NZTailender
I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Our OD outfit in a fairly sorry state. We seem to have some good individual performances here and there but not enough. Blacks were just too good.
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*Official* Season XII Results and Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Mr Mxyzptlk
- Start date
Mister Wright
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Disapointing to lose yet again. Really disapointed the batsmen couldn't do more and yet again the bowlers were lacklusture. Happy I finally did something half decent in a one day game.
dontcloseyoureyes
BARNES OUT
Keep rollin' rollin' rollin'
vic_orthdox
Global Moderator
Haha, opening is gold.
James90
Cricketer Of The Year
Na the best two teams should play the final. It's pretty likely that you'll end up with the best two at the end of the regular season when you've got five teams who play each other four times. That goes out the window if the final place is determined on who wins one particular match.
Last edited:
NZTailender
I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Agreed.
NZTailender
I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Jack "Dipak" McNamara.
NZTailender
I can't believe I ate the whole thing
They don't do it in the Pura Cup...
Mr Mxyzptlk
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It's a stupid system too. In that system, there can be 20+ points separating 2nd and 3rd, and Team 2 could have beaten Team 3 all 4 times that season, then still lose out on the final based on one extra game. Always hated that system, because it undermines a team's campaign throughout the season.
Mr Mxyzptlk
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June 5
Cricket Web Black played host to Cricket Web Red, and Cricket Web Green visited Cricket Web Colts, with all but the Greens in contention for the five-day final. The Blacks and Colts in particular desperately needed wins to keep their finals dreams alive.
Let the games begin...
Day 1:
At the Pickford Reserve:
Cricket Web Red won the toss and chose to bowl first with the first day expected to be hampered by poor weather. And it was a good decision in that regard, as constant interruptions hindered the progress of Cricket Web Black. David Kennett found early life under grey skies, pegging back Ashley Arnold for a duck with a full delivery. He later produced a similar delivery to remove Dan Smith (47) and the progress of CW Black came to little when the middle order was shrugged away, primarily by the brilliant Kennett. The score of 107-1 became 148-5, but Andrew Cloete remained constant.
The clear dangerman, Cloete was unbeaten on 85 at stumps, with Blake Donald (25) at his side.
Cricket Web Black 189-5 (53 overs)
At the Cricket Centre:
In far more pleasant conditions than those in Pickford, the Colts opted to bat when they won the toss. But such a decision looked folly after the loss of the top three batsman in the morning session. Chris Butler and Shan Jasotharan emerged after lunch at 56-3, and the latter ensured that they did so in style. He slashed Xavier Rose over point for six, then crashed the ball past cover for four, and finished with another glorious six, pulling over midwicket. The partnership that ensued was one of great aggression and greater quality. Butler and Jasotharan put on 156 runs in 26.3 overs. Butler brought up his hundred from 164 balls and was bowled 3 balls later.
Jasotharan's ton came from a far quicker 69 balls, but he lasted just a ball longer. The Colts looked shaky again, especially as Mike Wilson dragged Rose on for 5. But Will Kerr (33*) and Nick Hancock (36*) played reservedly, seeing the innings to stumps, still strong at 320-6.
Cricket Web Colts 320-6 (91 overs)
Day 2:
At the Pickford Reserve:
The Reds struck in the first hour of play, removing Blake Donald for 41 and breaking an attacking stand of 78. Cloete remained, and on an even hundred at that stage, he only required support to dominate. In Richards he found a worthy partner, and the Reds were utterly blindsided by a partnership of 188 for the seventh wicket. After tea, Cloete hit Kennett for a four, a six, the a single, and raised his bat to acknowledge his double hundred. Richards was finally out almost immediately after, caught behind off Chris Dwyer for 76 at that stage. CW Black had then improved from 226-6 to 414-7 in incredible fashion.
And the dramatics were hardly done. Nick Borcich scored 33 and helped the score closer to 500 - 496 for 8 at his demise. Cloete late cut Bennett for his 24th four, and celebrated his 250. He hit two more fours, then top-edged a cut shot against Bennett, given out for a brilliant 262. The Blacks closed the day in command, at 521-9.
Cricket Web Black 521-9 (143 overs)
At the Cricket Centre:
Will Kerr and Nick Hancock scored half-centuries, then Dan Rai contributed 26 not out, as Cricket Web Colts took control of their destiny with a score of 430 all out at the completion of their first innings. It was a much improved Cricket Web Green attack from day one, but the Colts were prepared to play patiently after the fireworks of yesterday. In the two sessions they batted on the day, the Colts scored 110 runs. Tom Halsey epitomized the manner in which the CW Green bowlers plugged away tirelessly, as he took 5-95 from 34.1 overs.
Thomas dropped Lezama before he had scored, and CW Green was allowed a charmed start to their response. Bad light stop play shortly after Kerr dropped Malone on 33. Thomas removed Lezama for 21 on resumption, then rain stole almost an hour of play. Nick Scott (1) was caught at slip shortly before the close, with the Cotls finishing well on top, and CW Green in some strife at 73-2.
Cricket Web Colts 430 all out (136.1 overs)
Cricket Web Green 73-2 (24 overs)
Day 3:
At the Pickford Reserve:
Neil Pickup and Kev Gough rallied for 14 overs in the morning, scoring another 29 runs and lifting the total to 550, then preserving the mental edge with a declaration. Gough was then 23 not out, and David Kennett was denied a 5-wicket haul, stranded with 4-137. The Reds raced away against the new ball, but Haakon Moerk was bowled by Gough - a beautiful in-nipper - just before lunch, and the Blacks held the advantage with the score on 38-1. Gough followed up with the wicket of Sharma early into the second session, trapped lbw with a similar delivery to the one that got the Red captain.
From 52-2, Kenny Dobson and Rob Dauth played with confidence, though they benefited from some questionable fielding. At tea the score was 139-2, and Dauth joined Dobson with a half-century immediately after. Gough returned to have Dobson caught at deep square leg - a poor shot - then Kearsley and Dauth calmly added 54 runs in a patient display. Dauth was restrained through most of the partnership, but he finally gave in to the taunts of Pickup, caught in the covers attempting to dispatch a flighted legbreak. He was out for 85, but his dismissal did not slow Kearsley, nor did it bother the incoming Callum Thompson. There was no further loss at stumps, with the game intriguingly poised and CW Red on 281-4, still trailing by 269 runs.
Cricket Web Black 550-9 dec. (157 overs)
Cricket Web Red 281-4 (75 overs)
At the Cricket Centre:
Cricket Web Green were stunned by the pace and bounce posed by Greg Thomas, and he tore through the middle order, taking his first wicket of a productive morning with the second ball of the day. Overnight batsmen Andrew Garven and Rob Malone fell quickly, with Corrin out for a duck in between. Hancock missed a half-chance off Cunningham, but even so, Cricket Web Colts siezed control of the game. But Cunningham and Dubb-Lynch kept hope alive with their dashing strokeplay, receiving a couple more chances, but putting on 101 runs for the sixth wicket. At 178, Cunningham was caught in the deep, hooking wildly at Hancock, out for 50. Halsey and Rose followed soon after lunch, with the latter the fifth wicket of Thomas' impressive haul.
And Thomas then wrapped up with the wickets of Josh Forner and Andy Cameron, ultimately with successive deliveries. The fast bowler ended with 7 for 85, masking his economy rate well. Dubb-Lynch was left not out on 74, and the Greens were 225 all out, still 6 short of the follow-on target. There was no hesitation from Kyle Wright in asking the opposition to bat again, and they reached tea on 31-0. After tea the Colts battled for a breakthrough, then received one from their captain, as Malone (41) missed a full ball. Thomas then rediscovered his rhythm, bowling Scott spectacularly before he had scored. Anthony Lezama raised a very compact fifty, but he fell into the trap of sweeping, top-edging Rai to short fine leg when he had 51. Garven was joined by Corrin, taking CW Green to 132-3 at the close, needing 74 runs to make the Colts bat again.
Cricket Web Colts 430 all out (136.1 overs)
Cricket Web Green 225 all out (63.5 overs)
Cricket Web Green (f/o) 132-3 (48 overs)
Day 4:
At the Pickford Reserve:
On a day that Cricket Web Black needed to strike hard and fast, they were off to the perfect start with a wicket in the second over. Kev Gough found the probing blade of David Kearsley, and batting hero Cloete held a simple chance at slip. The Reds could have been in further strife had Gough clutched the return from a miscued slower ball, when Chris Dwyer had 6. Callum Thompson raised his fifty at a run-a-ball, added one more run, then skied a pull shot and was caught by the bowler, Nick Borcich. The batsmen crossed, so Gaurav Nayak took strike at the start of Gough's next over. With another slower ball, Gough induced a false shot, and this time clutched on to send Nayak back without scoring. It was his fifth wicket and the second such haul of his career. Borcich followed up with the wicket of Dwyer for 23, and Bennett and Kennett were made to steady the innings as lunch arrived with 8 wickets down.
After lunch resistance lasted for the better part of 9 overs, but CW Red were all out for a disappointing 358, losing their last 5 wickets for 34 runs. Though CW Black then led by 192 runs, with less than a day and a half remaining, exciting things were in store for the afternoon and evening. Indeed, aggression was the certain aim with time on the mind. Bennett dropped an Arnold lob when the batsman had just 23, and the Reds were made to pay. The young man hit 3 sixes and 4 fours and raced to 50 from 59 balls. At tea the Blacks were 84-0 from 18 overs of play.
In the final session Dan Smith continued to play the anchor role until he was out for 36. Two balls later Kennett dropped Arnold for the second time, and third among the team, and the next ball sailed over midwicket for six. Both Arnold and Cloete rattled along at startling pace, until the former reached 102 with a firm punch through the covers. He was out an over later, but the damage was irreparable after 103 from 92 balls, including 4 sixes. Armstrong (17*) and Cloete (45*) fiddled around for 11.4 more overs, then Smith declared, allowing his bowlers 6 overs at the Reds, who faced a target of 401. The CW Red openers negotiated the mini-session with great ease, finishing on 25-0.
Cricket Web Black 550-9 dec. (157 overs)
Cricket Web Red 358 all out (111.4)
Cricket Web Black 208-2 dec. (43 overs)
Cricket Web Red 25-0 (6 overs)
At the Cricket Centre:
The start was delayed by 12 minutes, allowing Cricket Web Green some extra time to regroup and ponder the enormous task ahead of them. But it made no difference when Greg Thomas came to the bowling crease again. Two searing yorkers defeated the efforts of Martyn Corrin and Darren Dubb-Lynch and produced two early blows in the Colts corner. But even at 153-5, with Andrew Garven at the crease, there was some glimmer of hope. He whipped the ball off his legs to the boundary and raised his bat for his fifty, and with Bryce Cunningham at his side (dropped on 33), he hardly slowed on his course.
Every session was dominated by the two batsmen, and it was progressively more obvious to the crowd that they were witnessing something very special. Garven stood tall and smacked Thomas past point and raised his bat again in celebration of a truly magnificent hundred. It took him 149 balls, and 57 balls later, he brought up his 150 with a delicate single. Soon after, Cunningham, having played in the shadow of his captain all day, achieved his hundred with an easy single. At tea the partnership was worth 229 and the score was 387-5. The Colts continued to fight after tea, though they dropped Cunningham twice in quick succession.
With a flick of the wrist and an ensuing misfield at midwicket, Garven reached 200. Even in their stunned state, the large audience of Colts supporters stood to applaud the brilliant effort. Again Cunningham followed quickly with his milestone, and his got to 153 with a thumping strike back over Wilson's head. Two more unforgivable dropped chances came before stumps, but the partnership remained intact and increasingly epic, looming at 386 of a total of 539-5. Incredibly, with Garven on 222 and Cunningham on 177, CW Green led by 334 with a day remaining and 5 wickets still in hand.
Cricket Web Colts 430 all out (136.1 overs)
Cricket Web Green 225 all out (63.5 overs)
Cricket Web Green (f/o) 539-5 (138 overs)
Day 5:
At the Pickford Reserve:
The goals at the start of the day were clear for either side. Cricket Web Black needed 10 wickets for cheaper than 400 runs, while Cricket Web Red faced 90 overs, needing 376 runs for victory. All results remained open as Kev Gough and Nick Borcich started up on a worn pitch with unpredictable bounce. And success was not far off when Kenny Dobson sliced an offdrive into the hands of Pickup at mid-off. Dobson had threatened - 26 from 28 - but loose strokeplay was his undoing. The same cannot be said of Aseem Sharma, who received a peach from Borcich in losing his offstump when he had just 11. And again Dauth promised, and again he failed to deliver, miscuing a cut shot off Neil Pickup to backward point.
The gritty innings of Haakon Moerk (44) came to an end too at the hands of Pickup, and lunch could hardly come quickly enough with the Reds struggling to stay afloat - 138-4. Things were hardly better upon resumption, when a wild swipe by Callum Thompson presented Ash Chaulk with a stumping opportunity, and Pickup with a third wicket of the morning. And as Pickup slipped a big legbreak past the bat of Kearsley, Chaulk was granted another stumping chance, which he gleefully accepted. It was a meek surrender, and Kearsley walked ashamedly back to the pavilion for 41, the Reds all but defeated. True to form, Gaurav Nayak and Chris Dwyer added some spirit and impetus in a fierce counterattack. But it only lasted 6 overs, then Borcich came back to take his 3rd wicket of the innings.
Nayak was caught in the gully, then Bennett pulled Donald to Borcich at midwicket. The score 220-8 became 224-9 due a Borcich yorker and a helpless Dwyer, bowled for 44. Kennett and Watt stretched the innings to tea and for 6 overs after it, but the task was far too great. Gough bowled Watt off the inside edge and sealed a dramatic win by 158 runs with almost 25 overs to spare.
Cricket Web Black 550-9 dec. (157 overs)
Cricket Web Red 358 all out (111.4)
Cricket Web Black 208-2 dec. (43 overs)
Cricket Web Red 242 all out (71.3 overs)
Cricket Web Black won by 158 runs.
Man of the Match: AP Cloete
At the Cricket Centre:
Drama was in the air from the opening over of the day, as Andrew Garven edged Thomas to second slip, where Fitzsimmons failed hold onto a very difficult chance. Indeed, the chance granted by Cunningham in the following over was far simpler, but Malthus was not able to hold that one either. The let-off did little, however, as Cunningham pushed at Thomas and was caught at third slip for 182 a ball later. The Colts were fired up, but could not prevent easy singles. Cricket Web Green pushed the score to 586-7 at the dismissal of Garven for an epic 246. A clever delivery from Nick Hancock did what the Colts so desperately wish they had done a day earlier. Garven hit 19 fours in his innings, having faced 355 balls and saved his team from certain defeat.
He called the innings closed as he walked off, leaving Cricket Web Colts a target of 382 with 76 overs remaining in the game. Despite a one-day-esque requirement of 5 runs per over, the sheer size of the total discouraged the Colts from attacking it. More so given the overcast conditions and inconsistent bounce, the openers played the 11 overs to lunch with caution. There was little more aggression after lunch, even as the Colts openers were untroubled by the Green bowlers. By the time the rain came and forced an early tea, the game seemed destined for a dull drawn result.
Fitzsimmons managed to cash in with a half-century, but Malthus could not do the same. He was bowled by Cameron for 42. And then there was some semblance of life when Cameron pitched a legcutter to remove Daniel Towns for 1. More rain dampened whatever excitement was building, and Cunningham struck twice to remove Fitzsimmons and Jasotharan within 7 runs of each other. The Greens needed 6 wickets in the final 11 overs of the match to achieve an unlikely victory. They got two at the very end. Butler and Kerr, having batted so comfortably and carefully for the most part, were out within the final 4 overs of the day. The match was called off at the dismissal of Kerr, caught and bowled attempting to pull Forner. As such, the final ball of the alotment was never delivered.
Cricket Web Colts 430 all out (136.1 overs)
Cricket Web Green 225 all out (63.5 overs)
Cricket Web Green (f/o) 586-7 dec. (151 overs)
Cricket Web Colts 181-6 (75.5 overs)
Match drawn.
Man of the Match: BC Cunningham
Scorecards:
Cricket Web Green vs Cricket Colts, Fardin Qayyumi CC
Ball by Ball
Cricket Web Red vs Cricket Black, Pickford Reserve
Ball by Ball
Cricket Web Black played host to Cricket Web Red, and Cricket Web Green visited Cricket Web Colts, with all but the Greens in contention for the five-day final. The Blacks and Colts in particular desperately needed wins to keep their finals dreams alive.
Let the games begin...
Day 1:
At the Pickford Reserve:
Cricket Web Red won the toss and chose to bowl first with the first day expected to be hampered by poor weather. And it was a good decision in that regard, as constant interruptions hindered the progress of Cricket Web Black. David Kennett found early life under grey skies, pegging back Ashley Arnold for a duck with a full delivery. He later produced a similar delivery to remove Dan Smith (47) and the progress of CW Black came to little when the middle order was shrugged away, primarily by the brilliant Kennett. The score of 107-1 became 148-5, but Andrew Cloete remained constant.
The clear dangerman, Cloete was unbeaten on 85 at stumps, with Blake Donald (25) at his side.
Cricket Web Black 189-5 (53 overs)
At the Cricket Centre:
In far more pleasant conditions than those in Pickford, the Colts opted to bat when they won the toss. But such a decision looked folly after the loss of the top three batsman in the morning session. Chris Butler and Shan Jasotharan emerged after lunch at 56-3, and the latter ensured that they did so in style. He slashed Xavier Rose over point for six, then crashed the ball past cover for four, and finished with another glorious six, pulling over midwicket. The partnership that ensued was one of great aggression and greater quality. Butler and Jasotharan put on 156 runs in 26.3 overs. Butler brought up his hundred from 164 balls and was bowled 3 balls later.
Jasotharan's ton came from a far quicker 69 balls, but he lasted just a ball longer. The Colts looked shaky again, especially as Mike Wilson dragged Rose on for 5. But Will Kerr (33*) and Nick Hancock (36*) played reservedly, seeing the innings to stumps, still strong at 320-6.
Cricket Web Colts 320-6 (91 overs)
Day 2:
At the Pickford Reserve:
The Reds struck in the first hour of play, removing Blake Donald for 41 and breaking an attacking stand of 78. Cloete remained, and on an even hundred at that stage, he only required support to dominate. In Richards he found a worthy partner, and the Reds were utterly blindsided by a partnership of 188 for the seventh wicket. After tea, Cloete hit Kennett for a four, a six, the a single, and raised his bat to acknowledge his double hundred. Richards was finally out almost immediately after, caught behind off Chris Dwyer for 76 at that stage. CW Black had then improved from 226-6 to 414-7 in incredible fashion.
And the dramatics were hardly done. Nick Borcich scored 33 and helped the score closer to 500 - 496 for 8 at his demise. Cloete late cut Bennett for his 24th four, and celebrated his 250. He hit two more fours, then top-edged a cut shot against Bennett, given out for a brilliant 262. The Blacks closed the day in command, at 521-9.
Cricket Web Black 521-9 (143 overs)
At the Cricket Centre:
Will Kerr and Nick Hancock scored half-centuries, then Dan Rai contributed 26 not out, as Cricket Web Colts took control of their destiny with a score of 430 all out at the completion of their first innings. It was a much improved Cricket Web Green attack from day one, but the Colts were prepared to play patiently after the fireworks of yesterday. In the two sessions they batted on the day, the Colts scored 110 runs. Tom Halsey epitomized the manner in which the CW Green bowlers plugged away tirelessly, as he took 5-95 from 34.1 overs.
Thomas dropped Lezama before he had scored, and CW Green was allowed a charmed start to their response. Bad light stop play shortly after Kerr dropped Malone on 33. Thomas removed Lezama for 21 on resumption, then rain stole almost an hour of play. Nick Scott (1) was caught at slip shortly before the close, with the Cotls finishing well on top, and CW Green in some strife at 73-2.
Cricket Web Colts 430 all out (136.1 overs)
Cricket Web Green 73-2 (24 overs)
Day 3:
At the Pickford Reserve:
Neil Pickup and Kev Gough rallied for 14 overs in the morning, scoring another 29 runs and lifting the total to 550, then preserving the mental edge with a declaration. Gough was then 23 not out, and David Kennett was denied a 5-wicket haul, stranded with 4-137. The Reds raced away against the new ball, but Haakon Moerk was bowled by Gough - a beautiful in-nipper - just before lunch, and the Blacks held the advantage with the score on 38-1. Gough followed up with the wicket of Sharma early into the second session, trapped lbw with a similar delivery to the one that got the Red captain.
From 52-2, Kenny Dobson and Rob Dauth played with confidence, though they benefited from some questionable fielding. At tea the score was 139-2, and Dauth joined Dobson with a half-century immediately after. Gough returned to have Dobson caught at deep square leg - a poor shot - then Kearsley and Dauth calmly added 54 runs in a patient display. Dauth was restrained through most of the partnership, but he finally gave in to the taunts of Pickup, caught in the covers attempting to dispatch a flighted legbreak. He was out for 85, but his dismissal did not slow Kearsley, nor did it bother the incoming Callum Thompson. There was no further loss at stumps, with the game intriguingly poised and CW Red on 281-4, still trailing by 269 runs.
Cricket Web Black 550-9 dec. (157 overs)
Cricket Web Red 281-4 (75 overs)
At the Cricket Centre:
Cricket Web Green were stunned by the pace and bounce posed by Greg Thomas, and he tore through the middle order, taking his first wicket of a productive morning with the second ball of the day. Overnight batsmen Andrew Garven and Rob Malone fell quickly, with Corrin out for a duck in between. Hancock missed a half-chance off Cunningham, but even so, Cricket Web Colts siezed control of the game. But Cunningham and Dubb-Lynch kept hope alive with their dashing strokeplay, receiving a couple more chances, but putting on 101 runs for the sixth wicket. At 178, Cunningham was caught in the deep, hooking wildly at Hancock, out for 50. Halsey and Rose followed soon after lunch, with the latter the fifth wicket of Thomas' impressive haul.
And Thomas then wrapped up with the wickets of Josh Forner and Andy Cameron, ultimately with successive deliveries. The fast bowler ended with 7 for 85, masking his economy rate well. Dubb-Lynch was left not out on 74, and the Greens were 225 all out, still 6 short of the follow-on target. There was no hesitation from Kyle Wright in asking the opposition to bat again, and they reached tea on 31-0. After tea the Colts battled for a breakthrough, then received one from their captain, as Malone (41) missed a full ball. Thomas then rediscovered his rhythm, bowling Scott spectacularly before he had scored. Anthony Lezama raised a very compact fifty, but he fell into the trap of sweeping, top-edging Rai to short fine leg when he had 51. Garven was joined by Corrin, taking CW Green to 132-3 at the close, needing 74 runs to make the Colts bat again.
Cricket Web Colts 430 all out (136.1 overs)
Cricket Web Green 225 all out (63.5 overs)
Cricket Web Green (f/o) 132-3 (48 overs)
Day 4:
At the Pickford Reserve:
On a day that Cricket Web Black needed to strike hard and fast, they were off to the perfect start with a wicket in the second over. Kev Gough found the probing blade of David Kearsley, and batting hero Cloete held a simple chance at slip. The Reds could have been in further strife had Gough clutched the return from a miscued slower ball, when Chris Dwyer had 6. Callum Thompson raised his fifty at a run-a-ball, added one more run, then skied a pull shot and was caught by the bowler, Nick Borcich. The batsmen crossed, so Gaurav Nayak took strike at the start of Gough's next over. With another slower ball, Gough induced a false shot, and this time clutched on to send Nayak back without scoring. It was his fifth wicket and the second such haul of his career. Borcich followed up with the wicket of Dwyer for 23, and Bennett and Kennett were made to steady the innings as lunch arrived with 8 wickets down.
After lunch resistance lasted for the better part of 9 overs, but CW Red were all out for a disappointing 358, losing their last 5 wickets for 34 runs. Though CW Black then led by 192 runs, with less than a day and a half remaining, exciting things were in store for the afternoon and evening. Indeed, aggression was the certain aim with time on the mind. Bennett dropped an Arnold lob when the batsman had just 23, and the Reds were made to pay. The young man hit 3 sixes and 4 fours and raced to 50 from 59 balls. At tea the Blacks were 84-0 from 18 overs of play.
In the final session Dan Smith continued to play the anchor role until he was out for 36. Two balls later Kennett dropped Arnold for the second time, and third among the team, and the next ball sailed over midwicket for six. Both Arnold and Cloete rattled along at startling pace, until the former reached 102 with a firm punch through the covers. He was out an over later, but the damage was irreparable after 103 from 92 balls, including 4 sixes. Armstrong (17*) and Cloete (45*) fiddled around for 11.4 more overs, then Smith declared, allowing his bowlers 6 overs at the Reds, who faced a target of 401. The CW Red openers negotiated the mini-session with great ease, finishing on 25-0.
Cricket Web Black 550-9 dec. (157 overs)
Cricket Web Red 358 all out (111.4)
Cricket Web Black 208-2 dec. (43 overs)
Cricket Web Red 25-0 (6 overs)
At the Cricket Centre:
The start was delayed by 12 minutes, allowing Cricket Web Green some extra time to regroup and ponder the enormous task ahead of them. But it made no difference when Greg Thomas came to the bowling crease again. Two searing yorkers defeated the efforts of Martyn Corrin and Darren Dubb-Lynch and produced two early blows in the Colts corner. But even at 153-5, with Andrew Garven at the crease, there was some glimmer of hope. He whipped the ball off his legs to the boundary and raised his bat for his fifty, and with Bryce Cunningham at his side (dropped on 33), he hardly slowed on his course.
Every session was dominated by the two batsmen, and it was progressively more obvious to the crowd that they were witnessing something very special. Garven stood tall and smacked Thomas past point and raised his bat again in celebration of a truly magnificent hundred. It took him 149 balls, and 57 balls later, he brought up his 150 with a delicate single. Soon after, Cunningham, having played in the shadow of his captain all day, achieved his hundred with an easy single. At tea the partnership was worth 229 and the score was 387-5. The Colts continued to fight after tea, though they dropped Cunningham twice in quick succession.
With a flick of the wrist and an ensuing misfield at midwicket, Garven reached 200. Even in their stunned state, the large audience of Colts supporters stood to applaud the brilliant effort. Again Cunningham followed quickly with his milestone, and his got to 153 with a thumping strike back over Wilson's head. Two more unforgivable dropped chances came before stumps, but the partnership remained intact and increasingly epic, looming at 386 of a total of 539-5. Incredibly, with Garven on 222 and Cunningham on 177, CW Green led by 334 with a day remaining and 5 wickets still in hand.
Cricket Web Colts 430 all out (136.1 overs)
Cricket Web Green 225 all out (63.5 overs)
Cricket Web Green (f/o) 539-5 (138 overs)
Day 5:
At the Pickford Reserve:
The goals at the start of the day were clear for either side. Cricket Web Black needed 10 wickets for cheaper than 400 runs, while Cricket Web Red faced 90 overs, needing 376 runs for victory. All results remained open as Kev Gough and Nick Borcich started up on a worn pitch with unpredictable bounce. And success was not far off when Kenny Dobson sliced an offdrive into the hands of Pickup at mid-off. Dobson had threatened - 26 from 28 - but loose strokeplay was his undoing. The same cannot be said of Aseem Sharma, who received a peach from Borcich in losing his offstump when he had just 11. And again Dauth promised, and again he failed to deliver, miscuing a cut shot off Neil Pickup to backward point.
The gritty innings of Haakon Moerk (44) came to an end too at the hands of Pickup, and lunch could hardly come quickly enough with the Reds struggling to stay afloat - 138-4. Things were hardly better upon resumption, when a wild swipe by Callum Thompson presented Ash Chaulk with a stumping opportunity, and Pickup with a third wicket of the morning. And as Pickup slipped a big legbreak past the bat of Kearsley, Chaulk was granted another stumping chance, which he gleefully accepted. It was a meek surrender, and Kearsley walked ashamedly back to the pavilion for 41, the Reds all but defeated. True to form, Gaurav Nayak and Chris Dwyer added some spirit and impetus in a fierce counterattack. But it only lasted 6 overs, then Borcich came back to take his 3rd wicket of the innings.
Nayak was caught in the gully, then Bennett pulled Donald to Borcich at midwicket. The score 220-8 became 224-9 due a Borcich yorker and a helpless Dwyer, bowled for 44. Kennett and Watt stretched the innings to tea and for 6 overs after it, but the task was far too great. Gough bowled Watt off the inside edge and sealed a dramatic win by 158 runs with almost 25 overs to spare.
Cricket Web Black 550-9 dec. (157 overs)
Cricket Web Red 358 all out (111.4)
Cricket Web Black 208-2 dec. (43 overs)
Cricket Web Red 242 all out (71.3 overs)
Cricket Web Black won by 158 runs.
Man of the Match: AP Cloete
At the Cricket Centre:
Drama was in the air from the opening over of the day, as Andrew Garven edged Thomas to second slip, where Fitzsimmons failed hold onto a very difficult chance. Indeed, the chance granted by Cunningham in the following over was far simpler, but Malthus was not able to hold that one either. The let-off did little, however, as Cunningham pushed at Thomas and was caught at third slip for 182 a ball later. The Colts were fired up, but could not prevent easy singles. Cricket Web Green pushed the score to 586-7 at the dismissal of Garven for an epic 246. A clever delivery from Nick Hancock did what the Colts so desperately wish they had done a day earlier. Garven hit 19 fours in his innings, having faced 355 balls and saved his team from certain defeat.
He called the innings closed as he walked off, leaving Cricket Web Colts a target of 382 with 76 overs remaining in the game. Despite a one-day-esque requirement of 5 runs per over, the sheer size of the total discouraged the Colts from attacking it. More so given the overcast conditions and inconsistent bounce, the openers played the 11 overs to lunch with caution. There was little more aggression after lunch, even as the Colts openers were untroubled by the Green bowlers. By the time the rain came and forced an early tea, the game seemed destined for a dull drawn result.
Fitzsimmons managed to cash in with a half-century, but Malthus could not do the same. He was bowled by Cameron for 42. And then there was some semblance of life when Cameron pitched a legcutter to remove Daniel Towns for 1. More rain dampened whatever excitement was building, and Cunningham struck twice to remove Fitzsimmons and Jasotharan within 7 runs of each other. The Greens needed 6 wickets in the final 11 overs of the match to achieve an unlikely victory. They got two at the very end. Butler and Kerr, having batted so comfortably and carefully for the most part, were out within the final 4 overs of the day. The match was called off at the dismissal of Kerr, caught and bowled attempting to pull Forner. As such, the final ball of the alotment was never delivered.
Cricket Web Colts 430 all out (136.1 overs)
Cricket Web Green 225 all out (63.5 overs)
Cricket Web Green (f/o) 586-7 dec. (151 overs)
Cricket Web Colts 181-6 (75.5 overs)
Match drawn.
Man of the Match: BC Cunningham
Scorecards:
Cricket Web Green vs Cricket Colts, Fardin Qayyumi CC
Ball by Ball
Cricket Web Red vs Cricket Black, Pickford Reserve
Ball by Ball
Last edited:
Mr Mxyzptlk
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Days 3 and 4 to come later.
And 5 even later.
And 5 even later.
NZTailender
I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Some strong batting efforts there. Cloete's a gun, while Butler and Jaso did extremely well to save us. Kerr continuing to impress with the bat...can't wait for the remaining days.