On a sunny but windy day at Alexandra Park a current Pacific XI (the 2013 side) took on a side from Pacific's glorious past (the 1983 side) to celebrate the club's 30th anniversary year.

The old-timers, led by John Hill, won the toss and elected to bowl first.

For the current XI, Steve Richards and Toby Chasseaud opened the batting. As is his way, Richards played his shots before being adjudged LBW by some "enthusiastic umpiring". Chasseaud, who had struggled to get off the mark against tight bowling by the famous John Baglivi and young pretender James Gleadow (who, along with Kieran Mullens, was lending some agility to the senior side), took the opportunity to borrow Richards' bat after breaking his own SS (blaming the low bounce of the AP wicket). As wickets fell steadily at the other end (including a moment of brilliance from Mullens in the field to run out Tom Ireland), Chasseaud ignored sledging by Gleadow to graft a fifty, which he then converted into a century at breakneck speed to carry his (well, Richards') bat to 115 not out. Oli Creese hit some lusty blows with his new stick. When he pulled a muscle completing a quick single, Ireland returned to the middle as runner, resulting in some comical moments of ball-watching from him.

After tea, it was the turn of the 1983 side to bat, led by the origin of the species, club founder Peter Hollman. The old-timers, including the likes of Baglivi and Rob Allum, showed spirit but also lost wickets steadily and had to face some (literally) dangerous bowling by Sheldon Greenland. Centurian Chasseaud pitched in with two wickets with his left-arm spin. With men crowded around the bat as the sun descended in the sky, and with just one wicket left to take, victory for the 2013 side looked in sight. But Aroon Korgoankar and Jon Brown held out, thus teaching the young upstarts to respect their elders.

It was a good enjoyable match and many thanks to those who broke their retirement. Happy days revisited!

That was the short version. For the full sensual experience, click here to read Kieran's more colourful match report.