CW Battrick Cup, season nine

[Magrat Garlick]

Nine-wicket win in front of 3,500 fans. All too easy.

Group A:

Scaly Piscine CC (4132)              2 2 0 0  4 +2.38 Q
Whenuapai CC (1569)                  2 1 1 0  2 +1.78
Alternative XI (4412)                2 1 1 0  2 -1.81
Tawonga Tigers (4929)                2 0 2 0  0 -1.79 E

00.30: Tawonga Tigers (221 ao, 46.2) lost to Alternative XI (224 ao, 49) by three runs
10.30: Scaly Piscine CC (255/1, 46.3) beat Whenuapai CC (254 ao, 48) by nine wickets

Scaly has to beat Tawonga to win the group, Whenuapai v Alternative a knockout game.

Group B:

Lancashire (195)                     2 2 0 0  4 +0.34 Q
Magical Ponies (5409)                2 1 1 0  2 +1.29
Connells Estates CC (384)            2 1 1 0  2 -0.08
Opening Balance (725)                2 0 2 0  0 -1.62 E

00.30: Opening Balance (87 ao, 26) lost to Magical Ponies (88/1, 19.5) by nine wickets
10.30: Lancashire (281/6, 46) beat Connells Estates CC (280/3, 50) by four wickets

Lancashire get first place with a win over Opening Balance, Magical Ponies v Connells Estates CC a knockout game.

Group C:

Four Pillars and Poor Fillers (4913) 2 2 0 0  4 +3.54
Boggles (7145)                       2 1 1 0  2 +2.43
The Heath CC (3940)                  2 1 1 0  2 -0.74
Coco's Nuts (6533)                   2 0 2 0  0 -5.39

00.30: Four Pillars and Poor Fillers (176/2, 32) beat The Heath CC (175 ao, 48.1) by eight wickets
04.30: Boggles (313 ao, 49) beat Coco's Nuts (51 ao, 13.1) by 262 runs

Boggles need to beat Four Pillars to qualify - in that case they'll probably make it by net run rate, as The Heath need to win by some 300 runs to catch up.

Group D:

Citizens Erased (7153)               2 2 0 0  4 +2.48
Cymru Gurgitaters (3688)             2 1 1 0  2 +0.04
BEST Indies (3872)                   2 1 1 0  2 -1.82
Beard XI (10135)                     2 0 2 0  0 -0.27

10.30: BEST Indies (268 ao, 49.4) beat Cymru Gurgitaters (263 ao, 49.4) by five runs
10.30: Beard XI (343/5, 50) lost to Citizens Erased (359/1, 50) by 16 runs

The top two teams playing each other - Cymru Gurgitaters will qualify with a win, Citizens Erased have virtually won this group anyway. As mentioned, Beard XI and BEST Indies have a chance on net run rate.

Group E:

Dynamo Morpork (1837)                2 2 0 0  4 +2.21 Q
Withington Wonderers (425)           2 2 0 0  4 +1.77 Q
Victoria Panthers (5776)             2 0 2 0  0 -1.81 E
Brackenhurst (5748)                  2 0 2 0  0 -2.18 E

10.30: Withington Wonderers (155/1, 29.1) beat Brackenhurst (154 ao, 44.5) by nine wickets
15.30: Dynamo Morpork (164/1, 29.3) beat Victoria Panthers (162 ao, 45.5) by nine wickets

Not much to say here. Dynamo play Wonderers for the group title.

Group F:

Asterix XI (1766)                    2 2 0 0  4 +4.62
Sad Decadent XI (6708)               2 1 1 0  2 +0.51
Anchormen (5330)                     2 1 1 0  2 -0.94
Saggers Mob (6473)                   2 0 2 0  0 -2.53

00.30: Anchormen (87 ao, 28) lost to Sad Decadent XI (231/5, 50) by 144 runs
15.30: Asterix XI (151/1, 22.2) beat Saggers Mob (150 ao, 39.3) by nine wickets

Anchormen now need to beat Asterix, and by quite some amount. In practice, Asterix and Sad Decadent are through.

Group G:

Central Districts (6385)             2 2 0 0  4 +2.44
Male Models (648)                    2 1 1 0  2 +0.02
Kipper XI (4666)                     2 1 1 0  2 -2.23
Dalmeny Cricket Club (1169)          2 0 2 0  0 -0.14

Central Districts (w/o) beat Dalmeny Cricket Club (w/o) by forfeit
00.30: Male Models (320/9, 50) lost to Kipper XI (325/7, 50) by five runs

Central Districts play Male Models in the last round, need to avoid a 100-run defeat to win the group. Male Models qualify with a win, Kipper XI need help from Central Districts in order to go through.

Group H:

Jaffna Jets (2272)                   2 2 0 0  4 +2.43 Q
Jamees 999ers (3765)                 2 1 1 0  2 +1.93
Viveash (793)                        2 1 1 0  2 -0.19
Tamil Eelam CC (9382)                2 0 2 0  0 -3.19 E

00.30: Viveash (175 ao, 43) lost to Jaffna Jets (176/4, 40) by six wickets
05.30: Tamil Eelam CC (88 ao, 25.4) lost to Jamees 999ers (374/3, 50) by 286 runs

999ers and Viveash playing a knockout game. Jamee could make first place by net run rate if Jaffna somehow stuff up against Tamil Eelam.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Matchday Three Fixtures

Group A:
Whenuapai CC (1569) v Alternative XI (4412)
Tawonga Tigers (4929) v Scaly Piscine CC (4132)
Group B:
Magical Ponies (5409) v Connells Estates CC (384)
Lancashire (195) v Opening Balance (725)
Group C:
Coco's Nuts (6533) v The Heath CC (3940)
Four Pillars and Poor Fillers (4913) v Boggles (7145)
Group D:
Cymru Gurgitaters (3688) v Citizens Erased (7153)
Beard XI (10135) v BEST Indies (3872)
Group E:
Victoria Panthers (5776) v Brackenhurst (5748)
Withington Wonderers (425) v Dynamo Morpork (1837)
Group F:
Saggers Mob (6473) v Sad Decadent XI (6708)
Anchormen (5330) v Asterix XI (1766)
Group G:
Dalmeny Cricket Club (1169) v Kipper XI (4666)
Male Models (648) v Central Districts (6385)
Group H:
Jaffna Jets (2272) v Tamil Eelam CC (9382)
Jamees 999ers (3765) v Viveash (793)

I've drawn the matchups for the second round and further as well (tennis-style draw, everyone knows who they'll play) - but I'm not quite sure whether to announce it yet. Advantage: people will know who they play and can plan ahead with fatigue and so forth - disadvantage: people might throw a match in order to play a perceived weaker group winner instead of a strong runner-up from another group, which could be unfair on those teams who rely on the strongest team winning all their games. Thoughts?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Lancashire vs Connells underway at Old Trafford.

Disappointed not to beat Lancashire today. Just didn't set a stiff enough target.

Had Lancashire 6 down with 100 still required, but his 17 year old trainee and his Gollum-esque Keeper combined to add those 100 runs, trouble free. Centuries from Adu and Cooper were just slightly too slow, and how Murdoch bowled 10 overs for only 38 for Lancashire, I'll never know - that performance was probably the one of the day, despite taking no wickets.

Lancashire Connells Estates CC
Top Order: proficient superb
Middle Order: quality respectable
Lower Order: woeful woeful
Seam Bowling: quality strong
Spin Bowling: respectable superb
Fielding: mediocre feeble

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I've drawn the matchups for the second round and further as well (tennis-style draw, everyone knows who they'll play) - but I'm not quite sure whether to announce it yet. Advantage: people will know who they play and can plan ahead with fatigue and so forth - disadvantage: people might throw a match in order to play a perceived weaker group winner instead of a strong runner-up from another group, which could be unfair on those teams who rely on the strongest team winning all their games. Thoughts?

Publish the 2nd round matchups. Any sporting event worth their salt publishes these in advance. Adds to the tactical excitement.

 

[nibbs]

disappointing bowling effort, just. i need to pay more attention when setting the orders next time i think.

 

[EARLOBE]

Challenged Central Districts, it looks fairly unlikely that I'll qualify unless he plays a team of worthless players.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Challenged Central Districts, it looks fairly unlikely that I'll qualify unless he plays a team of worthless players.

Accepted.

 

[Nate]

Brackenhurst lost by 8 wickets.

 

[Johnners]

I've drawn the matchups for the second round and further as well (tennis-style draw, everyone knows who they'll play) - but I'm not quite sure whether to announce it yet. Advantage: people will know who they play and can plan ahead with fatigue and so forth - disadvantage: people might throw a match in order to play a perceived weaker group winner instead of a strong runner-up from another group, which could be unfair on those teams who rely on the strongest team winning all their games. Thoughts?

Publish them imo. Anyone who throws a match in order to gain an advantage knows they'd cop **** from everyone, so I very much doubt it would happen.

 

[EARLOBE]

If anybody throws a game to gain advantage, they should be booted from the cup. It wouldn't be hard to tell who's doing it.

 

[nibbs]

well, why would someone want to win a game that puts them at a disadvantage, just? i for one would happily throw a game if it meant i got to play jaffna jets in the next round.

hak, i say hold the draw back

 

[chaminda_00]

well, why would someone want to win a game that puts them at a disadvantage, just? i for one would happily throw a game if it meant i got to play jaffna jets in the next round.

hak, i say hold the draw back

Nibbs you do realise you can't finish 1st unless SP losses. So if you throw a game it might just mean you miss out on getting to the next round.

Challenged Thamba btw

 

[trevor_vayro]

well done HH, can't have any complaints. I rested five first teamers, but still turned out six of the side who posted Exc/Qual/Fee - Qual/Strong/Med in a GFI on Friday, so it's a massive scalp for Best Indies whichever way you carve it up. I knew the risks of resting players, but with FC safety still far from assured I gambled with CW qualification, which could still yet haunt me.

Will be full strength for Agent TBY this Sunday, reckon I have the batting to be competitive, but can my pedestrian bowling attack contain his mutant top order. Mork, am I right in thinking that a Beards' win over Best Indies would be better for my chances of qualification?

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Will be full strength for Agent TBY this Sunday, reckon I have the batting to be competitive, but can my pedestrian bowling attack contain his mutant top order. Mørk, am I right in thinking that a Beards' win over Best Indies would be better for my chances of qualification?

Trev, if you win, you're through no matter what.

If you lose by a narrow margin, you need the Beards to win by a narrow margin.

If there is a blowout loss for you or for Best Indies, or Best Indies win, you're out.

 

[Mahindinho]

Looking at just the top 8 teams from the rankings thread:

Likely 1st place: Asterix, Scaly
Likely 2nd place: Whenuapai
Could go either way: Withington / Morpork, Lancashire / Ponies

Sadly, 'tinho looks like crashing out.

Obviously, the "either way" leagues won't feature much of a difference between top and 2nd. NOBODY wants to draw Asterix or Scaly, and Whenuapai's not exactly a poor side in the 2nd place pool.

If you didn't know who you were going to get, I think it's fair to say that you'd definitely go for the win.

Having said that, I don't think any of the groups are going to end up with top teams significantly worse than the runners up.

So, even if the fixtures were published, people would only throw games if they were in the following situation:
• Finish 1st -- play a 2nd place team in a close group
• Finish 2nd -- play a 1st place team in a close group

That might see someone choose to play me rather than Morpork, say, and conserve some PFL along the way.

In my case, being in a close group, publishing fixtures would be a disadvantage, as an opposing team wouldn't care if they finished 1st or 2nd. On the other hand, if I knew I wasn't going to draw Asterix or Scaly if I finished 2nd, I might rest players in my match.

 

[Bobisback]

Put the knockout game up imo. But instead of putting Winner Group A vs 2nd Group B just put Group A vs Group B, that way we will know one of the teams that we're playing.

 

[headhunter]

All over! BEST Indies win by five runs!

Ross with a 7fer, and Fordham 126* couldn't have gone any better tbh.
Hard luck Trev

Accepted Beard XI challenge too.

 

[andyc]

Challenged Connells Estates CC.

Edit: And confirmed. That was quick.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Challenged Connells Estates CC.

Edit: And confirmed. That was quick.

Hopefully you'll put out a weakened team. It's my only hope.

And did you expect anything less than lightning quick speed from the Master of Pace?

You're just lucky that I didn't land wide of the mark and click the 'reject' button

>>>>>>>>>WHHOOOOOOOSSSHHHHHH>>>>>>>>

 

[NZTailender]

Challenged Scaly Piscine CC. Should be the biggest whooping we've had since CD rolled us for about 12.