Cricket Web Blue vs Cricket Web Colts
at the Fardin Qayyumi CC
Scorecard
Commentary
Thrills all around, culminating in a 22-run win for Cricket Web Blue over the Cricket Web Colts. McKern took the final two wickets of the match, sealing a tight and extremely entertaining game between two understrength teams.
But the stars of the game with Travis Demeza and Greg Thomas. Thomas took 10 wickets in the game, including a 7-wicket haul, but Demeza went two better. The fast bowler dramatically bowled the Blues back into the match with his 7 for 44 in the first innings, then did the same again, producing 5 for 109 the second time around.
The Blues batted first and saw Matt Smith ride his luck consistently on his way to 34 off 25 balls in the opening spot. He was dropped twice and survived a close lbw shout to his first ball, but proved effective in the role. Young and Cloete failed to get going, but the fight of the Blues was still evident with the lesser batsmen. Armstrong and Cribb contributed solidly, then Gareth Gooljar played well enough to survive 116 balls in scoring 38 crucial runs.
CW Blue reached 211 all out - a useful score given the team composition. The Blues were then met with the resolve of the Colts, however. James Malthus-Howell and Pooja Bharat started exceptionally with a partnership of 56 at stumps. They resumed after a rain delay on day two and progressed to 66-0.
It was then that Demeza stepped in. Bowling with fire and under cloudy skies, he produced an incredible spell of 6 for 16 to totally dismantle the Colts. Stephen Burke and Dan Rai recovered slightly, but the Colts were all out for 125 in stunning fashion.
Matt Smith then took to the middle again and seemed intent on repeating his first innings heroics. He blagged his way to 23 off 18 balls, then nicked a booming drive through to Burke behind the stumps. Thomas then followed with the wicket of Young, but Cloete and Armstrong played well to add 75 for the third wicket. Armstrong's was the central performance of the innings. He scored his maiden FC half-century in just his second game, and his first since his return to the Dev League.
Cribb and Collins also played crucial roles, however, scoring 17 and 18 respectively. It was Gooljar, however, who held the lower order together once more. On this occasion he took his bat out for 32 and guided CW Blue to 227 all out.
The Colts faced a target of 314 for victory and needed a bright start again. They received it too. Malthus-Howell and Bharat improved on their first innings and took the score to 76-0 before the latter was trapped in front by Collins. Both Nayak and Gelman got starts, but perished at crucial moments.
Still, at 156-3, the Colts seemed marginally on top of the chase. Smith dealt with Jasotharan for 10 - a questionable umpiring decision - and the game was a more balanced 179-4. With captain Nick Hancock batting well and Malthus-Howell having breezed to his half-century, the game seemed to be swaying once again.
At 225-4, 89 runs were needed with 6 wickets in hand. Enter Demeza...again. A mistimed pull by Hancock nestled into the hands of midwicket, then a blazing yorker smashed Burke's toe and then his middle and leg stumps. Demeza then procured the wicket of Malthus-Howell, disappointingly in the same way Hancock had gone soon before.
The opener walked off for a brilliant 86, but it seemed he took the game with him - 254 for 7. Demeza pressed on and Matt Pitt lost his middle stump in the charge. Collins then replaced a tired Demeza, much to the relief of the Colts. With the change of pace, they pushed forward to 36 runs short of the target.
But McKern produced a beautiful away-swinger and accounted for Rai. Thomas biffed two boundaries to provide a scare, but when he attempted to pull another, he just succeeded in skying the ball for mid-on to take a good catch.
Cricket Web Blue 1st innings 211 all out
GS Gooljar 38, MS Smith 34, RGEWS Cribb 30; TV Weber 3-32, GM Thomas 3-66
Cricket Web Colts 1st innings 125 all out
JB Malthus-Howell/P Bharat 29, SJ Burke 19; TJ Demeza 7-44, MS Smith 2-22
Cricket Web Blue 2nd innings 227 all out
GAJ Armstrong 56, AP Cloete 35, GS Gooljar 32*; GM Thomas 7-74
Cricket Web Colts 2nd innings 291 all out
JB Mathus-Howell 86, P Bharat , NR Hancock 30; TJ Demeza 5-109, CD McKern 2-28
Cricket Web Blue won by 22 runs.
Man of the Match: TJ Demeza