Barker Cricket - 2018 Tour of Sri Lanka: Day 12 - Game 6 vs Richmond College (Win No. 4)

What a Galle-orious day for the Reds!!!

Okay, not one of my best, but it is Day 12…

A bright yet overcast greeted the coaches as they went for their traditional Ahungalla morning beach swim / run. Another early breakfast, but today was different. There was a definite spring in the step of the touring party – obviously in anticipation of our game in Galle.

First ball in Galle.

A panorama of one of Sri Lank's most famous Test grounds.

There was a chance that some of us might not have made it. However, some quick thinking from Professor Thomlinson at the egg hopper bar averted certain doom from those in a 5m radius. The chef did not notice the gas line sitting very close to the flame until Thommo risked life and limb and moved it with tiger-like speed. It was decided there and then that Day 12 would be the one day we break the brekkie trend.

Everyone was on time for trip to Galle – a tour first – and a 38 minute bus ride was ahead of us. Galle is an amazing city. The fort at Galle was first built by the Portuguese in 1588 and then was further fortified by the Dutch in 1649. The fort covers an area of over 94 acres and withstood the onslaught of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami.

Captain Dan called tails for the fourth time on tour – for 4 wins. Coincidentally, the touring Reds were searching for their record-equaling fourth win on tour, and redemption for the hiding we were given by the Foundation of Goodness XI – which seemed to be a paradoxical concept. The pitch pulled of a great impression of the M1 and Barker chose to bat without hesitation. Openers Dan and Connor were finding the wide expanses of Galle to their liking, regularly taking singles to the infield and occasionally piercing it for the lightning outfield to take it away to the boundary. Predictions of 360 were made, but then retracted during the next couple of overs when Connor provided catching some practice and Dan was adjudged LBW and the score was 37.

The coaches wondering whether Susan Alleyn had an enjoyable weekend at Melbourne. Did she watch any tennis, was it a shopping trip, did she stay at the Langham? So many questions...

The boys first time in a test dressing shed; so they played handball.

Skipper Dan looking good with Connor.

Campbell joined Ryan at the crease and the two looked comfortable from the outset. During the 15 over, 87 run partnership, the right handers drove the ball to all parts of the lush oval; and even received applause from the opposition coach and scorers at one point. Ryan’s 12 boundary inning came to an end on 69, from just 57 balls. The two keepers came in at 5 and 6 and with Campbell made solid contributions. However, the winner of the “Most Fun Tourist” award (or “Most Fined”; I can’t quite remember) became the platform of the innings. Campbell helped take the team's score to 242 and his own to 94 (from an even 100 balls) before he was another LBW victim. Big Al and Ben R (or Brandy to his mates) had a serious case of FOMO ("fear of missing out" to anyone over 28) and decided that this batting caper was easy. Alex hit his 50 off just 30 balls and was out in the final over for 71 from 38 balls, while Ben R was great support with 42 off 39 balls. The damage had been done by the visitors, setting the home team 350 to win.

Campbell preparing to meet the bowling front on, then him reaching 50. He made 94 before one skidded through his defenses for 94.

The opening bowlers needed a stint off the field after their batting heroics, which meant that Oscar and Sam stepped up and they had an almost immediate impact. Sam was dotting them up from the Fort end of the oval, which allowed Oscar to take a quick 2 wickets from the City end. A change of bowler to Tyler brought a wicket with his first ball. 12 Tyler balls later, our hosts were in trouble at 4/34, still needing 316 for victory. What Richmond needed was some stability, so a run out in the next over had their coach a little upset. A small partnership followed, but when Ben R went bang, bang in 2 balls, the game was almost done at 8/59. Unfortunately for him, the hat-trick went unfulfilled.

Coach Toth running some water during some very humid conditions - and getting his steps up for the day.

Lunch in a test dressing room. The only thing better would have been a TV with the Cricket Show plying in the corner.

One of our support crew, Semearra, finding it difficult to give the Richmond innings his full attention.

While the game was never in doubt, some complacency snuck into the Barker camp, though some credit had to go to Richmond as their tail end were playing sensibly and sweating on the bad ball from some of the part time bowlers. It took almost 20 overs to get the last two wickets - one to a peach of a ball from Connor, and the other caught and bowled by Alex off a short run up. Richmond ended up on 131 and Barker won their 4th game by a margin of 218 runs. The best thing about today was that the entire touring squad got the opportunity to play some part of the game within a current Test Cricket arena. A nice post match ceremony followed with a few last pictures by Professor Thomlinson for us to remember Galle by.

The Hoff visualising how to make an impact before entering the playing arena.

Big Unit sending down a thunderbolt from the Pavilion end.

A great finish to a memorable game.

Ravi took the group up to the Fort and allowed the players to walk around, take some pics, view the cricket ground from up high, and have the pants scared off us by random monkeys and cobras jumping out of wicker baskets. A nighttime drive back to the hotel by Damindah allowed us time to have a quick shower (and some boys were instructed to apply deodorant for the first time on tour) and then dinner. Dinner was great as usual, but there was one happy camper amongst the group. For 12 days now, Thommo had been craving Butter Chicken and each night he'd been turned away disappointed. but tonight was the night, and it was glorious by all reports - though it went by another name - Chicken Mankeenie. As some were heading to bed, others went to the local karaoke station to help them get to sleep and make the most of the planned sleep in for tomorrow morning.