Masters XI vs Cricket Web Colts
at Casston Reserve
Scorecard
Ball By Ball
Colts were always in control of this match, with a second-innings opening stand and threatening bowlers marking the gulf between the two sides. The Masters have at least been competitive this season, but showed little sign of such in this game.
Colts chose to bat on a decent wicket, but struggled initially, as Rai was caught easily by Henderson and Towns played an excessive waiting game against the quick bowlers. At lunch, with 30 overs gone, the Colts score stood at a timid 61 for two, with Towns barely scoring at one run an over, and though a brief spell against Henderson and Chandana gave hope of more aggression, Towns went back into his shell as he approached fifty. The stand of 77 probably helped the Colts effort, yet Henderson was cheered for reigniting the game when he trapped Towns lbw on 51. 20 runs was scored between Kerr and Butler before tea, and Colts stood well to make at least 300.
However, that required a feat of concentration which seemed beyond the Colts on alien ground. Butler and Cole fell meekly in successive overs, and the scoreboard read 178 for five, which should have been six when Hancock was dropped by Chandana a few overs later; instead Kerr began to attack the boundary, seamlessly taking the score past two hundred. However, Shane Bond managed a couple of wickets in his new ball spell to end the day, and Hancock and Weber would resume on 256 for seven.
Hancock dominated the morning despite a lack of extravaganza; sticking in for a massively important 78, he was then run out in a strange call, which left Wright and Thomas to struggle for the final wicket. This they managed well, adding 26, to leave every bowler except Bond with a solitary wicket, before attacking with venom during their new ball spell. They were unlucky to only combine for the one wicket, but Kerr caught Marshall on 29 to leave the Masters in a familiar position - with only Lara to save them. This he did well, however, save for a dropped catch on 7, as he was trying to smash the fast bowler Thomas out of the attack.
At tea, the Masters were 92 for two; Thomas' first over after lunch saw them at 99 for four, with Das bowled and Klusener lbw to decent deliveries. Lara was then caught by Fitzsimmons the next ball, and the Casston crowd expected to see another feeble effort. So it proved, despite Warne's 38; Thomas and Wright had saped the life-blood from the middle order, ensuring that the Colts resumed a good 174 runs ahead. With Bond conceding 30 runs off his four second-day overs, things looked as grim as the sky for the Masters as they resumed the third day's play.
The Colts' opening pairing has struggled on a few occasions this quarter, but fought back with a vengeance here. Rai and Fitzsimmons were a cut above the bowling, compiling 114 in an uneventful morning session, and with a 324-run lead on the board the Colts began to think of the declaration. The Masters were unable to pose resistance, despite Bond's regular smattering of wickets, and a fully deserved 110 from Fitzsimmons underlined both the quality of the young Colts batsman and the lack of such on the bowling side. Cole slashed a brutal 65 to keep things going, though the middle order yet again contributed little, before Henderson exploited the poor light conditions to grab Wilson caught at short leg and Weber lbw. Still, with a 530-run lead, there was little that could go wrong for the Colts, and they added a further 35 on the second morning to defend a huge target - which only got bigger when Farhat was caught first ball.
This led to the belief that the fourth day would be largely a formality. And indeed, the Colts did well enough to assure it was so; Lara and Chandana provided the most uncertainty during their 115-run stand, but the bowlers were ultimately too good and wrapped things up a little before stumps on the penultimate day. Thomas leads on fromn the front, with eight wickets today, but the main credit must go to the batsmen for toughing things out.
Cricket Web Colts 345 all out
Hancock 78, Butler 65, Towns 51; Bond 4/98
Masters XI 171 all out
Warne 38; Thomas 4/55, Wright 3/50
Cricket Web Colts 390 all out
Fitzsimmons 110, Cole 65, Rai 64; Henderson 4/94, Bond 4/134
Masters XI 285 all out
Chandana 93, Lara 53; Thomas 4/64, Weber 3/45, Wilson 2/37
Cricket Web Colts won by 279 runs
Man of the Match: B. C. Fitzsimmons (Colts)
Cricket Web Green vs Cricket Web Black
at CWBCC Stadium
Scorecard
Ball By Ball
After the debacle in the previous match, Smith chose to bat and put his opponents under pressure, a plan that backfired as early as the first over when Stedman was caught by Garven. Undeterred, however, Cloete smacked his first ball for six off Cunningham. Yet, despite it being a first morning and clouds, the Black second-wicket stand seemed in control until Corrin's leg breaks were brought on second change. That precipitated a disastrous crash. Cloete, Smith and Blackman all fell before they had reached their fifties, and by lunch Black were a relatively paltry 127 for four.
A couple more wickets from Cunningham and Mitchell brought hope to the home crowd, but Black, as always, build their success on deep batting. Dav Richards at eight came in with an effortless 49 in the afternoon session, and eventually top scored with 67. Coupled with Chaulk's 66, it was enough to take the team to a decent total, though not one that would inspire confidence.
As expected, however, Black created their chances, and only poor fielding ensured they weren't more in control as Green went off at 60 for one. Borcich was once again the standout bowler, and by removing Mamesh in the early morning, he gave Black a good advantage. Neil Pickup took the next three, warming up ahead of the next week's Test match, and Green predictably struggled at 149 for five. Borcich and Patrick took care of the tail, and suddenly there was little to worry about.
Another quiet fifty from Smith, along with big scores from Cloete and Stedman, ensured that the first innings was but a blip. By stumps, Black were effectively 325 for two, with plenty of firepower left. Thus day three became one of even more woe for Green; hundreds from Cloete and Chaulk put the results beyond a doubt, as Green were set 600 in seven sessions to win. This was naturally impossible, and despite fine resistance from Garven and Raftery, the spinners ensured a comfortable win.
Cricket Web Black 313 all out
Richards 67, Chaulk 66, Cloete 45; Cunningham 4/61, Rose 2/71, Corrin 2/74
Cricket Web Green 211 all out
Malone 71; Borcich 5/63, Pickup 3/39, Patrick 2/47
Cricket Web Black 495 for five declared
Cloete 130, Chaulk 109*, Smith 60, Stedman 46
Cricket Web Green 345 all out
Garven 96, Raftery 80; Richards 3/76, Pickup 3/88
Cricket Web Black won by 252 runs
Man of the Match: A. P. Chaulk (Cricket Web Black)
Red vs Blue postponed for a few hours.