respective husbands Con and Paul who had never met either. None of whom new my parents or Noyz and his wife Rachel but they new "of them".



So what I thought could have been a disaster was actually pretty good. The weather was stinking hot so apart from a few prawns out under the back pergola for the first few hours, we spent the bulk of the evening inside in the A/C.



Add in all the kids (10?) and there was a fair crowd gathered. 9pm fireworks came very quickly and I spent a fair whack of the time on the BBQ cooking (which I enjoy) and was still cooking when the first crackers went off.



The kids wound down after that in front of some DVD's and the adults got pretty drunk.



I drank way too much, including some Pina Colada's that were made up and I ended up passing out in front of Noyz, Rachel and Niki at about 3am.



Everyone stayed until midnight, but Julie & Con made a mad dash after the main fireworks as they had a taxi booked at 5:30am for the airport to go to Perth for holidays... I bet they are rat shit.



The night got fairly blurry after midnight and the second Pina Colada, but a good night was had by all.



Today has been a "quiet day"... hehe. 

Photo: Kate enjoying a NYE Sparkler