Sunday 24th August
Masters XI vs Cricket Web Blue
OD - Chef de Groot Trophy - Casston Reserve
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
Sean Fuller rode his new found form to a scorching ton to cement a 9-wicket thrashing of Masters XI. Fuller pummeled Shane Warne for 2 sixes and 4 in total as he raced to 100 from 104 balls, before slowing down to go guide the chase and finish unbeaten on 133. He and Camps set out chasing 228 with a keen partnership of contrasting styles. While Camps rotated the strike with the odd bit of flair in between, Fuller charged after the bowling and ensured that the required run rate was never an issue. Despite the slow down after Camps was caught behind, CW Blue won comfortably with 4.4 overs to spare. Dinu DeSilva struggled to get going at first, but settled in for a calm 33 from 37 balls and further state his one-day credentials.
Earlier the Masters were off to a flying start on account of the batting of Lance Klusener, opening with Imran Farhat. The left-hander raced to a half-century, but the Blues slowed the momentum in the middle overs and procured wickets as loose shots ensued. Oliver Dunbar was the main beneficiary of the implosion, as he collected a maiden 5-for in the carnage. Dunbar was pacy enough to keep the batsmen on their toes and was by far the pick of the bowlers. A total of 227-8 was always within the reach of CW Blue, but the visitors chased it much easier than anticipated.
Masters XI Innings 227-8 (50 overs)
L Klusener 64, DM Benkenstein 45
OC Dunbar 5-49
Cricket Web Blue Innings 228-1 (45.2 overs)
SE Fuller 133*, LA Camps 52, MW DeSilva 33*
SE Bond 1-41
Cricket Web Blue won by 9 wickets.
Man of the Match: SE Fuller
Cricket Web Colts vs Cricket Web Black
OD - Chef de Groot Trophy - Fardin Qayyumi
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
The most anticipated one-day match of the season to date did not fail to disappoint and went right down the wire. Neither Cricket Web Colts nor Cricket Web Black had been strongly challenged before they clashed at Fardin Qayyumi CC, and something had to give when the two forces collided for the first time. Dan Smith had no hesitation in putting the opposition in when he surveyed a wet outfield and gloomy skies.
With that decision he put faith in his decorated fast bowlers. Instead the Blacks were frustrated by a stubborn Colts opening partnership of 52. It was the one area where the Colts have struggled this season, but although they survived the new ball, neither Kerr nor Rai managed to gather any significant momentum. By the time Rai was caught by Smith for 17, the Colts were scoring at less than 4 per over. Mike Wilson tried to elevate the rate, but on 11 he too chipped a catch to Smith at short cover. An when Chris Butler was run out for 12, continuing his miserable season, the Blacks were on top with CW Colts on 110-3. Towns and Kerr set about to repair the innings with a partnership of 54 and the latter reached 50 in the process - his first of the season and only the fourth of his career.
Kerr moved easily past his high score of 71 and into the 90s with a fine glance. But on 91 he was out serving the needs of the team, as he failed to clear square leg with a pick-up shot. Fjermestad fired up with a six over the same fielder and breached double figures, then he was the second run out victim of the innings. In the search for quick runs the Colts fell away quickly, and it was only due to the explosive efforts of Andy Pimpkins - 31 from 22 - that they reached a challenging total. Still, 247 looked well within the reach of the CW Black juggernaut.
Out of the blocks that juggernaut was slowed by Nathan Spinks, who bowled Ash Chaulk for 4. It took a jaffa of a delivery and summoned Andrew Cloete much earlier than expected. But he did not seem to mind and instead teed off on Kyle Wright at the outset. Cloete and Stedman rattled along and the latter raised 50 from 41 balls, then Spinks struck again. Attempting to slog the fast bowler over long-off, Cloete failed to clear the field and walked off disgusted with himself. It was a loose shot, undoubtedly, and Smith sought to settle in and ensure it did not cost much. Even as the batsmen consolidated the runs still flowed, so Wright turned to his least favoured fast bowler, Wilson, desperate for a wicket.
The move paid off within one delivery. Wilson trapped Smith on the crease and in front of offstump to breath new life into the game. He followed up with the breakthrough with a similar delivery to castle Alex Blackman and suddenly the chase got very interesting. Had Spinks taken a difficult catch at deep midwicket, the game would have favoured Colts, but he dropped the ball and Stedman survived to reach his century. Wright understood the need for wickets and employed a slip fielder for his new spell. It was a stroke of genius, as a legcutter dealt for Armstrong in the predicted manner. CW Black needed just 63, but with 5 wickets down, the less advertised portion of the batting order took strike.
The golden arm of Pimpkins outfoxed Stedman finally. A slower ball flew off his bat and settled into the safe hands of Towns at long-off. It was another needless shot in the circumstances, with the required rate so comfortable, and it left the allrounders to negotiate the remains of the chase. The added 33 and inched closer to glory, then Wilson defeated Gelman with an excellent slower ball yorker. In the next over Gough edged a sharp chance behind the stumps where Fjermestad failed to hang on. It only 3 runs before Wilson collected his 4th wicket, but that looked increasingly more expensive as the Blacks closed in. By the end of the over Wilson had 4-34 and CW Black needed only 6.
Former team-mates Patrick and Dunn faced off. Dunn gripped the ball and charged in with fire in his eyes. He delivered a stunning yorker and uprooted two stumps. The best efforts of Patrick had failed, but he looked up too see the signal of noball, while the Colts celebrated. A split second later, the ecstatic fielders realized the infringement and resigned to silence, and Dunn returned to the top of his mark shaking his head. The ensuing free hit surrendered a single and Donald handed back strike to Patrick with CW Black 2 short. Twice more Dunn beat the probing bat of Patrick, and the final ball finally made contact. It flew off the inside edge, past the diving Fjermestad and down toward the boundary. Rai chased the ball for all he was worth, but the Blacks pressed hard and returned for a third and a dramatic win.
Cricket Web Colts Innings 247 all out (50 overs)
WA Kerr 91, DP Towns 40, A Pimpkins 31
ZE Gelman 2-33, KJ Gough 2-39
Cricket Web Black Innings 249-8 (44.6 overs)
JE Stedman 104, DP Smith 27
MW Wilson 4-34
Cricket Web Black won by 2 wickets.
Man of the Match: JE Stedman
Cricket Web Red vs Cricket Web Green
OD - Chef de Groot Trophy - CW Oval
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
The Cricket Web Green batting finally clicked and set up an easy win over Cricket Web Red. The Greens, led by a Rob Malone Jr. hundred, scored 329-9 and bowled well enough to ensure that their hosts never got close to the large total. Instead the Reds were kept to 242 all out, losing wickets regularly and struggling to match the demands of the run rate.
The intent of the Greens was evident from the very early on. The fourth over of the match, bowled by West, went for 17 runs, and the Red bowlers were largely erratic from then on. Several extras helped CW Green off to a flying start. By the time Scott was caught behind for 53, the score was 87-1 in the 13th over. Corrin stepped for a promising 24 and Mørk threw the ball to Aseem Sharma in desperation. His part-time offspin paid off straight away, but the wicket hardly slowed the Green charge. They always looked on course for an enormous total, but Raghav chipped in with an excellent late spell to try to peg CW Green back. As the batsmen slogged to consolidate the total, he cashed in and claimed a maiden 4-for. Bennett also showed impressive control and picked up Malone for an even 100. At 265-7 in the 44th over, the Reds were right back in the frame. But the enterprising hitting of Callum Dinnen (36) and Bryce Cunningham (18) followed through on the work before them. In sum the Greens scored 64 from the last 6 overs.
More intimidating than the towering target was the challenge of dealing with Xavier Rose and the new ball. And he proved the undoing of CW Red. Whatever they had to offer was hindered severely by tight and penetrative bowling from the fast man. He was well-supported by Ethan McNamara, who took a career-best of 3-42 in a very impressive spell. While Dauth and Mørk hit brisk half-centuries, both went along at less than a run-a-ball and by the end of the 26th over the required rate was over 9. CW Red could not meet the heightened demands and finished 87 short of their opponents.
Cricket Web Green Innings 329-9 (50 overs)
R Malone 100, AJ Garven 41, CJ Dinnen 36
SV Raghav 4-66
Cricket Web Red Innings 242 all out (48.3 overs)
RJ Dauth 58, H Mørk 55
XPA Rose 4-35
Cricket Web Green won by 87 runs.
Man of the Match: R Malone