This was not a good toss to lose and Washington were inserted by Lord Gnome on a lively wicket at Alexander Park on Sunday. Openers Cragoe and Demetri batted carefully against lively bowling by Cannon and Hicks, with several balls lifting disconcertingly from a good length. Cragoe, attempting a hook, top-edged Cannon into his face and was forced to retire hurt. Gnome skipper Cannon, switched to a new line of attack and Washington were soon reeling, with the middle order subsiding to 36-5. There was some resistance by the Washington late order, with skipper Walker (17*) adding a crucial 38 for the eighth wicket with top scorer Richard Minion (26). Minion took two nasty knocks in successive balls from Hicks and finished his innings wearing a helmet for the first time as a Washington player. Veteran Norman Ackroyd was the pick of the Gnome attack with 4 -23 and was ably supported by Kemball with 4-18.
Despite losing a wicket in the second over, Gnome's reply was a spirited one against lively bowling by Minion, James Wood and Rob Crossley. Although the ball was softer, there was still unreliable bounce. They reached 53-1 by the 15th over, opener Straker getting the bulk of the runs (42). At this point, Aussie leg spinner Justin Gurney was introduced into the attack, and what had originally looked like a formality suddenly became interesting. He removed opener Dunthorn in his first over and constantly beat the bat. Then Straker went in the 24th over, brilliantly stumped by Alan Moffat. At the end of the 27th over Gnome were 103-3, needing 8 to win. It took them 7 overs to achieve the target, at the loss of 4 further wickets and what had seemed a formality, ended in great excitement. Gurney ended his Washington outdoor season with 5-33, and his support from the field, especially keeper Moffat, was first rate.
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