Cricket Web Colts vs Cricket Web Green
at the CWBCC Stadium
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
Cricket - the game of glorious uncertainties - was rarely more true to its billing than in the recent encounter at the CWBCC Stadium. It is not often that a game lasts less than 3 days and proves to be both engaging and thrilling. But for the Colts, this was a tale of record lows and glorious highs, as the Greens were stunned by a sensational comeback.
Zack Gelman set the pace for a spectacular opening day. His hat-trick dealt with the likes of Malone, Rodgie and Garven, and triggered a dramatic collapse from 80-1 to 96-6. It took a concerted effort of 47 off 50 balls from Darren Dubb-Lynch to revive the score, and even so, it only reached the point of 181 all out.
Whatever doubts there may have been about the involvement of the pitch in the drama were quickly cast aside. Pooja Bharat was the only Colts player to reach double figures, and a stunning performance saw a record low total of 44 all out. The Colts failed to bat out the 25th over, and amazingly surrendered a lead of 137 runs on first innings.
The third innings of the match began in the evening of the first day's play, and with late breakthroughs by Gelman and Weber, a total of 22 wickets fell on the day.
The Greens resumed on the second day with a lead of 202 runs and 8 wickets in hand. It seemed that the Colts were due for a huge defeat and substantial embarrassment. But they never lacked faith. The home team lost wickets at inopportune moments, collapsing from 100-3 to 164 all out in the space of 22 overs.
It meant that the Colts would face a target of 302 to seal a most famous victory. Yet with demons still present and potent, Malthus-Howell's early demise was hardly welcome. At 4-1 the Colts had lost their last 11 wickets for 42 runs.
Towns and Das recovered past the first innings total with careful and steady batting, but by the time both had been dismissed, the score read 75-3. The Colts needed 227 more runs with 7 second innings wickets in hand. A mountain to climb, but a task that was met with a spectacular fightback.
Rodgie missed a difficult chance off Bharat on 7, and the Greens paid heavily for the mistake. Bharat went on to play the innings of her career, partnered by Nayak in an unbeaten guard of 227 runs. It was the way in which the two gradually grew stronger in faith in success that was most inspirational.
And by the time Bharat clipped the ball to the legside for her 124th run, it hardly seemed to matter that Nayak was left stranded on 99. The Colts had achieved the seemingly impossible. Rising from the ashes of 44 all out, the Colts sealed a 7-wicket win.
Cricket Web Green 1st innings 181 all out
DY Dubb-Lynch 47, M Gaukroger 42, RJ Malone 40; ZE Gelman 5-49
Cricket Web Colts 1st innings 44 all out
P Bharat 14; BC Cunningham 4-12, XPA Rose 4-14
Cricket Web Green 2nd innings 164 all out
RJ Malone 42, RJ Hing 29*; TV Weber 4-22
Cricket Web Colts 2nd innings 302-3
P Bharat 124*, G Nayak 99*
Cricket Web Colts won by 7 wickets.
(Wo)Man of the Match: P Bharat