Thursday 21st February
Cricket Web Blue v Cricket Web Red
PDV Dome
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
After being excluded from the Cricket Web XI Test squad, opener Thamba Mamesh unleashed his frustrations on Cricket Web Red in a dominant performance by Cricket Web Blue. Mamesh was typically brutal off the back foot and through the offside, consistently dispatching loose bowling by CW Red.
He was lucky to be dropped by Mork on 17 but offered no other chances while notching a double hundred on day one. A thunderous pull shot to the midwicket boundary signaled his milestone, and Mamesh faced only 241 balls to do so. The bulk of his innings came alongside Robert Cribb, CW Blue vice-captain, who scored a fine 101. Dave Watt was rewarded for hard work with a 5-wicket haul, bowling 35 overs in the innings.
Even Adam Collins (29) looked at ease at the crease, and after he was out, Travis Demeza rubbed salt into CW Red wounds by hitting 3 boundaries in an innings of 14. The Blues declared on 537-9, so the Reds faced 18 overs before day two stumps. The mini-session paid off for the home team, as they snatched the wicket of Aseem Sharma loosely swinging a short ball to deep square leg before he had scored.
The fans packed the Dome for the third day, forgiving their heroes for their shortfall against CW Green. And they were rewarded for their loyalty by a disciplined show with the ball. Demeza set the pace by enticing his opposite number into the same dismissal as Sharma, caught by Manan Shah for 11. The Blue seam bowlers were brilliant, but the unsung hero was spin bowler Ben Taylor. Following a disappointing first game he took the crucial wickets of David Kearsley (13) and Callum Thompson (5) in the morning session.
Rob Dauth was left to play the Lara role with his finest fervour. At number three he was the lone light in a dismal performance of 193. Dauth warmed up well for the New Zealand Test series with 112 runs, but he was the penultimate wickets as the Reds were asked to follow-on.
The Blues set about the second innings in the lead by 344 runs and seven sessions remaining in the game. Sharma (12) missed a ball that straightened from Collins, so Red hopes were again pinned on the broad shoulders of Mork and Dauth. The latter played shots becoming of his first innings form and his ****y swagger. But with 35 to his name he misjudged a single and run out by a Bowen direct hit. Mork and Kearsley battled to lunch with another solid partnership, then the former was out to Demeza again, bowled in the second over of the afternoon session. Taylor got Kearsley four balls later, trumped with a googly, and almost had Gray an over later.
But for all his good form, Gray could not make good his let-off, driving loosely at Shah for just 15. And when Shah got Nayak to edge to slip for 3, the Blues were well on top, needing 4 wickets and leading by 121 runs. The lower order and tail showed some spirit and fight, but ultimately succumbed to Taylor, all out for 281.
Cricket Web Blue 1st Innings 537 for 9 dec.
Mamesh 269, Cribb 101, Watt 5-131, Clapham 3-107
Cricket Web Red 1st Innings 193 all out
Dauth 112, Demeza 4-50, Collins 2-44
Cricket Web Red 2nd Innings Following On 281 all out
Mørk 75, Thompson 41, Taylor 3-56, Shah 2-36
Cricket Web Blue won by an innings and 63 runs.
Man of the Match: T Mamesh (Blue)
_________________________________________
Cricket Web Black v Cricket Web Colts
Pickford Reserve
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
Cricket Web Colts captain Kyle Wright made a sporting declaration on day five, giving Cricket Web Black a target of 154 in 24 overs. It was the highlight of a dull game, dominated by batsmen, but resigned to a draw largely due to poor weather.
The heavens over Pickford have not been kind to the Blacks this season, and again it denied them opportunity to drive home a strong position. In the end they finished on 121-1, adrift by 33 runs in their unlikely chase. But the Colts also showed that they are no pushovers and are still in serious contention for the five-day title. Though they were asked to bat on a gloomy opening day, they fought through for the loss of only 5 wickets and went on to post a challenging 395 as the weather improved.
Much depended on James Griffen on day one. He was dropped by Chaulk before he had scored - the first of three lives - and scored 72 off 99 with good effect in difficult conditions. On day two the focus shifted to Chris Butler and his impressive 96, typified by good judgment outside offstump. With CW XI teammate Mike Wilson (75) he added 131, and CW Colts recovered from 153-5 to 395 all out. Even after Butler was out, Hancock continued the good work and notched another half-century in his impressive season. For the Blacks Nath Patrick glittered on his return to five-day cricket. He was made to work hard, but bowled good lines and finished with 5 wickets at good economy.
CW Black lost their captain to the first ball of their reply, and Kyle Wright soon sent Arnold back for 22. But they delighted in the shoddy glovework of Shan Jasotharan, posting 216 for the third wicket. Jasotharan dropped Blackman twice in his innings, the first time coming when he had just 9. Blackman threatened a second successive hundred, but played on to Weber on 99 to break the huge partnership. Weber quickly had Armstrong for 12, and the Colts began to creep back into the game.
The big wicket of Cloete came via a direct hit from Thomas in the deep, after he had scored a chanceless 134. As the innings came undone, Chaulk and Richards worked to put on another 67 runs. And after they were separated, Richards continued to shepherd the tail and carry CW Black into the lead by 58 runs.
The Colts began their second innings in the final hour of day four. The first chance Griffen (2) offered was held by Richards and they went to stumps at 29-1. On the fifth day the Blacks took over an hour to take their first wicket, and were denied inroads by some hardnosed battling. Daniel Towns scored 74 not out, having been dropped on 42, and put on 110 with Butler (53) for the third wicket. As time wound down, Wright called his players in with less than two hours remaining in the game.
He agreed with Smith to liven up the game with a sporting target. CW Black went after the total from the start. Arnold pulled Thomas over midwicket for six in the first over, then cut Wright over point for four in the second. But the Colts switched to Twenty20 field placements and tactics, using Tarick Weber to particularly good effect. The Black openers found difficulty in maintaining such high intensity against defensive fields, and still needed 33 runs from the last over. Wright pitched up a slower ball to Arnold, trapping him lbw for 53, and the captains agreed on calling the game off without completing the over. Smith was unbeaten on 66.
Cricket Web Colts 1st Innings 395 all out
Butler 96, Wilson 75, Patrick 5-69, Pickup 2-80
Cricket Web Black 1st Innings 453 all out
Cloete 134, Blackman 99, Wright 4-109, Weber 2-92
Cricket Web Colts 2nd Innings 211 for 4 dec.
Towns 74*, Butler 53, Patrick 2-55, Borcich 1-48
Cricket Web Black 2nd Innings 121 for 1
Smith 66*, Arnold 53, Wright 1-27
Match drawn.
Man of the Match: NL Patrick (Black)
_________________________________________
Masters XI v Cricket Web Green
Casston Reserve
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
The Masters XI staged a dramatic turnaround and thumped Cricket Web Green by 253 runs at their home ground. After trailing on first innings and struggling at the start of their second, the Masters rose to the occasion and earned their title against the stunned Greens.
Xavier Rose got the match off to a flying start as he rocked the Masters top order with the wickets of Ed Smith and Brian Lara for single figures. Having been asked to bowl first, the Greens looked energized in limiting the score ot 28-3. Damien Martyn was then dropped, the most expensive tradition of the season, and carried on from 4 to play his role in recovery. He scored 53 and then gave way to Dale Benkenstein, who offered a chance to Cunningham when he had 3. The big allrounder dropped that catch too, and Benkenstein (91) ******ed Inzamam-ul-Haq to a richly deserve hundred.
Again the Greens fought back, most notably through new captain Mat Mitchell's efforts of 4-79. At the start of his spell he looked nervous, but he came back well and was good support for Rose, who ended with 4 wickets of his own. The Masters XI were bowled out for 333 early on day two, and the Greens batted comfortably to lunch at 47-0.
Anthony Lezama scored 49 in an opening partnership of 122 with Rob Malone jr. He was bowled by Klusener and followed quickly by Nick Scott (1), leaving Malone to be star in the innings. Secondary roles were played Martyn Corrin (30) and Bryce Cunningham (49), but he spotlight shone brightly on a maiden hundred by young Malone. He carried on to 160 before he made his first real mistake and padded up to Streak. Of the tail Rose hit 2 sixes in an attractive 32, and CW Green ultimately took the lead by 45 runs.
The pressure was on the Masters when they lost Jones (1) and Lara (3) cheaply again. Smith was run out on 36, leaving his team in disarray at 67-3. Once more Martyn was put down before he got going - on 23 - and Halsey missed a chance to run him out on 28. It was another shocking episode in a very poor game for the legspinner, who went wicketless after being discarded from the Test squad. Martyn tacked on a second half-century in the game in partnership with Inzamam worth 125 runs.
Mitchell broke the partnership and opened up the game spectacularly, dismissing both batsmen and Klusener in the 59th over. The next over Rose tricked Benkenstein with a slower ball, but Cameron could not quite hold onto the ball diving full stretch forward at mid-on. He was then on five and batting with Streak at the head of the Masters tail. Benkenstein grew in confidence and dominated partnerships for the last four wickets.
By the time Henderson was out - Mitchell's fourth wicket - the score was 294-9 and Rankin arrived at the crease. Only 1 run was added when Benkenstein nicked a Mitchell outswinger, but Lezama dropped a soft chance at knee height. The Greens stood in disbelief for a while, disappointed by the miss, and very much unprepared for the 95-run partnership that unfolded for the last wicket.
Rankin gave difficult chances throughout his innings, but lasted 71 balls in aid of his established and senior partner. Benkenstein took his cue to accelerate and did so seamlessly to reach a brilliant hundred. Nothing that the Greens tried seemed potent, until Mitchell ended the frustration with a clever slower ball to remove Benkenstein for 137. The Masters XI had scored 389 after the last 4 wickets produced 196, and CW Green needed a challenging 345 to win the game.
The Greens started with 20 overs to play on day four, but quickly prayed for the intervention of stumps. By the time the umpires called the end of play, they had lost 8 wickets with only 64 runs whittled off the target. Only Lezama, of the top order, scored double figures, and only Cunningham remained to inspire hope for the visitors. Rankin, undoubtedly buoyed by his long innings, took 5 of the wickets in a fiery opening spell.
The Masters entered the fifth day looking to wrap things up quickly. They were met with stern resistance by Cunningham, however. As much as could be said of 38 from 97 balls. He finally misjudged a hook shot and was caught in the deep, then Warne ended the innings by bowling Mitchell for 1.
Masters XI 1st Innings 333 all out
Inzamam-ul-Haq 104, Benkenstein 91, Rose 4-52, Mitchell 4-79
Cricket Web Green 1st Innings 378 all out
Malone 160, Cunningham 49, Warne 3-77, Rankin 3-89
Masters XI 2nd Innings 389 all out
Benkenstein 137, Inzamam-ul-Haq 73, Mitchell 5-94, Cunningham 4-81
Cricket Web Green 2nd Innings 91 all out
Cunningham 38, Rankin 5-51, Streak 2-6
Masters XI won by 253 runs.
Man of the Match: WB Rankin (Masters)