Scorecard
Ball by Ball
Cricket Web XI vs New Zealand
Game 6 - CWBCC Stadium
A mixed return to international cricket for Dave Watt resulted in a Man of the Match award and victory by 7 runs for the Cricket Web XI. Watt scored an unbeaten 37, then took 3 crucial wickets to seal the result.
The Webheads elected to bat first after Neil Pickup won the toss. Early progress was quickly stunted, however, as Ash Chaulk was run out in the first over. When Rob Dauth was caught behind off Shane Bond soon after, the score read a shaky 23-2.
Chris Butler joined Daniel Towns and the two decided the best measure of reconciliation to be attack. Both batsmen played with great fluency against the New Zealand seamers, and the score raced along to 101-2 at the end of the 15th over.
In an effort to halt the momentum, Stephen Fleming turned to the spin of Daniel Vettori. He was immediately rewarded, and both Butler and Towns perished in Vettori's first over. When he followed up with the wicket of Dinu DeSilva, it seemed the spinner was set to tear through the Cricket Web XI batting.
Scott Styris then snared Sean Fuller with a slower ball and the Webheads were struggling at 138-6.
As is his title, Marc Robbins charged to the rescue once again. The veteran batsman looked in fine form for his 39 off 36 balls, but was the second victim of four run outs in the innings. Contributions from Rose, Patrick and Pickup were useful, but it was the careful innings of Watt that held things together in an unlikely score of 253-9.
Having achieved a decent score to bowl at, the Webheads took to the field energetic once more. They consolidated with the early wicket of Fleming, caught sharply at second slip off Nath Patrick.
Nathan Astle and Hamish Marshall then began to forge a strong partnership for the second wicket. The stand seemed as though it would swing the game entirely the way of the Kiwis, but at 122, captain Pickup came to the rescue with Marshall's wicket.
In perhaps his best bowling form, the ginger legspinner followed up with the wicket of Astle to open the game up once more at 169-3.
Fuller then seized his opportunity to make his first substantial contribution at international level. Bowling a steady line and length with clever changes of pace, the allrounder claimed the wickets of Peter Fulton and Scott Styris relatively cheaply.
The requirement was then 70 runs off the final 57 deliveries of the innings, with 5 wickets intact. Some 16 runs were procured of the next 2 overs, then Watt was recalled to the attack, only to surrender 13 from his first over back.
A 2-run over from Fuller gave Pickup the courage to try Watt again for the 46th, and he was rewarded with the first of a 3-wicket burst. Joined by Patrick, the death bowling was full, straight and largely impressive. Bond and Mason collected a six each in the final two overs, but could only score 7 of the required 14 off Watt's final over of the innings.
Cricket Web XI 253-9 (50 overs)
DP Towns 48, MJ Robbins 39, DJ Watt 37*
DL Vettori 3-48
New Zealand 246-9 (50 overs)
NJ Astle 87, HJH Marshall 46, RL Taylor 29
DJ Watt 3-53, NL Patrick 2-47, NS Pickup 2-54
Cricket Web XI won by 7 runs.
Man of the Match: DJ Watt - 37*, 3-53
. Especially to towns its well deserved.
