Phillip Island C-grade captain Mick Cleary has lost his past 16 coin tosses as he searches for answers

With odds of 65,536 to one, you won’t believe this tale about tails which is driving one cricket captain crazy.

Phillips Island’s Mick Cleary is open to any ideas which might end his barren run of not winning a coin toss.

The C-grade captain admits it’s frustrating but his teammates and club see the funny side of an extraordinary record.

Cleary has lost the past 16 coin tosses in the Leongatha and District Cricket Association team — stretching back over the past three seasons.

In the 2021-22 season he lost the last toss of the season, the grand final, before losing all 13 calls last season as the team secured the C-grade premiership.

Phillip Island C-grade captain Mick Cleary lift the C-grade premiership last season. The team won the title without winning a coin toss. Picture: Contributed.

This season he’s lost two including one where the coin had already been tossed before he arrived at the ground to take on Leongatha last week.

“We were running a little bit late for this last one and we did it over the phone,” Cleary recalled.

“There was a couple of our players there so they weren’t cheating.

“We made the call and I said heads and sure enough it was tails.

“I could hear boisterous laughter just tearing over the phone saying it looks like we’re fielding again.”

The odds of losing 16 coin tosses in a row are 65,536 to 1.

“At our home games I flip the coin so I don’t get to call,” he said.

“But away I’ve mixed it up, I’ve tried everything. I generally go for heads but I’ve tried to change it up.

“It’s just been one of those incredible runs and one of those weird things.”

But while the team has been successful the run has made it tough for Cleary to give players the opportunity to shine, or rest niggles by making one decision or the other.

“It’s very frustrating because I had a tight hamstring and I wanted to bat this week but sure enough I lost the toss and I had to bowl,” he said.

“There’s times where my team needs to have a hit, thankfully a couple of times teams sent us in but it’s been really annoying.

“I just can’t seem to turn it around.”

Phillip Island C-grade premiership winning team from last season. Picture: Contributed.

Cleary’s next chance to end the run will be on November 25 but he admits time is running out.

If it gets to 20 losses in a row, he’s making a call to give the duty to someone else.

“Hopefully I don’t get that far,” he said.

“But I’m sure as s*** as soon as someone else does the toss they will win.”

Phillip Island president Andrew Finlayson doesn’t want the run to end

“I hope he doesn’t, I hope it goes on and on for ages,” he said.

“The longer it goes, the more we can give it to him about it.

“There’s friendly banter not only from our guys but others. He’s playing the same teams and same captains along the journey.

“I think everyone sees the funny side and unbelievable side to it.”

Finlayson said the club was preparing something for the day the runs ends.

“We might have to come up with some sort of trophy, something we can put up on the shelf as a nostalgic reminder to how many he ends up losing in a row,” he said.

“I doubt it will ever be beaten.”

But one thing is certain, Mick is a valued member of the club.

“He’s a long time player of the club and he’s captained across different grades,” Finlayson said.

“Mick has also run our Woolworths Master Blaster for the last few years and has coached that as well.

“He’s a ripper fella around the club, the sort of guy every club needs.”