The PCG Ashes

On the 29th of December 2006, Cashman and Coyley headed over to the PCG to join Pauly for an afternoon triangular; the new year was just around the corner and the mood was upbeat.

Coyley set the early running with a 50 against Cashy in the first game. He then knocked him over for 16 taking the easy win. In the next game Coyley was pitted against Pauly, again he had the measure of his opponent, notching up his first ever PCG ton (103*) and then conceding only a miserly 4 runs before claiming the wicket. With that win he assured his place in the final, it was now just a matter of who would join him.

It turned out to be Pauly, who managed to defend his total of 4 by tempting Cashy into an errant drive with one of his floating offies, Pauly took the catch and set himself to take revenge against Coyley in the final.

In the final after making 18 runs, Pauly got Coyley with one that jagged off the pitch and squeezed through his defences, taking out his middle stump in the process. Well Pauly was pumped and very confident he could turn his batting slump around to nut out a 19 and take the series win. But Coyley was in form with bat and ball and with his second delivery he ricod one in off the off-side wall that went straight through the gate, the death rattle following instantly. Pauly was fuming, not only had Coyley taken him for a 100, but to rub the salt in he’d just bowled him for a 2nd ball duck. With his anger at critical mass he exploded, thrusting the “Killcunda Super Palmer scoop” towards the PCG pitch with all his power. As it connected with the ground an earth shattering “CRAAAAAACK” sounded out that I almost heard over in Guatemala. The aftermath was a 6 inch split down the splice of the bat, and although the Killy lasted another 20days, (Simmo finished it off via a wayward cut shot) Pauly’s act of petulance marked the beginning of the end for our beloved Scoop.

On the 3rd of the February 2007 prior to “The test of new Beginnings”, Pauly cut up the remaining pieces of the Kilcunda Super Palmer scoop and with seven PCG members watching on we burned it in the PCG backyard. Afterwards I carefully collected up the ashes, and placed them into a specially designed container.

There will never be another bat like the original Killy scoop (The Palmer II twin scoop broke after 2 days!), thus all PCG Ashes tournaments will be conducted in a manner that mirrors the esteem in which that bat held with all of us.