FaaipDeOiad
Hall of Fame Member
In a shocking rut at the moment. Hopefully that hat-trick will be the start of better things.
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The Blue Thread
- Thread starter Paid The Umpire
- Start date
Ash_A55
U19 Captain
A hat-trick shows quality! form is temporary class is permanent.
Travis_Teh
International Regular
dinu23
International Debutant
buuurrrnn!Fuller has no class.
Mr Mxyzptlk
Request Your Custom Title Now!
Stunning Smith Demolishes Blues
Cricket Web Blue Preseason Cricket
The Cricket Web Blue bowlers will not soon forget the name of Dwayne Romel Smith. The dashing allrounder played one of the finest innings one can ever hope to see, leaving the tourists stunned and defeated.
Having struggled to impose himself in his previous two games for the Super Cup XI, Smith was held back by Jimmy Adams on this occasion until the fall of the 5th wicket. But batting as low as seven fared little impact on the mindset of Smith. He remained as positive as always, even as he entered at 133-5. When Robert Cribb flighted, Smith smashed a low full toss to the midwicket fence - a first ball boundary. But Pittiman and Rawl Lewis would not serve him with company. Instead they fell to Gooljar and Cribb respectively, as the spinners took 5 of the 7 wickets to fall in the innings.
The teenaged talents of Roland Ezraa came to be tested. And for all the impressiveness of his contribution - 34 not out from 50 balls - it could easily be forgiven to overlook his innings. Indeed, Ezraa could not emerge from the immense shadow of Smith, even if he so desired. However, it seemed he would rather stand back and enjoy the show, and who can blame him. Smith saw the need for urgency at 185-7 at the end of the 39th over. His response was to flick Smith fine for four, then steal two more boundaries with brute force over Collins' head. Demeza pitched up and Smith swung through the line of the ball - a glorious straight six.
Collins changed to bowl from around the wicket and saw the ball sailing deep into the stands at midwicket. There seemed nothing that the Blues could do to stem the flow of runs. Smith had reached his 50 from 38 balls, and as he smacked his 66th delivery to the backward point fence - the final ball of the innings - he would raise his bat in celebration of a tremendous century. Of a total of 279-7, Dwayne Smith remained unbeaten on 101 from 66 balls.
And utterly stunned by the events, the Blues collapsed dramatically in the chase. Mamesh and Cribb were dealt with by exceptional Ezraa deliveries, but Cribb was unlucky to meet a stunning catch by Smith at backward point. Believably and expectedly, Smith got into the act with the ball. A slower ball dismissed Imran Jan, then a short ball accounted for Gibran Mohammed. At the fall of the 8th wicket, the Blues only had 134 runs on the board. It appeared the result would be nothing short of embarrassing.
But not as far as Matt Smith and Gareth Gooljar were concerned. Neither is an accomplished batsman of much to speak, but both played superbly in parnership to pull some pride back for their team. Matt Smith in particular eased into his strokes as a top order batsman of some quality. A cover drive off his namesake was particularly a highlight of the day. As Gooljar perished for 46, Demeza took his cue to get some batting in as well. First Smith charged at Amit Jaggernauth and picked up his lone six over long-on, then Demeza challenged Adams' left-arm spin to the effect of a rare six of his own. Still not content, Demeza executed a powerful reverse sweep for another boundary. And then arrogance felled him. Attempting another sizable blow, Demeza was caught at mid-off, a steepling effort held by Khan. Matt Smith was not out on 48, high and dry in a mediocre effort, considering his 10-0-34-0 earlier.
Super Cup XI 279-7 (50 overs)
DR Smith 101*, JC Adams 43, RP Ezraa 34*
GS Gooljar 3-51, RGEWS Cribb 2-38
Cricket Web Blue 217 ao (45.2 overs)
MS Smith 48*, GS Gooljar 46, R Williams 29
RP Ezraa 3-37, AN Pittiman 2-24, DR Smith 2-53
Super Cup XI won by 62 runs.
Man of the Match: DR Smith
Cricket Web Blue Preseason Cricket
The Cricket Web Blue bowlers will not soon forget the name of Dwayne Romel Smith. The dashing allrounder played one of the finest innings one can ever hope to see, leaving the tourists stunned and defeated.
Having struggled to impose himself in his previous two games for the Super Cup XI, Smith was held back by Jimmy Adams on this occasion until the fall of the 5th wicket. But batting as low as seven fared little impact on the mindset of Smith. He remained as positive as always, even as he entered at 133-5. When Robert Cribb flighted, Smith smashed a low full toss to the midwicket fence - a first ball boundary. But Pittiman and Rawl Lewis would not serve him with company. Instead they fell to Gooljar and Cribb respectively, as the spinners took 5 of the 7 wickets to fall in the innings.
The teenaged talents of Roland Ezraa came to be tested. And for all the impressiveness of his contribution - 34 not out from 50 balls - it could easily be forgiven to overlook his innings. Indeed, Ezraa could not emerge from the immense shadow of Smith, even if he so desired. However, it seemed he would rather stand back and enjoy the show, and who can blame him. Smith saw the need for urgency at 185-7 at the end of the 39th over. His response was to flick Smith fine for four, then steal two more boundaries with brute force over Collins' head. Demeza pitched up and Smith swung through the line of the ball - a glorious straight six.
Collins changed to bowl from around the wicket and saw the ball sailing deep into the stands at midwicket. There seemed nothing that the Blues could do to stem the flow of runs. Smith had reached his 50 from 38 balls, and as he smacked his 66th delivery to the backward point fence - the final ball of the innings - he would raise his bat in celebration of a tremendous century. Of a total of 279-7, Dwayne Smith remained unbeaten on 101 from 66 balls.
And utterly stunned by the events, the Blues collapsed dramatically in the chase. Mamesh and Cribb were dealt with by exceptional Ezraa deliveries, but Cribb was unlucky to meet a stunning catch by Smith at backward point. Believably and expectedly, Smith got into the act with the ball. A slower ball dismissed Imran Jan, then a short ball accounted for Gibran Mohammed. At the fall of the 8th wicket, the Blues only had 134 runs on the board. It appeared the result would be nothing short of embarrassing.
But not as far as Matt Smith and Gareth Gooljar were concerned. Neither is an accomplished batsman of much to speak, but both played superbly in parnership to pull some pride back for their team. Matt Smith in particular eased into his strokes as a top order batsman of some quality. A cover drive off his namesake was particularly a highlight of the day. As Gooljar perished for 46, Demeza took his cue to get some batting in as well. First Smith charged at Amit Jaggernauth and picked up his lone six over long-on, then Demeza challenged Adams' left-arm spin to the effect of a rare six of his own. Still not content, Demeza executed a powerful reverse sweep for another boundary. And then arrogance felled him. Attempting another sizable blow, Demeza was caught at mid-off, a steepling effort held by Khan. Matt Smith was not out on 48, high and dry in a mediocre effort, considering his 10-0-34-0 earlier.
Super Cup XI 279-7 (50 overs)
DR Smith 101*, JC Adams 43, RP Ezraa 34*
GS Gooljar 3-51, RGEWS Cribb 2-38
Cricket Web Blue 217 ao (45.2 overs)
MS Smith 48*, GS Gooljar 46, R Williams 29
RP Ezraa 3-37, AN Pittiman 2-24, DR Smith 2-53
Super Cup XI won by 62 runs.
Man of the Match: DR Smith
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Haha, my performances last season in grade cricket, and again in the warmup matches this season, have been Mohammad Hafeez esque. That is - I get picked as an opening batsman, score no runs, but then dominate with the ball.
Some good signs from that match anyway, even if we lost. Bit of a worry that Dwayne Smith managed to score runs against our bowlers though! Lower order is looking quite useful - special mentions to Smith (our very own - not Dwayne!
) and Gooljar for good performances with bat and ball.
Some good signs from that match anyway, even if we lost. Bit of a worry that Dwayne Smith managed to score runs against our bowlers though! Lower order is looking quite useful - special mentions to Smith (our very own - not Dwayne!
) and Gooljar for good performances with bat and ball.
Mr Mxyzptlk
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Sean Fuller will lead Cricket Web Blue in their second game against a Trinidad and Tobago XI. Fuller will be joined by Dinu DeSilva and Ben Wilshere among those who played the first game.
Cricket Web Blue
T Mamesh (wk)
RGEWS Cribb
MW DeSilva
SE Fuller
J Ullungura
BL Wilshere
R Williams
GS Gooljar
MJ Smith
AAA Collins
TJ Demeza
Trinidad and Tobago XI
LMP Simmons
A Barath
D Ganga (c)
BC Lara
KA Pollard
DJJ Bravo
D Ramdin (wk)
D Mohammed
R Rampaul
RR Emrit
M Dillon
Cricket Web Blue
T Mamesh (wk)
RGEWS Cribb
MW DeSilva
SE Fuller
J Ullungura
BL Wilshere
R Williams
GS Gooljar
MJ Smith
AAA Collins
TJ Demeza
Trinidad and Tobago XI
LMP Simmons
A Barath
D Ganga (c)
BC Lara
KA Pollard
DJJ Bravo
D Ramdin (wk)
D Mohammed
R Rampaul
RR Emrit
M Dillon
Mr Mxyzptlk
Request Your Custom Title Now!
Liam Camps jr. will, as expected, lead the Blue second XI against the Super Cup XI.
Cricket Web Blue
PE Young
LA Camps (c)
BJ Goff
AJ Crampton (wk)
MJ Currie
IH Jan
G Mohammed
JP May-Quinlan
CD McKern
RD Dunn
Super Cup XI
KH Hibbert (wk)
PA Wallace
JC Adams (c)
KA Edwards
AN Pittiman
DR Smith
S Khan
RP Ezraa
RN Lewis
TJ Modeste
A Jaggernauth
Cricket Web Blue
PE Young
LA Camps (c)
BJ Goff
AJ Crampton (wk)
MJ Currie
IH Jan
G Mohammed
JP May-Quinlan
CD McKern
RD Dunn
Super Cup XI
KH Hibbert (wk)
PA Wallace
JC Adams (c)
KA Edwards
AN Pittiman
DR Smith
S Khan
RP Ezraa
RN Lewis
TJ Modeste
A Jaggernauth
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Simmons to score a ton.
(Hey, if Dwayne Smith can......)
(Hey, if Dwayne Smith can......)
Mr Mxyzptlk
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Lara and Ganga cruise past CW Blue
Cricket Web Blue Preseason Cricket
With perhaps the least impressive bowling performance of their preseason preparation to date, Cricket Web Blue slumped to defeat by 4 wickets against a powerful Trinidad and Tobago XI. A score of 242-7 was never going to be enough against a team including Brian Lara, Daren Ganga and Dwayne Bravo, among 9 West Indies players. But the ease with which the local boys got to the target would be a cause of concern for Blue captain Sean Fuller.
Daren Ganga played flawlessly for his 81 (105 balls; 7 fours and a six) but it was Brian Lara who stole the praise. His 65 was a perfectly calculated innings, laced with 7 fours and an effortless six. Though he never demolished any one bowler, none could contain him, and he looked at particular ease against the spinners. Rhys Williams dropped two tantalisingly simple chances - one off Lara on 61, then another off Ramdin on 5 - but neither counted for much in the result of the game.
Williams shone with the bat though, and he and Ben Wilshere (39 from 33) were paramount on the Blues achieving a challenging total. The two put on 47 for the 6th wicket, and Williams contributed a total of 32 from 29 balls. Thamba Mamesh - bowled off a Dillon noball on 13 - scored an impressive 65 at the top of the order, and Robert Cribb looked solid for 39, but CW Blue lost 5 wickets for 100 runs and the middle order faded again. Crucially though, Sean Fuller showed signs of form, batting carefully for his 32 from 51 balls. He later came back from a loose first spell to use reverse swing firmly to his favour and claim two wickets in giving CW Blue the slimmest of chances in the one-sided affair.
Cricket Web Blue 242-7 (50 overs)
T Mamesh 64, RGEWS Cribb/BL Wilshere 39, R Williams 32
D Mohammed 3-48, M Dillon 2-47
Trinidad and Tobago XI 243-6 (46.2 overs)
D Ganga 86, BC Lara 65, A Barath 33
SE Fuller 2-35, MS Smith 2-46
Trinidad and Tobago XI won by 4 wickets.
Man of the Match: D Ganga
Cricket Web Blue Preseason Cricket
With perhaps the least impressive bowling performance of their preseason preparation to date, Cricket Web Blue slumped to defeat by 4 wickets against a powerful Trinidad and Tobago XI. A score of 242-7 was never going to be enough against a team including Brian Lara, Daren Ganga and Dwayne Bravo, among 9 West Indies players. But the ease with which the local boys got to the target would be a cause of concern for Blue captain Sean Fuller.
Daren Ganga played flawlessly for his 81 (105 balls; 7 fours and a six) but it was Brian Lara who stole the praise. His 65 was a perfectly calculated innings, laced with 7 fours and an effortless six. Though he never demolished any one bowler, none could contain him, and he looked at particular ease against the spinners. Rhys Williams dropped two tantalisingly simple chances - one off Lara on 61, then another off Ramdin on 5 - but neither counted for much in the result of the game.
Williams shone with the bat though, and he and Ben Wilshere (39 from 33) were paramount on the Blues achieving a challenging total. The two put on 47 for the 6th wicket, and Williams contributed a total of 32 from 29 balls. Thamba Mamesh - bowled off a Dillon noball on 13 - scored an impressive 65 at the top of the order, and Robert Cribb looked solid for 39, but CW Blue lost 5 wickets for 100 runs and the middle order faded again. Crucially though, Sean Fuller showed signs of form, batting carefully for his 32 from 51 balls. He later came back from a loose first spell to use reverse swing firmly to his favour and claim two wickets in giving CW Blue the slimmest of chances in the one-sided affair.
Cricket Web Blue 242-7 (50 overs)
T Mamesh 64, RGEWS Cribb/BL Wilshere 39, R Williams 32
D Mohammed 3-48, M Dillon 2-47
Trinidad and Tobago XI 243-6 (46.2 overs)
D Ganga 86, BC Lara 65, A Barath 33
SE Fuller 2-35, MS Smith 2-46
Trinidad and Tobago XI won by 4 wickets.
Man of the Match: D Ganga
Mr Mxyzptlk
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Blue Bowlers Finally Get It Right
Cricket Web Blue Preseason Cricket
It took a while, but Cricket Web Blue finally turned in a convincing bowling performance, making up for some questionable batting in achieving victory by 127 runs over the Super Cup XI. Dunn, Camps and Currie shared 9 wickets and the Super Cup XI batsmen managed only 142 runs between them.
Early morning rain and a wet outfield inspired Jimmy Adams to bowl first. But though the conditions slowed the balls path to the boundaries, it allowed for rotation of the strike, which the Blues gladly obliged to do. Indeed, Brendon Goff struck only one four, but scored 32 from 38 balls all the same. It was the same throughout the innings. All the batsmen got starts, but only two carried on with them. Alex Crampton was at his best, hitting the gaps and running hard between the wickets in an innings of 68 not out from 78 balls. He and Imran Jan - 47 from 48 - put on 92 for the sixth wicket. The partnership was by far the largest in a score of 269-8. Even after Jan departed, Crampton continued to play expertly with the lower order to ensure a very competitive total.
The Super Cup batsmen started well in their turn at the crease. It was a careful start but Hibbert and Adams laid a solid platform. By the end of the 18th over, the score stood at 71-1. May-Quinlan then broke through with the wicket of Adams, and he could have had Pittiman too, but a noball prevented his celebration after he pegged back the offstump. Camps turned to spin in the form of Matt Currie and suddenly everything came undone. Currie utilized flight and clever changes of pace to superb effect and outwitted Pittiman, Khan and the dangerous Dwayne Smith within his first 3 overs.
Camps and Dunn wrapped up the innings after that. Both found the reverse swinging ball to be handy, and Dunn in particular was impressive in showing his newfound ability to use such conditions.
Cricket Web Blue 269-8 (50 overs)
AJ Crampton 68*, IH Jan 47, BJ Goff 32
RP Ezraa 3-54, DR Smith 2-43
Super Cup XI 142 ao (35.4 overs)
KH Hibbert 48, JC Adams 21
LA Camps 3-20, MJ Currie 3-26, RD Dunn 3-33
Cricket Web Blue won by 127 runs.
Man of the Match: MJ Currie
Cricket Web Blue Preseason Cricket
It took a while, but Cricket Web Blue finally turned in a convincing bowling performance, making up for some questionable batting in achieving victory by 127 runs over the Super Cup XI. Dunn, Camps and Currie shared 9 wickets and the Super Cup XI batsmen managed only 142 runs between them.
Early morning rain and a wet outfield inspired Jimmy Adams to bowl first. But though the conditions slowed the balls path to the boundaries, it allowed for rotation of the strike, which the Blues gladly obliged to do. Indeed, Brendon Goff struck only one four, but scored 32 from 38 balls all the same. It was the same throughout the innings. All the batsmen got starts, but only two carried on with them. Alex Crampton was at his best, hitting the gaps and running hard between the wickets in an innings of 68 not out from 78 balls. He and Imran Jan - 47 from 48 - put on 92 for the sixth wicket. The partnership was by far the largest in a score of 269-8. Even after Jan departed, Crampton continued to play expertly with the lower order to ensure a very competitive total.
The Super Cup batsmen started well in their turn at the crease. It was a careful start but Hibbert and Adams laid a solid platform. By the end of the 18th over, the score stood at 71-1. May-Quinlan then broke through with the wicket of Adams, and he could have had Pittiman too, but a noball prevented his celebration after he pegged back the offstump. Camps turned to spin in the form of Matt Currie and suddenly everything came undone. Currie utilized flight and clever changes of pace to superb effect and outwitted Pittiman, Khan and the dangerous Dwayne Smith within his first 3 overs.
Camps and Dunn wrapped up the innings after that. Both found the reverse swinging ball to be handy, and Dunn in particular was impressive in showing his newfound ability to use such conditions.
Cricket Web Blue 269-8 (50 overs)
AJ Crampton 68*, IH Jan 47, BJ Goff 32
RP Ezraa 3-54, DR Smith 2-43
Super Cup XI 142 ao (35.4 overs)
KH Hibbert 48, JC Adams 21
LA Camps 3-20, MJ Currie 3-26, RD Dunn 3-33
Cricket Web Blue won by 127 runs.
Man of the Match: MJ Currie
Travis_Teh
International Regular
Yay, two boundaries with the bat.
Smith ... that hurt. One for sixty from ten, not good, not bad in the onslaught.
Next up was a bit more economical, but no wickets.
I think we are competing well, to be fair. Great preseason warm up matches for us if you ask me. Good stuff, Blue.
Smith ... that hurt. One for sixty from ten, not good, not bad in the onslaught.
Next up was a bit more economical, but no wickets.
I think we are competing well, to be fair. Great preseason warm up matches for us if you ask me. Good stuff, Blue.
FaaipDeOiad
Hall of Fame Member
Yeah, it's positive that we've had some strong competition IMO. Obviously we've got some form issues, but we're not playing with a settled XI, and results aren't really what we're after anyway.
SupaFreak2005
International Vice-Captain
Well one game good, the other I wasn't much help. Would have hoped to get a wicket agaisnt T&T.
Would have hoped to get a wicket agaisnt T&T.
chaminda_00
Hall of Fame Member
Have you guys just got your Bermuda matches to go?