The cops' trophy cabinet runneth over

Happiness is completing a cricket match without pulling a ham string or losing an eye. The 'injuries' came later. Photo / Violaine MacDonald

Dion Masters flirted with the idea of being gracious in victory, but decided against it after the police finally wrested the trophy from the Kaitaia Fire Brigade in Sunday's annual cricket match at Ahipara.

Now having custody of "all" the trophies (more accurately both of them), he had politely enquired if the fire brigade might also hand over its trophy cabinet, given that it wasn't using it and the one at the police station was now full to overflowing. The answer, in a word, was no.

The police last won the cricket match in 2017, the fire brigade winning two on the bounce and Covid-19 putting paid to last year's outing. And, according to Dion, it wasn't even close.

"We chased down 145 runs for not a lot of wickets," he said.

Much of the credit for that probably went to the police Player of the Day, first-year constable Frankie Vujcich, who retired unbeaten after scoring 30 runs, having taken six wickets for not many in the Fire Brigade's innings.

He also displayed the desired attitude, replying to the fire brigade's assertion that cricket had been the winner on the day by reminding them that actually the police were.

There were no injuries on the field, Dion added, although a few manifested themselves yesterday. One plain clothes officer, no longer in the first flush of youth and perhaps suffering the effects of post-match over-exuberance, had called in sick. Whatever sailed him it was not believed to be in any way related to a pandemic.

Meanwhile moves were being made to sign up PC Vujcich through to 2050, the good news being that he did not have to remain stationed in Kaitaia to qualify for the team.

"He only has to be a cop," Dion said.

"It doesn't matter where he's stationed, so the fire brigade might have seen the last of the trophy for quite a while."