On a warm late summers day in Australia a well travelled band of former playing members from Widnes Cricket Club gathered together in Beaumaris a coastal town in the Bayside area of Melbourne to lay down a challenge to their colonial cousins to do battle in a game of cricket, the very game that all those years ago brought order to this former outpost of the Empire.
Beaumaris, celebrating their 75th year, since formation, picked up the gauntlet, won the toss and put Widnes into bat.

And so fifteen years on after last pairing up together Shaun Prescott and Tim Bostock took to the crease to open for Widnes. Bostock got straight off the mark with a superb 4, proving that class is permanent, however it was also shown that pace off the mark is cruely fleeting as Bostock’s innings was brought to a premature end  as he was run out in the second over of the day for just 4.

Widnes Old Boys put age and jet lag to one side as they batted on with stand out performances from Andrew Rigg and Murray Withington both hitting 26 and with Aaron Harrison top scoring with 34.
After 23 overs rain, yes rain, brought on an early lunch and thereby ending the Widnes innings.

Beaumaris, adorned in sunblock and with the trademark Aussie swagger took to the crease with Guyan Stroud off to a powerful start scoring at will for the first 4 overs before the breakthrough came as Stroud fell to the deadly pace of Widnes legend Martin McDonnell and to a wonderful catch at first slip from Bostock, reminding all just how much McDonnell had to offer in his prime.
Brad Muir batted excellently throughout and was the stand out Beaumaris batsmen; he fell to an excellent catch from current Widnes/Beaumaris player and missionary Sean Moore off the bowling of Shaun Prescott.
The clinical professionalism of the Widnes bowling attack was too much for the rest of the Beaumaris batsmen who  failed to trouble the Widnes side any further with Shaun Prescott the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 12 off 3 overs, closely followed by Murray Withington with 2 for 15 off 2.

Widnes galloped home comfortable winners in the end winning by an impressive 9 runs.

It was truly a wonderful day enjoyed by all and simply amazing that it was possible that Widnes could field a team at all so far away from home never mind such a strong side, consisting of four ex first team captains alongside some of the best talents the club has ever had.
Special mentions have to go to Richard Hignett for arranging the match and the Beaumaris Cricket Club for hosting an excellent day, also Steve Fletcher for traveling from Widnes to play in the match.
It was a real pleasure to represent the club on the other side of the world with such a great bunch of blokes and we look forward to the rematch with plenty back home itching to join in.

Widnes CC Old Boys

Shaun Prescott bowled Hinde              6
Tim Bostock      run out                        4
Cam Park         caught Anton             14
Andy Rigg         stumped Muir            26
Murray Withington runout                   26
Aaron Harrison  caught Stroud           34
Sam Fletcher    caught Humphrey       5
Steve Fletcher   caught Stroud            0
Richard Hignett  not out                       5
Martin McDonnell  bowled Humphrey   0
Sean Moore         not out                      2
Finlay Massey    did not bat

Total                      146 for 9 off 23 overs

Beaumaris Legends XI
Anthony Hinde     bowled Fletcher          0
Guyan Stroud      ct Bostock McDonnell 31
Brad Muir             ct Moore Prescott       37
John Anton           bowled Withington     14
Anthony Philp       bowled Withington       2
Luke Waters        bowled Bostock           2
Alan Gross          Run Out                       0
Tim Cotter           ct Moore Prescott        8
Lee Capsalis      ct Park Prescott           6
Steve Mellick      ct Fletcher Fletcher     11
Phil O’Donnell     Not Out                        7*
Colin Love           Not Out                       5*

Total                           137 all out 23 overs

Sports Correspondent: Martin McDonnell

@ Banksia Reserve, Beamers, Victoria

Sunday 12^th February at 1pm

Widnes Cricket Club Old Boys, made up of ex pat former players now living in the Melbourne area, will be playing against Beaumaris Cricket Club, the home club of former Widnes captain Richard Hignett, this coming Sunday.

The game will be a 40/40 match with a Widnes side consisting of no less than four former club captains and the remainder all ex first team players and Martin McDonnell.

The game has created a buzz around the cosmopolitan town of Beaumaris as it falls within the 75^th anniversary celebrations of the Beaumaris club.

The Widnes team have had their shirts sponsored the National Australian Bank thanks to Tim Bostock and Widnes CC have donated and sent over club caps.

The Widnes squad will be made up of:

Richard Hignett

Tim Bostock

Andrew Rigg

Shaun Prescott

Aaron Harrison

Martin McDonnell

Cameron Park

Finlay Massey

Murray Withington

Sam Fletcher

Ste Fletcher

Sean Moore

The squad represents some of the best players Widnes have ever had, and Martin McDonnell, and is a team that Widnes could only dream of putting out even today.

The game promises to deliver a fantastic day’s cricket with lots of tales of past glories (real and embellished) being traded at the bar.

Best of luck, from the mother club, to all involved and watch this space for the scorecard and photographs.

Michael Nalesnyik (27) is a talented Australian off-spin bowling all-rounder who's played over 50 1st XI matches in the Victorian Premier Competition for Casey South Melbourne and more recently Melbourne University.

Standing 6.4", Nalesnyik started his grade career as an opening batsman, making his highest 1st XI score of 69 for Casey South Melbourne in 2004. His off-spin bowling is now however, his strong suit albeit is still often used at the top of the order for his first grade side. Nalesnyik is a hard-working cricketer, who's dedicated much time to his game and is now seen as one of Victoria's stand-out off-spinners.

The 2010/11 season proved to be a break-through summer for Nalesnyik taking figures of 4-8 and 3-6 in the season openers for Melbourne University. His performances generated State interest as the Victorian selectors were in attendance to watch the off-spinner at work throughout the remainder of the season. He continued to impress, taking the scalps of national stars Brad Hodge and Andrew McDonald in a spell against Melbourne and 27 wickets at 14.93 at season end. Nalesnyik was not only a key wicket-taker for the Uni side, but added control, going for only 3.05 runs per over - an extraordinary feat for an off-spinner in the star-studded Premier League Competition.

He earned rave reviews throughout the season and his performances earned him his Club's 'Player of the Year' award (Scholar's Cross). He was also polled with the most votes for the University in the Victorian Ryder Medal Count (15). His form has continued into the current 2011/12 season, where in his last match, he took the scalps of Bushrangers Jayde Herrick and Matthew Wade - the latter the new face of the Australian T20 side, with figures of 3-40.

Nalesnyik is clearly a proven performer and comes highly recommended by several well-regarded coaches in Victoria. To compliment his playing ability, he is also an experienced and accredited coach who's eager to make an impact both on and off the field. He is, without doubt, one of the best spin bowling all-rounder options for the 2012 summer.