Webbers make good use of rainy fixture
3-day Tour Match - Cricket Web XI vs Sri Lanka Cricket XI - Bloomfield C&AC Ground
The scorned Cricket Web XI fast men staked a claim for spots in the Test team with strong performances in a drawn result against Sri Lanka Cricket XI. Both Greg Thomas and Travis Demeza took 5-wicket hauls in the match, and the top order got invaluable batting practice heading into the second Test.
After the first 3 hours of the game were lost to rain, CW XI skipper Neil Pickup wasted no time in inserting the opposition when he won the toss. A surprisingly bouncy surface, freshened up by the rain, proved lively early on and the Webber pacers were a handful for the opening batsmen. It was an interesting competition, as Mahela Udawatte tried to combat the conditions with some aggressive strokeplay and flashed Demeza over third man for six in the second over. His pleasure was shortlived, however, and both he and his partner Paranavitana were out for minor starts.
Bad light and rain continued to tease the players, but CW XI pressed on the better, whilst Demeza and Thomas operated well in bursts between the showers. At stumps SLC XI slumped to 107-5 from the 22 overs they faced on the day. And on day two Demeza truly impacted. The ball consistently flew away to the boundary as his tearaway pace demanded, but he managed to hold his nerve and use the tricky pitch to his advantage. His first wicket of the day was that of Angelo Mathews for 41, then he took the next 4 in quick time as the hosts lost 5 wickets for 18 runs to end 177 all out.
CW XI then seemed intent on proving that the pitch was far from impossible to score on. After Mørk was dropped first ball behind the stumps, they settled in with ease against an experienced attack. Pete Young was reprieved on 32, and later brought up a workmanlike 50 from 102 balls. Mørk joined him soon after and together they pushed the score to 154 before separation. Thilan Thushara caught a thin edge of Mørk's bat and sent him on his way for 62. He was replaced by a confident Stephen Young, who strolled to 20 at stumps.
CW XI batted on on the final morning, content to get their eye in and acclimatise to Sri Lankan pitches. Pete Young celebrated an invaluable hundred and then switched to one-day mode in attempts to throw his wicket away. But the Sri Lankans dropped him three times before he was allowed to make way for Chris Butler, caught behind for 116. Stephen Young then accelerated past his half-century while Butler settled in with some good offside strokeplay. By the time Young picked out Paranavitana at mid-off, CW XI had amassed 313 and declared with 70 overs left in the game.
The time was used initially to take another look at the pair of Demeza and Thomas, and again they were on point early on. The latter bowled Udawatte first ball, and Demeza had Paranavitana dropped an over later. The batsmen then recovered some ground and SLC XI were well placed on 101-1 at the end of the 30th over. They faced the spin duo of Pickup and Richards, with neither bowler yet appearing confident in the conditions. Pickup got the benefit of a bit of luck to account for Kandamby (45), caught-and-bowled, and some brilliance from Ash Chaulk to pull off a one-handed stumping of Kapugedera (0) later in the over. Richards then produced a lovely arm ball to remove Paranavitana (47) and the innings began to wobble.
The home side stretched into the final session without further loss, but less than two hours short of the end they were shaken up by the returning Thomas. His pace and aggression pushed the batsmen back, after they had grown accustomed the slow bowlers, and in the space of 12 balls Thomas took 3 wickets to tempt final hour drama. For his 5th wicket of the innings he found the top edge of a Mathews hook shot and his partner in crime, Demeza took a good catch at fine leg. The tail was exposed and there for the breaking, but the Webbers could only prise out one more wicket before SLC XI closed the game with an honourable draw.
S. Lanka Cricket XI 1st Innings 177 all out
Mathews 41, Silva J.K. 41, Demeza 7-76, Thomas 2-48
Cricket Web XI 1st Innings 313 for 3 dec.
Young P.E. 116, Young S. 78, Thushara 2-79, Mathews 1-46
S. Lanka Cricket XI 2nd Innings 240 for 9
Paranavitana 47, Silva L.P.C. 47, Thomas 5-53, Richards 2-41
Match Drawn.