The last resort
HPCC v. Bunbury Mayor’s XI: 525 runs, two retired hurts, and several hurt feelings: Cricket was the official sport at sunny Bunbury Recreation Ground on 21 December, but chaos ran a very close second. The Pilgrims, at the last seaside resort of their Australia tour, won the toss and chose to bat, a decision that looked brave, sensible, and slightly unhinged once the run rate took off like it had places to be.
HPCC Innings – 262 for 8 (40 overs): HPCC’s innings began with Mithun – facing bouncers galore – producing an unlikely minimalist masterpiece: 0 off 5 balls. It was brief, pure, and immediately over. Stability arrived via Jasveer, who played the long game with a patient 59 off 72 (7×4,1×6) and enough time at the crease to start charging rent. At the other end, Cam chipped in with a steady 27, proving that not everyone needed to swing from ball one.
Then things got interesting. Abhik walked in and decided the match needed excitement, blasting 62 off just 39 balls (6×4, 3×6). He retired — not hurt from exhaustion, but presumably because he’d already done enough damage for one afternoon. Captain Su followed the same script, racing to 31 off 28, striking at over 110 before also retiring, suggesting HPCC’s middle order briefly turned into a rehab ward.
Lower down, the innings lost momentum. Chris and David didn’t hang around, Dan added a useful 11, and the tail did what tails do best: survive just long enough for the score to look respectable. What caused Johann to run out his father remains unclear – maybe he preferred batting the last balls with Dev. Extras played a starring role with 46 free runs, including 35 wides — Bunbury showing some generosity.
For Bunbury, Jason Miguel, recently re-elected mayor of the city and captain of his Mayor’s XI, stole the bowling honours with a miserly 1 for 4, while Ben was tidy earlier on. Others tried things, experimented, and occasionally found the pitch. 262 was on the board. It felt like a lot. It wasn’t.
Bunbury Mayors XI Chase – 263 for 6 (30.4 overs): Bunbury’s reply began with Ben choosing violence. His 72 off 37 balls included 7×6 and a strike rate just shy of 200. Bowlers tried pace, spin, hope, and pleading looks — none worked. Brad Miguel fell early, but Ben had already decided the chase would be short and entertaining.
HPCC finally struck when Surya removed both openers, finishing with 2 for 40, briefly dragging momentum back toward HPCC and reminding everyone that miracles do occasionally happen.
Then the Miguel family reunion began. Dec anchored nicely with 37, while Jason Miguel smashed 48 off 28 before retiring — again, not out of necessity, but apparently out of courtesy. Riley Miguel was even more ruthless, hammering 46 off just 23 balls, striking at 200 and turning the outfield into a suggestion rather than a boundary.
HPCC’s bowlers kept trying. Dan was excellent with 1 for 10, Dev chipped in with a wicket, and Abhik picked one up while wondering how his earlier runs still weren’t enough. But the chase never truly felt in danger. Bunbury cruised home in the 31st over, four wickets in hand, with time left to argue about who should buy the first round.
The match’s most tragic moment, however, came away from the numbers. While fielding in the outfield, Johann stopped a ball struck at frightening speed, preventing a certain boundary — but dislocated his shoulder in the process. Play stopped immediately. In a moment that reflected Australian cricket culture at its best, Natalie, along with the Pilgrims’ President ensured he was taken straight to hospital, care overriding competition without hesitation. Nobody knows what could have happened, had Johann got a chance to bowl …
When play resumed, the Pilgrims were understandably subdued. Fittingly, it was the youngest player on the field who ended the contest — a clean, classical on-drive that sealed Bunbury’s victory at 263 for 6, four wickets in hand.
Final Word: HPCC batted well, retired enthusiastically, and posted a total that would beat many teams on many days. Unfortunately, this was not one of those days. Bunbury were calmer, cleaner, and powered by a top order that treated the run chase like a highlights reel audition. Player of the Match was Abhik — because scoring fast, bowling, and still losing somehow makes you unforgettable.
Cricket was played. Lessons were learned. And everyone agreed it was much closer than the scorecard suggests — usually while holding a drink provided free of charge by the Pilgrims’ sponsors, the Bavarian ERDINGER brewery.
Bunbury lifted the Cup, deservedly, not least because they had relied on two professionals – as a last resort. The Pilgrims departed with bruises, stories, and a tour that will be remembered not for the result, but for the way it was played. What an end to the Heligoland Pilgrims’ tour of Australia.
Heligoland Pilgrims: Su (c), Abhik, Ankit, Chris, Cam, Dan, David (wk 2), Dev, Jasveer, Johann, Mithun (wk 1), Moritz (vc)
Bunbury Colts Mayor’s XI: Jason (c), Ben, Brad, Dec, Fletcher, Handy, Jasper, Paul, Riley M., Riley R., Tony, Will
Scorers: Paul, Moritz, Cam
Umpire: Stewart
Support: Dev, Rike, Alan and Anne
Report: Finky Finkenwerder