Beggars Turn the Corner?

Beggars Win 100-77 – NZPA
By RICHARD BOOCK


In a season already blighted by penalties for player registration and uniform irregularities, the trials endured over the last two weeks by the Brooklyn Beggars would have broken most teams. In the wake of the "Williams affair" when Josh Williams's alleged alcoholism threatened to divide the team, a crushing defeat to the Fossils, then Andy Cameron's girly wuss out for the season with a "broken" wrist, last Night's match against the unheralded Oblivious Eight loomed as make or break in the Beggars' quest for a playoff spot. The Beggars responded to the challenge with a tight and disciplined effort in the field to defend a mediocre total in winning 100 to 77.

Batting first, the Beggars didn't display their usual opening panache in a partnership yielding only 19 runs and a pair of 23s (the first a hint of a return to form for Captain Kevin List) book ended a fine 35 for Williams and the ever impressive Stephen Metherell. That these two rivals for the moral leadership of the team should combine so effectively was a tribute to the authority of Metherell, who marshaled his younger and less talented partner so effectively in a crucial situation. Beggars fans the world over will be hoping that Williams, rapidly being seen as some kind of weak revision of the careers of Geoff Howarth or even George Best, can take his cue from the older and more handsome man and better deploy his mediocre talents as his looks and physique wane with age.

In the field Kevin List's wily captaincy and Metherell's bellowed exhortations inspired the team to their most impressive bowling performance of the season. An opening partnership of 6 left the Oblivious Eight playing catch-up throughout the innings a situation from which the never quite recovered. Highlights were the mesmerising legspin from Sam Roose, hostile and niggardly overs from Mikey and the excellent Metherell, and a stunning coup de gras of a negative 12 final over delivered by the Captain when 12 runs would have seen the Eight home.

As the finals beckon, the beggars will take heart from the the return to form of their captain the relative sobriety of Williams, but with stiffer challenges to come, and the looming absence of the near unplayable Roose, will require a much a improved batting effort, with a score of 120 a benchmark against the best teams.

Beggars docked a point after internal strife

In a sensational turn, internal strife which erupted in the Brooklyn Beggars camp after last night's victory over Xtreme-Supreme has resulted in them losing a bonus point.

After earlier stories that Josh Williams had been sent home by senior beggars players, it emerged this morning after updated points tables had been published that a bonus point earned by the Brooklyn Beggars in last night's routine victory was awarded to their opponents due to disgraceful scenes after the match.

Umpire Gordon Copeland made the sensational decision after Beggars wicketkeeper, Josh Williams, hijacked the man of the match ceremony, snatching the award before it could be presented making loud and drunken references to "three points" - presumably a reference to his run tally - before senior players asked him to leave. Copeland, in a statement issued while the Wellington Indoor Sports Board was voting on the measure, said that "the tension in the team was obvious during the game, and it was only the incredible strength of character of their captain that held the team together". After the game "Williams seemed to lose all sense of self-respect", Copeland said. "I've never seen anything so disgraceful in all my years on the hallowed astro-turf of the Newtown Indoor Sports Centre". Copeland went on to say that penalising the Beggars a point in such a tight race for a semi-final spot "sent a strong message to other teams about unacceptable behaviour in the game's spiritual home."

Beggars' management could not be reached for comment

Williams Pays Tribute to Cameron

A visibly shocked Josh Williams spoke briefly to journalists following Andy Cameron's press conference and shock retirement announcement at 9am this morning.

Williams, who has had sporting links with Cameron back to 1989 was hearty in his praise for Cameron's long service to both soccer and cricket.

"Andy has been a real workhorse" Williams said. "sure he doesn't necessarily have the charisma of a myself or some of these flashy others, but he's been gritty and nuggetty, and those are seriously good cricketing adjectives"

Williams, who has recently re-entered society following a stint in rehabilitation following a spate of pre-match binge-drinking also paid a personal tribute. "Andy's been my rock. I don't know who I would have been drinking with without him"

ENDS

Metherell Responds to Cameron Retirement

28 May 2007

A visibly distressed Stephen Metherell reacted tearfully to the news of Andy
Cameron's shock announcement of his retirement from indoor cricket. Speaking
from his Thorndon headquarters Metherell, choking on his words, said "I'm the
loudest all-rounder in any form of the game since records have been kept, I
just can't reconcile the many years of work I've put into this aspect of my
game with his statement". Through tears he added "Colin Meads played the Boks
with a broken arm, Buck played on with his left testicle dragging on the
ground and I've bowled my quota of overs after a power-chuck with screaming
hangover drilling my head, but none of us retired". Asked if the Beggars
would dedicate their season to Cameron Metherell broken down completely but
between sobbs added "if I'm playing no-one will hear a word of it".

-AP

Numb' Cameron announces retirement

Brooklyn Beggars all-rounder and BNU Plague goalkeeper Andrew Cameron has announced his retirement from indoor cricket and soccer because of a shattered wrist.

The man considered by many to be the greatest player in Wellington indoor sports history announced his decision at a press conference at the Beggars' home ground at around 4:00pm (AEST) today. He told team-mates of his plans to retire in the hour before the press conference.

The champion playmaker, who played 7 Tests for the Beggars and many seasons of Grade 9 soccer for the Plague, broke his wrist against Island Bay on Saturday.

A visibly shattered Cameron said while the news came as a shock, he considered himself lucky to have achieved so much in the game.

"I'm still in shock, I was in shock when it happened, just totally numb," he said.

"I would have loved to finish with a Wellington indoor sports championship but this could have happened when I was 19 years old.

"I've achieved so much in the game ... but I'm not totally disappointed because I've had some great memories and made some great friendships."

"It is really emotional just because I love playing so much and I'm going to miss it so much."

'Dodged a bullet'
He said he felt like he had 'dodged a bullet' in his career by not experiencing any more serious injuries, and said he knew in his heart this season would be his last.

"I've given it a lot of thought in the last off-season ... I knew the end would be coming soon," he said.

"I knew this year would be my last year, it's just unfortunate it's stopped three months before the end of the season.

"The next big challenge is life after indoor cricket, but its one I’m looking forward to."

Cameron has previously suffered unrelated arm, shoulder and back injuries. He leaves indoor cricket as the Beggars’ all-time loudest all-rounder.

Sam Roose QC

>>> Sam Roose
In counter argument, Stephen Metherell's representative, Sam Roose QC, believes the formal complaint has long since expired on account of being lodged on May 18, 2006, one year ago to this day. Being as this was a Saturday, the complaints tribunal had also adjourned for the weekend and thus probably ignored said complaint.
In a further counter-argument, on the evening in question, Mr Williams was clearly pissed, couldn't bat for toffee, and got lucky behind the stumps with chances made by the bowlers that even a blind drunk (i.e. Mr Williams) couldn't have missed.

PRESS COUNCIL: COMPLAINTS

PRESS COUNCIL: COMPLAINTS
Case Number: 1086 JOSH WILLIAMS AGAINST THE PRESS
Council Meeting July 2007
The Press Council has upheld complaints by Josh Williams against the Press for its Friday 17 May Article entitled "Beggars Cagey on Taking More Disciplinary Steps". The Council has found the newspaper breached its principles in three areas - accuracy, balance, and defamed Mr Williams.
Josh Williams formally complained to the Press Council about the article on May 18, 2006, The Press Council will consider the complaints together.
Mr Williams listed three specific areas of complaint: Accuracy/Comment and fact; corrections; defamation.
The article was published in the Christchurch Press, a daily morning newspaper, on Friday May 17 (Actually 18th). The game in question, and alleged drinking on Mr Williams' part allegedly occurred on the evening of Thursday 17 May.
Leaving this aside, Mr Williams claims that far from being "sent home in disgrace" from the game he left at the same time as the majority of members of the side. He left with his associates to join Kevin List (the team's regular captain) at a local 10 pin bowling alley.
The article also claims, quoting the stand-in captain, that Mr Williams score of 3 with the bat was evidence Mr Williams was not drunk. In fact, Mr Williams's batting average is substantially higher than 3, so this score is actually evidence for inebriation, rather than against it.
Mr Williams is also 31 years old, not 32
The Council accepts that the press should have verified the veracity and accuracy of Mr Metherell's statements, and the factual accuracy of the article. The Press is instructed to publish an apology to Mr Williams in its pages.

Beggars Run Rampant

By JONATHAN MILLMOW

The Brooklyn Beggars are breath of fresh air in the sweaty environs of Newtown Indoor Sports.

Even the untried and untested captaincy of Stephen Metherell was not enough to stop a rampant Brooklyn side from convincing 127-102 victory last night over Xtreme-Supreme.

The Beggars are increasingly becoming a fan favourite - Crowds are growing weekly to watch this rag-tag bunch in their mismatched tee-shirts. They seem be completely nonchalant concerning the collection of bonus points - no uniforms, no registration fees, which begins to put into sharp relief the corruption that has undermined this sport over the last few years.

No, this Brooklyn Team lets the performances speak for themselves and have opponents scratching their heads. Last night, Xtreme-supreme, quite frankly, looked scared, their matching tee-shirts quite possibly matching the colour of their trousers by the end of the match having been handed an old-fashioned hiding by a team whose business is victory. Well might they be.

If there was a downside it was that Stephen Metherell looked mildly shell-shocked having been unexpectedly and controversially handed the captaincy. The mantle of responsibility seemed to hang heavy on his shoulders. We have become used to watching Kevin List's "away with the fairies" approach to captaincy which cleverly gives the opposition the impression he has no idea of what's going on. Similarly, Josh Williams reigns supreme in the outdoor form of the game, with his calculated cigarette-smoking intensity.

Metherell made reasonably good tactical bowling changes and rallied his fielders well. But he struggled with the bat, and blunted his excellent catch by putting another one down that should really have been taken at this level. At the end of the day it's difficult to see how Metherell could lose given the talent he has around him.

One final word on the truly remarkable performance behind the stumps by Josh Williams, who was very unlucky not to get man of the match for a world-record 5 stumpings and two run-ounts from direct hits in a row on the stumps at the far end, while wearing keeping gloves. Given his level of inebriation, this was a truly magnificent performance and just goes to show you have to do something pretty special in this team.

Beggars cagey on taking more disciplinary steps

Brooklyn Beggars management yesterday would not be drawn on the possibility of further disciplinary action being taken after wicketkeeper Josh Williams was sent home in disgrace last night.

Speaking from Wellington today, Beggars stand-in Captain Stephen Metherell said the team now wanted to concentrate on Wednesday's clash with the Fossils. Metherell did not want to comment on whether any action would be taken in the future.
"I'm not going to deal with any of that at this point. We've dealt with Josh's situation and now we're focusing on the game next week."

Earlier, Metherell said Williams ignored four separate warnings from team management and that a number of senior players in the team were among those who decided to discard the wicketkeeper during a post match team meeting.
Williams today refused to elaborate on what led to his being sent home but said it was true he had been out drinking before a game. He said he went out with friends in Wellington yesterday ahead of the game with Xtreme Supreme.
"It wasn't a wild night, it's my birthday soon. I probably over-indulged but it was nothing reckless or stupid," he said.
Witnesses said that Williams "stumbled into the stumps a number of times" and that the stumping decisions were "interesting". Williams made 3 with the bat, evidence say some "that he can't have been that pissed".
Williams said he was extremely disappointed he had been "put in this situation" and took a "bit of responsibility for his actions".
Williams, 32, said he did not think his drinking was a major issue but conceded it was one of the issues and that he had a "few rough edges I need to sort out". - NZPA

Metherell Accepts Captaincy

Stephen Metherell has accepted the Captaincy of Brooklyn Beggars for
their crucial 3rd division match-up against Xtreme-Supreme "I've
consulted with my family and advisors and, despite the huge pressures
of the job on my personal life, I have decided to accept the captaincy
on a temporary basis", Metherell said in a prepared statement. "This
honour has come late in my career and I have never sought the
captaincy but I feel that it is in the best interests of the team that
I put my hand up for the role". Metherell indicated that he would not
seek the job on a permanent basis should it become available and
reaffirmed his support for the regular captain, Kevin List. "Kev's
done a great job", he said "our results and regular full complement of
players speak for themselves". Metherell, a noted critic of all
players and officials of the game, including his team mates, said that
he would not seek to replicate List's captaincy style but would
captain in his own way "I think I bring experience and volume to the
role" he added.