The Gippsland Goannas' 'bye weekend' saw 12 Goannas trek to Western Victoria to play against a combined Hamilton and Mt Gambier Veterans cricket team.

The game was played at the beautiful Byaduk cricket ground, which is about 20km south of Hamilton, on the Port Fairy Road.
The local club did a wonderful job of preparing the wicket and the ground for the 'hastily arranged' match, which had been mainly put together by the Hamilton Veterans secretary, Mark Ross.
With cool weather and a persistent breeze as Chris Hutchins won the toss and asked the Goannas to bowl. Hutchins had returned only hours before from playing a cricket tournament - on ice - in Switzerland.
Hamilton and Mt Gambier's first five bats were all good hitters, and the Goannas were relieved that they were retiring after facing 25 balls. The first 20 overs saw 118 runs scored for just the one wicket, when Murray Moore bowled the opening bat for 20 runs off 20 balls.
The others made 22, 31, 26 and 30 from their respective 25 balls.
Gordon Cowling, Kel Bond, Moore, Peter Anton, Chris de Vent and Fred Debono had all bowled during those first 20 overs.
Rob Taylor entered the attack a few overs after drinks, and took the next two wickets to have the admirable figures of 2/9 from three overs.
The rest of the batting was not quite as aggressive as Andy Slevin, Derek Morris, Phill Higgins and Bob Duljas all bowled two or three overs.
The umpire, Lynden Oakley from Portland, bowled the final over for the Goannas as the local side finished at 4/205 from 40 overs. The final wicket was a run out, when the score was 200.
After a lovely lunch supplied by the Hamilton team Taylor and Debono opened the innings for the Goannas, but Fred top edged the final delivery of the second over and was caught for one. Goannas 1/9.
Taylor decided that aggression was needed and retired for 38 from his 25 balls. de Vent (32), Anton (21) and Ian Gibson (23) all retired, helping the score to 125 after 20 overs.
The Goannas had lost their second wicket in the 20th over as Morris was well caught on the boundary at deep square leg by Robey Joyce.
Higgins (12) and Cowling (32) also retired as the score mounted. Moore retired hurt for 16, Bond and Slevin were dismissed cheaply, Duljas was 12* and de Vent returned to hit the winning run from the 37th over, which was also bowled by umpire Oakley.
After group photographs and a barbeque, put on by the Goannas.
Rob Taylor was awarded player of the match for the Goannas and Mark Ross for Hamilton as the game would not have gone ahead without his efforts, even though he could not be there on the day.
The match came about as Cowling had driven past the ground several times over the last few years, and had dreamed of playing on the picturesque ground.
The Hamilton team had come from many western towns, including Hopetoun, Ararat, Ballarat, Coleraine, with three players from Mt Gambier.
Everyone thanked the local club, Mark Ross, the women of the local team for preparing lunch, the Goannas women for preparing the barbeque, the umpires - especially Lynden Oakley - and Rochelle de Vent for scoring for 80 overs.
As many said on leaving the event, cricket was the winner today.