Monday 7th March
CW Green v CW Black
at the SCG
One of the most enthralling games in Dev League history saw Green pull off a very crucial win over Black despite a tremendous fightback by the home side. Black returned from 54/4 facing a first innings deficit of 210 to post a target of 199.
After the top order fell away, David Kearsley played his typical anchor role and Mike Wilson played another breezy hundred. Chaulk and Thompson made useful contributions, but a partnership of 93 runs for 9th wicket between Bhatia and Richards was the real source of Green frustration. Bhatia got to his first half-century of the season and helped the total past 400.
Green chased admirably, with nigh****chman Nathan Hoy the biggest impactor. He scored the only half-century in the innings and truly held things together for Green. Black had earlier won the toss and batted first in good conditions. Alas, they could not handle Timewell and Hoy striking form at the same time and fell to 147 all out.
In reply, every lineup change by Andrew Garven appeared a masterstroke. Malone was at his glorious best in getting a half-century at the top of the innings. Anthony Lezama was solid in the middle order and Nicholas Rose showed form in the lower order. Yet it was Verghese who really had a point to prove. Batting higher than he has all season, the veteran allrounder stroked a beautiful century among the total of 357 all out.
Cricket Web Black 1st Innings 147 all out
Cricket Web Green 1st Innings 357 all out
Cricket Web Black 2nd Innings 408 all out
Cricket Web Green 2nd Innings 200 for 6
Cricket Web Green won by 4 wkts.
Man of the Match: NS Hoy
CW Red v CW Blue
at the PDV Dome
A keenly contested game between two evenly matched teams ended in a tame draw. Cricket Web Red, set 308 runs to win in 54 overs, finished 136/3 at the close. Blue won the toss and batted first as has become the standard at home.
Camps was out for a duck and Fitzsimmons never got on top of the bowling, but Cloete's century at number 3 was inspiration enough for a score of 381 all out. Not to be discredited is Sean Fuller, who's unbeaten half-century really helped to push on. Dave Watt and David Kennett shared 7 wickets.
The Red reply was pretty solid overall. Zaid Ghansar's 91 in the opener's slot was the main push, but Mørk, Dauth, Dobson and Robbins all got starts. However, Red looked to be struggling slightly at 230/6. It was then that the spirit of Red cricket was truly displayed. Sean Bennett played an anchor role in a partnership of 103 with Nick Borcich, who scored a mature half-century. Red ultimately made 342.
Batting a second time, Blue heard the typical story from Fitzsimmons, who knocked a very classy century in 268/5 declared. At number 5, de Silva also contributed heavily, with 86 not out when Camps called things closed. The declaration was cautious, but considerations of the flat nature of the pitch and previous misfortune influenced the decision. Red started positively, but could not keep up the OD rate required and ultimately Mørk settled in for an unbeaten half-century.
Cricket Web Blue 1st Innings 381 all out
Cricket Web Red 1st Innings 342 all out
Cricket Web Blue 2nd Innings 268 for 5 dec.
Cricket Web Red 2nd Innings 136 for 3
Test Match Drawn.
Man of the Match: AP Cloete