The Australians initially had only 8 fielders but won the toss and elected to bowl. Despite the many gaps in the field and the heat, scoring proved difficult with LNZ crawling to 20 odd for 1 after 12 overs. Mr Swann, attempting to push the run-rate up had dragged a short but low delivery onto his stumps for 6 in the third over.

Slow progress was made until a bowling change in the 13th over, LNZ doubling their score in the next three overs before the departure of Mr McMullan, caught at point for 16. Messer's Crabb and Reinholds scored more freely taking the score to 82 before losing Mr Reinholds to a very sharp caught and bowled.

Captain Burgess strode confidently to the wicket and indeed scored freely and quickly along with Mr Crabb. Alas both of them returned to the shade of the pavilion within a few balls of one another, the second spell of the Australian captain and opening bowler proving more pacey than the first. Mr Burgess was bowled for 22 and Mr Crabb caught for 45.

The score was 115/5 and 220 was looking a long way off. LNZ lost wickets regularly but kept the scoreboard ticking along. Mr Foley was bowled for 12, Thompson caught for 9, Christian caught for 10 and Hurst caught for 0. A last wicket partnership between Mr Bills-Everett (8*) and Mr McHarg (lbw 14) helped the score along from 156 to 177 all out off of the last ball. Actually a competitive total given how the wicket had played and the depth of bowling in the side.

Tea was consumed enthusiastically (that happens when you expect a 12pm start) and LNZ took to the field with a cautious confidence. The Aussie openers seemed to find the boundary easily and raced to 19 in two overs. At this rate the game would be over before drinks but Scottie Foley clean bowled one of the openers at the beginning of his second over and then found another two yards of pace. He beat the outside edge twice before Matt Reinholds at first slip remarked to Swanny "I think we're in business here", the batsman finally finding the ball with the edge of his bat at the third attempt.

The second opener proved more dangerous, continuing to hit the ball with confidence until he was adjudged lbw by the player umpire to a very fast delivery that he tried to turn off of middle stump and missed. Australia House were now at 40/3 from 7 overs. Tim had bowled four increasingly straight overs unrewarded for 21 runs and Scott 5 overs 3 for 18.

At 50/3 Fletch replaced Tim and Vancer replaced Scott. Swanny had a pretty obvious stumping turned down by "The Colonel" at square leg off of Fletch. Fletch was hopping mad about it and gave the batsman an earful (Yes, Adam Gilchrist would want you to walk mate). A couple of catches went to ground and our total was looking chasable but, at 59/3, they blew up. Wickets fell with the score at 59, 61, two at 66 and two at 70. The first to go was their captain, clean bowled by Vance. Burge took a solid catch off of Fletch at mid-off, Vance clean bowled another one before Fletch, in a remarkable spell, took 3 wickets for no runs, a catch to Terry at gully, a sharp stumping and a clean bowled.

It looked like they would be all out for less than a hundred before drinks, Burge complaining that they had messed up his bowling plan. Vance took 2 wickets for 14 runs off his five overs and Fletch 4 for 14 off of 7. A last wicket partnership between their ring-in South African and "The Colonel" took them from 70 to 101 all out in 26.4 overs. Finn clean bowling the South African for final figures of 3.4 overs 1 for 13 and Rory two overs none for 17. Special mention should be made of Swanny's keeping, only two byes to go with the catch and the stumping (s).

Captain Burgess awarded man of the match to Fletch for his 4 for 14 and thanked Martin and Peter for officiating. Many jugs of beer were drunk toasting a fine (and very satisfying) victory over the Aussies in the picturesque grounds of Alexandra Palace (ex Alexandra Park Racecourse).