Fish river cup returns upstream to Tarana

February 22, 2024

Story by Ian Gentle

In a hard-fought battle at the Bill Webb Oval on Saturday 17 February, the men of the Tarana Cricket Club have returned the cherished Fish River Cup from O'Connell to Tarana.

A day out on the village green

Winning the toss, and electing to field, Tarana's bowlers were able to restrict O'Connell to 68 runs from their 20 overs. In response, Tarana overhauled the target in the 18th over, as light rain fell over the proceedings, with Andrew Joseph driving home the winning runs.

The O'Connell innings proceeded cautiously, with top scorer David Storey anchoring the innings with a well-crafted 24 runs, while for Tarana, Riley Scott took 3 for 10. Tarana responded strongly with Bruce Webb retiring on a quick-fire 25, before the Tarana middle order and tail completed the successful chase.

Earlier in the innings, captain Robert Webb was run out, in a dismissal recorded by the scorers as "a result of a misunderstanding with his younger brother". While other accounts of the event were offered during post-match celebrations, mostly by the protagonists, it was but one more thread to the gathering lore of the popular annual event.

Another four for O'Connell

The Fish River Cup was born in 2018, reinvigorating village cricket in the area. Both clubs have a long history, with newspaper records in national archives recording matches from at least the 1870s, involving the teams and others from the region, including Rockley, Rydal and others.

Current games are generally played in the 20 over format, with batter and bowler rotation encouraged and cricketing ability only one of several selection criteria. The matches are proving an opportunity to gather, play and consider anew the perennial cricket question: was there really a run in it?

With lodgings for the Fish River Cup confirmed for another year, it is a question that may run a while yet.

---