Horse & Hound
Classic Matches: CW Red vs CW Colts FC - 11th September
by Abhinav Shankar
Thrilling-run chases. Close victories. Despair and defeat. Old-timers, new-stars. Season Nine of the Cricket Web Development League Season was arguably the best yet, with five teams participating, all of them wanting to be the best. There were some classic encounters, and Horse & Hound is there to re-live some exceptional matches, that had other nations looking in awe at the immense talent in the Webhead state system.
CW Red vs CW Colts FC - 11th September
Red - Mørk, Dobson, Dauth, Markus, Robbins(c), Gray, G.N. Nayak, Loganathan, Watt, Cameron, Kennett
Colts - Mamesh, Hancock, Towns, Malthus-Howell, Cook, Jasotharan, Tucker, G. Nayak, Comley, Thomas, Wright(c)
The first match of Season Nine lived up to the hype. On paper, it looked as though Cricket Web Red had it over the Colts, with a fearsome bowling attack and an experienced batting line-up. There were an incredible nine debuts for the just-formed Colts with only Daniel Towns and newly-crowned captain/former red-paceman Kyle Wright. Much fuss had been made on the weak Colts team, and questions were asked on whether they deserved to compete against such high quality opposition sides. The only thing the Colts had going for them was the Reds knew little about most of the players on the opposition, and that certainly proved to be a huge advantage.
Skipper Marc Robbins won the crucial toss, and decided to bat. Openers Dobson and Mørk walked out to the middle. Wright came streaming in, delivered a ball just outside off-stump... which Mørk duly left. The score was on 52, when Hancock bowled a superb delivery which Mørk could only nick and it was held by `keeper Jasotharan. The rest of the Reds side struggled against the new bowling attack and were out for a mere 252. Only Dobson really made an impact with a patient 85. Opening bowler Thomas took the figures for the Colts taking 4/54, three of whom were Dauth, Markus and Robbins.
Cricket Web Red - 252 AO off 83.3 (Dobson 85, H. Mørk 30, Thomas 4/54)
The untested pairing of Mamesh and Hancock started things well for the Colts with an opening stand of 67, with dashing strokeplay from Mamesh in particular who was striking them at better than a run a ball. But Loganathan went right through Hancock, out for 31, and Mamesh followed soon after. Loganathan and Nayak went on to wreck the Colts innings and had them done for 226. Considering Watt and Kennett were reasonably unpenetrative, this effort was all the more great, as the Reds showed they would not easily be beat. Brother on the opposition, G. Nayak, kept the score respectable with an unbeaten 44 which included a towering six off his namesake.
Cricket Web Colts - 226 AO off 73.5 (G. Nayak 44*, Mamesh 35, Hancock 31, Loganathan 4/45, G.N. Nayak 4/60)
The Reds set out to bat again, knowing a score of around 200+ should be enough to get them home, on a pitch that was getting steddily better for the bowlers. However, Wright and Thomas had fired up, and they rocked the Reds. Dobson was the first to go, padding up to Wright and gone for 2 in the third over. Mørk struggled against bowlers he knew little of, and Thomas went right through him when on 10. Only Dauth offered much reply, as the Reds were shattered, gone for only 152 and every Colt that bowled a ball got a wicket.
Cricket Web Red - 152 AO off 52.2 (Dauth 43, Wright 3/37)
The Colts only needed 179 to win on the third day, but conditions were cloudy and the experienced duo of Kennett and Watt were steamed up and out for blood, and maybe even a few wickets. Their intimidating short-pitched bowling shook up the Colts. Mamesh was out to Kennett in only the second over and Hancock joined him soon after, with only 14 on the board. Towns had no answer to Watt`s bouncer, and gloved it to the `keeper, gone for 5. After smacking Kennett for a big six, Cook was caught brilliantly by Dobson and the K-man got his revenge. The score was 29/4, and the Reds were well on their way to producing an outstanding victory.
Big-talking Jasotharan joined Malthus-Howell in the middle in what would be a telling partnership. They put on 72 as Jasotharan decided attacking was the best form of defense, smacking 47 off 43. But Kennett and Watt came steaming back, reducing the Colts from 150/6, to 150/9 and Malthus-Howell departed with a well made 50. Captain Kyle Wright joined debutant Thomas in the middle, and they showed that what they could do bowling, they could do batting twice as well. Their partnership of 29 won their team the game, as Thomas stole a single off Cameron. The ground erupted, as the Colts players burst onto the field embracing both Thomas and Wright, who had starred in the match with bat, ball and brains.
Cricket Web Colts 179/9 off 60 (Malthus-Howell 50, Jasotharan 47, Kennett 6/51, Watt 3/52)
The Reds were shattered, with captain Marc Robbins clearly down-heartened. Apart from Dobson`s innings, the batting was woeful, but he could look at his players bowling performances as inspiration. It certainly proved a good lesson to the other Development League sides, as the Cricket Web Colts boldly proclaimed that they belonged at the top level, and could match it with anyone.
Cricket Web Red 1st Innings 252 all out
Cricket Web Colts 1st Innings 226 all out
Cricket Web Red 2nd Innings 152 all out
Cricket Web Colts 2nd Innings 179 for 9
Cricket Web Colts won by 1 wicket.
