Muppets claim backyard cricket spoils
It was a case of third time lucky for the Muppets who took out their first backyard cricket comp title on Boxing Day at The Playhouse Cafe, near Mapua.
Team member Brett Jones said the annual Great Backyard Cricket Comp was a lot of fun.
‘‘It’s the humour, it’s the family,’’ he said.
Jones’ son, Jack, 10, was also a member of the Muppets along with Glenn Samson and his two sons Ryan, 12, and Callum, 11. All five team members were from Christchurch.
The Muppets beat the Hawaiian Helmets to take the honours, scoring 48 themselves before bowling out the Helmets in the final over.
Showers in the morning were thought to have led to a lower-than-usual turnout of just four teams for the 2017 event but Playhouse co-owner and event umpire Nic Roland said it was perfect cricket weather by the time the first ball was bowled in the early afternoon.
As well as the Muppets, the Beaumont Bashers also returned, having been part of each event since the comp started seven years ago, Roland said.
Members of the team came from across New Zealand to gather at the nearby family home for Christmas. That gathering included the Boxing Day competition but in that time, they had tasted victory just once.
‘‘Last year, they had their first win,’’ Roland said.
The teams of five faced a round-robin competition before semi-finals and a final. They played on a purpose-built pitch.
‘‘When I first saw the [area], I thought that would make a great backyard cricket pitch,’’ Roland said, explaining the inspiration behind the event.