Thursday 28th February
Cricket Web Green v Cricket Web Colts
CWBCC Stadium
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
Shan Jasotharan batted brilliantly down the order to help Cricket Web Colts to a rare one-day victory, after they looked to be heading toward defeat at the hands of Cricket Web Green. The Greens reduced their opponents to 96-5 in the chase of 240. And from the final 4 overs, CW Colts needed 42 runs, which they achieved with ease through the explosive batting of Jasotharan.
The Colts bowlers set up an intriguing game with an outstanding bowling performance. They recovered from a loose start through some enterprising bowling by the spinners. The in-form CW Green top order struggled to get going, and Ben Read (41) in particular was frustrated and scored at a strike rate less than 55. But Martyn Corrin in the middle order played himself in positively and batted with great confidence. His partnership with Sunil Reddy (24 not out) gathered steam for the home side, reaching 65 runs off 59 balls unbroken at the end of the innings. Corrin was unbeaten on 71 at the end. The Greens checked out for 239-4, leaving the Colts with a competitive total to chase for the first time in weeks.
But when they took to the crease, an attainable total was quickly complicated by Xavier Rose. The fast bowler claimed the wickets of both openers and set some panic into the innings. A controlled spell by Tom Halsey, with 2 wickets, then set back the chase further, and the visitors needed runs at more than 5 per over when Griffen was joined by Wilson. And as they rebuilt with care the required rate spiraled upward. Corrin could have ended the stand at 47, but he dropped an easy catch at midwicket and offered Wilson a reprieve on 29.
Initially Wilson looked shaken, but soon after he elevated his game and scored 24 off his last 15 balls. He raced past Griffen and to his fifty, but when he was bowled by Garven for 57, the required rate was still over 7. Against the same bowler Griffen got to his half-century amidst a 13-run over. The next over Jasotharan was dropped off Rose in what would prove a turning point of the game. The next ball he faced, he smashed Rose deep into the crowd at long-on, and a ball later he flicked fine for four more. The target suddenly shifted from 29 off 18 to 12 off 12. Still not satisfied with the ease of the chase, Griffen clubbed Ethan McNamara down the ground for six. The Colts then needed only 3 from the final over. Jasotharan was dropped again, but finished the game with the next ball, flicking past midwicket for the winning 3.
Cricket Web Green innings 239-4 (50 overs)
M Corrin 71* (82), NG Scott 54 (87), BS Read 41 (75)
TV Weber 1-35 (10)
Cricket Web Colts innings 240-7 (50 overs)
J Griffen 61 (76), MW Wilson 57 (72), S Jasotharan 38* (25)
TC Halsey 2-41 (10), EAP McNamara 2-46 (10)
Cricket Web Colts won by 3 wickets.
Man of the Match: S Jasotharan (Colts)
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Masters XI v Cricket Web Blue
Casston Reserve
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
For the second time this season Manan Shah struck form and set up a comfortable win for Cricket Web Blue. The Masters XI were bowled out for 168 when Shah took a career-best 5 for 32, and CW Blue went on to win by 7 wickets with almost 17 overs remaining.
Lance Klusener was promoted to open the batting and scored 44 off 59 balls to top score for the Masters XI. But ultimately he was a victim of Shah, and the Masters came undone from 63-1 to be bowled out in the 39th over. In his final over Shah dismissed both Tyron Henderson (15) and Nixon McLean (12) with reverse swing. The Blues set out to chase a modest 169 and lost Liam Camps jr. for 10 in the 4th over. The opening batsman was bowled by Boyd Rankin with a spectacular swinging delivery, but it was false promise for the Masters.
The Blues recovered through a 75-run partnership featuring the contrasting styles of Sean Fuller and Dinu DeSilva. New life was breathed into the game when Shane Warne snapped up Fuller for 42 and then Stephen Young (2) quickly after. Tyron Henderson returned to the attack and found the edge of Pete Young's bat. But Damien Martyn floored the chance at second slip and essentially dropped the game. There were no other chances on offer in a partnership of 67 runs toward the target. DeSilva was the outstanding batsman in the innings, finishing on 81 off 75 balls.
Masters XI innings 168 (38.3 overs)
L Klusener 44 (59), BC Lara 25 (33), Inzamam-ul-Haq 24 (27)
Manan Shah 5-32
Cricket Web Blue innings 170-3 (33.2 overs)
MW DeSilva 81* (75), SE Fuller 42 (64), PE Young 24* (41)
SK Warne 2-34 (10)
Cricket Web Blue won by 7 wickets.
Man of the Match: M Shah (Blue)
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Cricket Web Red v Cricket Web Black
CW Oval
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
Another magnificent opening stand for Cricket Web Red banished Cricket Web Black to a third consecutive one-day defeat. Since they lost their first game of the season against Cricket Web Blue, the Blacks have struggled and were beaten again at the Oval, by 6 wickets with 14 balls spare.
The Blacks scored 269 in their turn at the crease. CW Red chose to bowl first and were held up largely by Andrew Cloete, scoring his second OD hundred in succession. When Ash Chaulk was bowled for 47 by Kennett, backing away to legstump and missing a drive, CW Black were on top at 74-2 in the 12th over. And as the Reds pecked away at the middle order, Cloete continued to bat confidently through the clatter. In the 47th over he slogged a Kingsley Clapham full toss over long-off for six and raised his hundred from 111 balls.
In the 48th, Kexing Su got in on the action with a slog of his own, hitting Kennett deep into the stands for six. Cloete then added his second six, out of the ground over midwicket, but was last out to start the final over. A slower ball from Kennett was mistimed and Dwyer took a good catch at deep midwicket to send Cloete on his way. CW Black did exceptionally to get to 269, scoring 60 off their last 49 balls to stay in the game.
But the Reds were not intimidated by the CW Black revival. They started confidently out of the blocks and paced their innings well at the top. Jamee Gray lofted Patrick back overhead for six to reach 51 from 59 balls, then cut a loose noball for four. The Reds scored a total of 18 runs in the 20th over, and brought up their hundred. Such aggressive intent continued even as Neil Pickup entered the attack. With a confident sweep shot Matt Luff brought up his half-century from 66 balls. The innings raced along and the Black bowlers progressively felt a sinking feeling, more common in the Colts camp until recently.
The partnership cruised past 200 and soon after Luff scored his hundred. Just as Gray looked poised to do the same, he misjudged a paddle sweep and was caught easily by Patrick at short fine leg. The soft dismissal was not met with much enthusiasm by the fielders, and at the other end of the spectrum, Gray walked off shouting at himself in disbelief at another dismissal in the 90s. Sean Bennett took his place when CW Red needed 59 from the last 78 balls. He and Luff calmly addressed the target with few risks, but the occasional big shot. Most notably, Luff chipped down the pitch and lofted Pickup for six. When he attempted the shot again, he was caught by Gelman at long-off. CW Red lost two more wickets but still eased home in the 48th over.
Cricket Web Black innings 269 (49.1 overs)
AP Cloete 116 (118), AP Chaulk 47 (46), GAJ Armstrong 27 (44)
DM Kennett 4-69 (9.1), DJ Watt 3-50 (10)
Cricket Web Red innings 270-4 (47.4 overs)
MD Luff 117 (141), JR Gray 96 (105), SA Bennett 25 (26)
NS Pickup 3-57 (10)
Cricket Web Red won by 6 wickets.
Man of the Match: JR Gray (Red)