Monday 8th September
Cricket Web Blue vs Cricket Web Colts
5D - Manuel Ramprakash Trophy - PDV Dome
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
Cricket Web Colts romped to victory before lunch on day five to wrap a thoroughly dominant performance at the PDV Dome. From the time the Colts chose to bat first to the completion of the 10-wicket win, the Colts were in total control of the game. Alex Crampton dropped Bosco Fitzsimmons on 30 and it was an ominous sign for the Blues. They went on to suffer a partnership of 216 for the first wicket, as both he and Rai scored centuries to set up a massive total. Every Colts batsman dismissed scored double figures, and in total there were three centurions and two half-centurions contributing to a score of 583-7 declared. A highlight of the innings came late on, when Andy Pimpkins took on the tired Blue bowlers to race to a 32-ball fifty.
The response from the home team was similarly authoritative at the start, and they lost just the wicket of Stephen Young before heading to day two stumps on 76-1. The following day's effort was far less convincing. Tarick Weber flighted the ball expertly and collapsed the top order, and only Sam Morris kept his head above water on the sinking ship. He was forced to play his shots with the tail and began to approach another first-class hundred, but with 99 to his name, he failed to clear mid-off and was caught by Fitzsimmons. His was the last wicket to fall in the innings, and the Blues were asked to follow-on, all out for 236. The openers saw through the remaining overs without separation and added a surprisingly confident 96.
Again the Blues began to build some momentum and reached the heights of 165 before they lost their first wicket. Pete Young padded up to Weber and was lbw for 49. That wicket opened the door to the Colts and Greg Thomas. The fast man quickly dealt for Rob Cribb and Morris with full deliveries and hugely unsettled the top order. Stephen Young had just brought up a fine century, but looked a lonely man on an impossible mission. It was then a disconsolate shot that caused his demise- an ill-advised drive. The Blues crumbled to 278-7 at tea and the Colts stood on the verge of an impressive win. They were made to fight for that result, however, largely due to poor catching in the last session of the day. Crampton rode his luck in a counterattack and ultimately perished for 121 in a total of 389.
That left the Colts an over to negotiate on day four, in which Dan Rai cashed in with a straight driven boundary. The following day featured more of the same in an easy approach to the small target. The pick of the shots was a six, whipped off the hips by Fitzsimmons, and confirming a miserable game for Blue captain Travis Demeza.
Cricket Web Colts 1st Innings 583 for 7 dec.
Fitzsimmons 113, Rai 104, Collins 2-85, Demeza 2-159
Cricket Web Blue 1st Innings 236 all out
Morris 99, Young P.E. 35, Wilson 3-27, Weber 3-55
Cricket Web Blue 2nd Innings Following On 389 all out
Young S. 121, Crampton 121, Thomas 4-107, Wilson 2-63
Cricket Web Colts 2nd Innings 44 for 0
Rai 26*, Fitzsimmons 14*
Cricket Web Colts won by 10 wkts.
Man of the Match: MW Wilson (Colts)
Cricket Web Green vs Masters XI
5D - Manuel Ramprakash Trophy - CWBCC Stadium
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
In a bizarre twist, the spinners reigned on the opening days at CWBCC Stadium, but by the time Masters XI wrapped up a huge win, it was the faster contingent that stole the limelight. The Masters anticipated a deteriorating pitch, so they batted first upon winning the toss. In turn they faced a rather flat performance by Cricket Web Green, with the bowlers struggling to maintain any pressure on a clearly tame pitch. While Imran Farhat tonned up, it was quickly evident that the spinners would have the only major say on the surface.
At tea Masters XI had 202-2 and Corrin and Raftery took a wicket apiece. Post-tea, both spinners looked much more settled in their environment. While Raftery bowled accurately and flat, Corrin delighted in throwing the ball up and encouraging the Masters to attack. The combination paid off with a clatter of wickets and a collapse to 256-7. The Greens seemed to be on top for the first time in the game, when Corrin completed his 5-wicket haul, but they were met with stern resistance by Thomas Odoyo and Shane Warne. They did so to the tune of 135 runs and resumed control for the visitors. Neither batsman reached a century, but did enough to power a total of 403 all out. Corrin was then allowed to lead the exhausted Greens off the field with 8 wickets to his name.
Further trouble arrived immediately in the form of a snorter from Shane Bond, that jumped at Rob Malone and had him gloving to a legslip. The Masters were obviously keen for blood. It was a mild false warning, but after the seamers floundered, Warne settled into a rhythm and went on to bowl his way to an 8-for of his own. As their opponents had before them, the Greens fought back from 7 wickets down, and both Corrin (72*) and Cunningham (51) got significant scores. Still, by the time the last wicket fell, CW Green still trailed by 84 runs. That lead was quickly tested by the fall of Imran Farhat in the opening over, but there was no need to panic and thus no panic ensued.
The Masters XI calmly batted into an unassailable position, largely due to 109 by Lance Klusener in the middle order. Unlike the first innings, Corrin did not get the desired results from his line of attack, and instead bowled 30 overs for just 1 wicket. Raftery fared somewhat better with 3 wickets and tidy bowling, but there was not sufficient penetration to worry the visitors. Masters XI scored 434-6 and declared the innings closed, setting a monstrous 519 runs for CW Green to win. Five sessions remained in the game but it was never likely that the Greens would push that far. Malone (6) was again an early casualty and the innings began to take shape of the first. As wickets tumbled in the middle order, Mamesh tried to hit his team back into the game, but on 75 his luck ran out and he was caught easily at slip.
Down the order Callum Dinnen tried to regain some pride and close the margin of defeat, but his 51 was insignificant in the larger scheme of things, which saw the Greens shot out 274 short of the target.
Masters XI 1st Innings 403 all out
Farhat 100, Odoyo 81, Corrin 8-125, Raftery 2-52
Cricket Web Green 1st Innings 319 all out
Corrin 72*, Cunningham 51, Warne 8-73, Bond 2-61
Masters XI 2nd Innings 434 for 6 dec.
Klusener 109, Das 95, Raftery 3-86, McNamara E.A.P. 1-44
Cricket Web Green 2nd Innings 245 all out
Mamesh 75, Dinnen 51, Klusener 4-15, Bond 3-53
Masters XI won by 273 runs.
Man of the Match: L Klusener (Masters)
Cricket Web Black vs Cricket Web Red
5D - Manuel Ramprakash Trophy - Pickford Reserve
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
Two inexperienced lineups battled in Pickford, but the home team rose to the top with a 10-wicket win. While Cricket Web Black have looked a bit unsettled lately, they returned to dominant form to win a potentially tricky fixture. Before the close of the second day, the match was over.
The decision to bat first was a fair one for Cricket Web Red. After all the Pickford Reserve is always likely to deteriorate, so they sought to get the best of the batting conditions. Alas they were unsettled and undone by the experienced core of the CW Black attack. Nath Patrick and Nick Borcich dealt for the top order, then handed over to Dave Richards to bamboozle the remains of the batting order. Rob Dauth (66) and Zac Ritchie (29) aside, no one reached double figures or looked at all settled at the crease. Richards spun through the Red batting and finished with 6 for 18 while limiting the visitors to 148 all out.
The innings was wrapped in just over 50 overs, so CW Black had enough time to take the lead by the day end. It was not a particularly dominant first innings performance by the Blacks, but good enough to take control of the game. At the top of the order Ritchie supplied 48, but the Reds plugged away at the middle order and kept the game close at 180-7. It was then that König sought to launch into action. Seven fours and a six later, she had scored 51 from 35 balls and was primarily responsible for increasing the lead to a crucial 92. Indeed, in the context of a lowscoring game, the lead proved decisive.
Little more fight came from the Red camp the second time around, though four batsmen passed 9 to double the number of the first innings. Swaranjeet Singh (30) and Chris Dwyer (60) had to play their shots down the order to get any sort of reasonable score on the board, but all the Black bowlers got on the board and they were simply irresistible. CW Red were out for 173 and CW Black needed 82 to end the game. Ritchie and Burge took the opportunity to cut loose and chased the total in less than 12 overs.
Cricket Web Red 1st Innings 148 all out
Dauth 66, Z. Ritchie 29, Richards 6-18, Patrick 3-33
Cricket Web Black 1st Innings 240 all out
König 51, J. Ritchie 48, West 4-23, Amir 3-111
Cricket Web Red 2nd Innings 173 all out
Dwyer 60, Gray 38, Patrick 3-40, Borcich 3-43
Cricket Web Black 2nd Innings 83 for 0
Burge 50*, J. Ritchie 28*
Cricket Web Black won by 10 wkts.
Man of the Match: DP Richards (Black)