Tour Match vs Combined Universities
CW departed on a tour of England and had their first three-day warm up match against the students. Several fringe players were given the opportunity to state their long-form credentials. Clark and Dong missed out with injury. The tourists bowled first on a lively surface.
Playing XI: Heads, REMOVED, Ballich, Spark, Riley, Dharan, Ikram, Hing, Noble, Howe, Phlegm
The Universities were soon outclassed as the CW back-up seamers wreaked havoc. Phlegm did the early damage, Noble was expensive but claimed two scalps, and Howe took two in two balls to leave the opposition in disarray at 67/7.
The damage was not done, and when Phlegm came back for his second spell he had two more in two balls, completing his five-for. When Howe got top-scorer Charlton to edge to slip, the rout was complete. The Universities were bowled out for just 76 in 24 overs.
The pitch proved tricky for the CWers to as REMOVED was bowled just before the lunch break, and after batting steadily Ballich got a leading edge to short leg. Heads and Spark trusted their natural game, and showed more aggression as they gained CW the lead. The pair batted until tea, as Heads passed 50.
Spark joined him in the eveing session with his own half-century, and Heads reached a solid 105 when Remmington dismissed him. The offspinner had been by far the students' best bowler and got Heads to edge behind with an hour left in the day. Spark soon followed, but Riley and Dharan saw CW to the close in full control at 271/4.
Dharan departed early in the morning, and after reaching 50 Riley was also dimissed. Thoughts of a comeback were quashed by Ikram and Hing's 50 partnership, but CW were disappointed to find themselves all out before lunch on day two.
Still, a lead of 318 was more than enough. Howe got the early breakthrough in the second innings, before Phlegm once again tore into the top order with three. Tunnicliff seemed to be the only resistance, but miscued a poor hook shot to Phlegm on the boundary for Howe's second.
Hing did at least get a bowl this time, coming on with the score reading 71-5. The left-armer struck with his second ball before the tail was polished off, Howe claiming five wickets and the students utterly destroyed. This time they had only managed to bat for 36.2 overs, and the match was completed in less than five sessions.
CW won by an innings and 231 runs
MotM - John Heads