Thursday, February 16, 2006

Monash's COPS Beat LaTrobe

La Trobe University's Department of Economics and Finance, Cricket Team were demolished by Monash University's COPS (Centre of Policy Studies) team in our Annual Cricket Match. The winning score was 182 to LTU's 133. La Trobe's performance was adversely affected by the inexplicable decision of Team Captain, David Walker, to bat second. It was a steaming hot Melbourne Day and the La Trobe team were sapped by the time they got to bat.

Best score for La Trobe was by Liam Lenten who scored the maximum allowable 25 while Darren Henry and Scott Charleton made useful contributions. The bowling by La Trobe was not great. Monash's batting and bowling were strong with the bowling supported by an ultra-defensive field setting - 7 people on the boundary, 1 at mid-off and mid-on. Not the ingredients for an exciting game but it did help secure the outcome. For a numerically-oriented, applied general equilibrium theorist the COPs' Team Captain, Peter Dixon has a strategic mind.

After the game most retired to the nearby Grandview Hotel in Fairfield where COP's Peter Dixon gloated amiably and tried to soften the impact of the defeat by buying us beer and chips. Wasn't quite as good as the entrees and cheese platters we had provided the year before but still appreciated. Discussions centred on the sexual preferences of Vice Chancellors and other academically-important issues.

Monash normally beats us (we have only won once in 9 annual contests) but this was a relatively degrading defeat.

Postscript: A movie of part of the match can be seen at the COPs website here.

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