Monday 25th August
Cricket Web Colts vs Cricket Web Green
5D - Manuel Ramprakash Trophy - Fardin Qayyumi CC
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
Thamba Mamesh warmed up for the Test series against Pakistan with a thumping to to offset the confident Colts. Chasing 222 on the final day, CW Green needed just over 50 overs and raced to an 8-wicket win.
The game had been close to that point, with both teams trying hard to stay with the powerful CW Black in the title race. The Colts tried to make best use of their batsman-friendly home pitch and batted first to that end. But although there was nothing in the air to suggest it, they crumbled against an improving CW Green attack. All but Xavier Rose got amongst the wickets, but the fast man still threatened and put in a crucially tight spell. The Colts slumped to 115-7 before Nick Hancock (32) and Tarick Weber (30) showed the importance of batting depth with a partnership of 55. They ultimately fell for 179 all out.
A poor day for captain Kyle Wright got brighter with the ball, and a 2nd ball wicket brought the stadium to life. Wright produced an outstanding new ball spell, but some positive batting by Mamesh and Malone negated its effect. Both batsmen were out in the 40s and the Greens went to stumps marginally the better, on 139-3. Bad light and rain plagued the third day as the Greens looked to build a commanding lead. But outside of a bright knock from Andrew Garven, their promise looked destined to be wasted when the Colts fought back with the ball. Garven stroked 9 fours in 66 from 70 balls, and was out just before lunch. In the afternoon CW Green slumped to 210-8 and Wright collected a 5-wicket haul. Still the Colts lacked the killer instinct and Rose managed 42 to improve the score to 264 and the lead to 85.
The second time around the Colts sought to dig in and improve upon their first day display. They started promisingly enough with a calm start, but in the 9th over Bryce Cunningham removed Dan Rai for 12. Mitchell bowled Towns for 6 and Chris Butler continued to struggle, caught at mid-on for 1. The Colts still trailed by 7 runs with as many wickets in hand and Kerr in- the man for a crisis. Bosco Fitzsimmons stepped deep in his crease and clipped a delivery for 2 runs, bringing up his fifty in the process. He played well with Kerr in a partnership of 65 for the fourth wicket, but on 68 he got a thin edge to the wicketkeeper. The breakthrough opened the door for CW Green once again, and they forced through against an uncertain lower order. Tarick Weber came to the crease on 166-7 with another twist left in the tale. By the time he checked out for 63 - a 5th wicket for Mitchell - CW Colts had crossed 300 and set the game up for an intriguing finale. Opposite Weber, Kerr played a very measured and effective innings, returning to form with 105. He hit 9 fours and a six and was only removed by a stunning legcutter from Rose.
CW Green lost Malone (9) early in their chase of 222, but the attacking play of Mamesh quickly set things on course. Had Towns caught Scott for 21, the game could have been different. Instead he offered good support to his more established partner and notched a solid 50. Rounding off the game, Mamesh raced to his second 50 from 48 balls and ended unbeaten on 127. With him was Garven, adding 11 not out to his account.
Cricket Web Colts 1st Innings 179 all out
Hancock 32, Weber 30, Corrin 3-23, Cunningham 3-33
Cricket Web Green 1st Innings 264 all out
Garven 66, Malone 43, Wright 5-99, Thomas 2-81
Cricket Web Colts 2nd Innings 306 all out
Kerr 105, Fitzsimmons 68, Mitchell 5-79, Rose 3-61
Cricket Web Green 2nd Innings 223 for 2
Mamesh 127*, Scott 50, Thomas 2-58
Cricket Web Green won by 8 wkts.
Man of the Match: T Mamesh
Cricket Web Red vs Masters XI
5D - Manuel Ramprakash Trophy - CW Oval
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
A priceless innings from Jamee Gray anchored an impressive chase of 303 by Cricket Web Red, as they overcame Masters XI by 3 wickets. Gray held the innings together with 89 not out and took strike when a Shane Warne wide was the winning run.
The Masters lost Imran Farhat to the second ball of the match, but Brian Lara was in no mood to mess around and played himself in with a flashy half-century at number three. Even with his array of strokes, he fell with his team still in trouble, and 112-2 quickly became 124-4 at the break. The post-lunch revival was led by Lance Klusener (85) and fellow South African Justin Kemp (53). With their contributions and a series of promising lower order innings, the score took imposing shape and approached 400. Masters XI got to 430 via an enterprising and very frustrating 10th wicket partnership of 41 between Henderson and Bond. Ultimately Nayak made the breakthrough for his only wicket of the innings.
In turn the Reds lost their captain for 6, but Matt Luff (46) ensured a thumping start otherwise. He hit 7 fours in his spirited cameo before Klusener pegged him onto the back foot with some clever bowling. The middle order began to wobble and regular wickets plagued the home team while Rob Dauth tried to make something substantial of the situation. He enjoyed useful partnerships with Dwyer and Ritchie, though neither suggested permanence at the crease. But in Nayak, Dauth finally found a partner willing to stick around and ****** him to one of his better hundreds. He did so with 2 runs late on day two and went to stumps with 101 to his name. The following day Dauth set out to truly take hold of the Red fortunes, and even when Nayak was out for 46, he soldiered on with Sean Bennett for company. The right-hander passed 150 without difficulty and looked set for a double ton. But Bennett missed out on a fifty - run out for 46 - and left Dauth to bat with the tail in search of his milestone. It was a responsibility that eventually took its toll on him, and he loosely lashed a short ball to extra cover, out for 194. CW Red then moved into the lead by 29 runs largely due to the batting of Muhammad Amir, with 15 not out.
That slim lead looked gold after the inroads of the new ball bowlers in the Masters XI second innings. Imran Farhat wrapped a miserable match with a first ball duck and SS Das did little better when he edged low to the gully. But Lara was again in imposing form and, though he offered a chance on 33, looked ominous on his way to 101. Benkenstein (57) and Klusener (72) also put their hands up to show the way to 331. The Red seamers shared 9 wickets evenly and did well enough to prompt a thrilling final innings. At stumps on day four the Reds were 67 for the loss of Luff (11).
The fifth day promised to be an exercise in watchful batting by the wary Reds, but even so they lost both overnight batsmen before lunch. The brace included captain Mørk, having finally started to show some form with 47. He was succeeded by David Kearsley and a series of classy shots in turn, then he too returned to the pavilion due an edge to slip. At 166-4 the stage was set for a whirlwind matchwinning innings. And with Gray standing firm enough at one end (dropped on 48, mind), Chris Dwyer obliged. It was not a perfect attack, as he offered a couple of chances, but a very effective one. From his 64th ball he scored his 50th run and CW Red closed in, on 288-4 at tea. In fact, the game was all but over at that stage. On resumption Bond tried to test that assertion after Benkenstein dismissed Dwyer for 63. The Kiwi pacer used reverse swing to his advantage and removed Ritchie and Nayak with consecutive deliveries. A further 9 runs were required and any further drama was hindered by the solid effort of Bennett. He hit a firm cover drive in his 6 not out, and left little for Gray to do at the very end.
Masters XI 1st Innings 430 all out
Kemp 85, Lara 70, Kennett 5-129, Bennett 2-88
Cricket Web Red 1st Innings 459 all out
Dauth 194, Luff 46, Bond 4-97, Warne 3-117
Masters XI 2nd Innings 331 all out
Lara 101, Klusener 72, Nayak 3-61, Kennett 3-79
Cricket Web Red 2nd Innings 303 for 7
Gray 89*, Dwyer 62, Bond 3-76, Benkenstein 1-4
Cricket Web Red won by 3 wkts.
Man of the Match: RJ Dauth
Cricket Web Blue vs Cricket Web Black
5D - Manuel Ramprakash Trophy - PDV Dome
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
Black met Blue for the first time in five-day cricket this season. What was billed in some parts as a titanic tussle ended a lopsided affair in the favour of Cricket Web Black. It was not without a fighting show from the Blues, but the gulf in class was evident by the game end, and the Blacks hardly broke a sweat in knocking off the 104 they needed in the fourth innings.
Powercut at the stadium prevents the completions of this match report.
Cricket Web Blue 1st Innings 342 all out
Bowen 82, Cribb 79, Donald 5-91, Richards 2-44
Cricket Web Black 1st Innings 622 all out
Blackman 194, Stedman 118, Cribb 2-39, Camps 2-53
Cricket Web Blue 2nd Innings 383 all out
Young P.E. 126, Young S. 65, Richards 5-67, Borcich 3-87
Cricket Web Black 2nd Innings 105 for 2
Cloete 41, Smith D.P. 31*, Williams 1-10, Demeza 1-33
Cricket Web Black won by 8 wkts.
Man of the Match: AJ Blackman