*Official* Season XIV Discussion and Results

lololol

David said:

FC was a win, promising signs, great showing from Jamee & Rob. Solid performance, can improve though.

OD, well, it's just OD. Nothing to worry about there.

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Pretty much. I must work on my wayward bowling to be honest. I'm getting wickets, which is a positive, but at an unacceptable average.

Injury Update

In a suspected depression-related incident, Yngwie Fjermestad has suffered a facial injury and will miss 1 match.

Masters XI batsman Dale Benkenstein will miss 5 games with a torn groin muscle.

Mr Mxyzptlk said:

Masters XI batsman Dale Benkenstein will miss 5 games with a torn groin muscle.

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Dale must be spending too much time eating caramel slice with Volteh.

Mr Mxyzptlk said:

In a suspected depression-related incident, Yngwie Fjermestad has suffered a facial injury and will miss 1 match.

Masters XI batsman Dale Benkenstein will miss 5 games with a torn groin muscle.

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Bosco gets a chance to impress in List A then.

dontcloseyoureyes said:

Dale must be spending too much time eating caramel slice with Volteh.

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It's the breakfast (and late-night supper) of champions.

Some observations on the first quarter:

- Andrew Garven working hard to take his "best to never be capped" title to a whole new level. That, especially given the strong chase of Dan Smith.
- Teams should name night-watchmen.
- Tarick Weber seems to have come of age in one-day cricket now that Jack McNamara is not their to share the spin duties. A much better bowler with better control and some potency.
- Jack McNamara has been royally screwed over by fate. CW Green has too many spin options, even without Paddy Gundry, and McNamara seems to be too nervous/under pressure to perform as he once did for CW Colts. Also, he's ideally a tidy spinner, but in practically every spell this season he's started well and then been taken apart after 4-5 overs. Symptomatic of poor pitches for spinners.
- Travis Demeza could become one of the first bowlers to be dropped from his club side while being the best bowler for his country. That, especially as the captain of his club. Hoping this won't happen though. He's a star.
-. This time last season Adam Collins was a fixture for club and a hot prospect for country. Now he's been dropped for club and out of the frame (it seems) for country.
- Dan Smith needs to bowl more if he's going to challenge for the spot that Camps will leave open in the ODI side. That said, Fuller isn't bowling at all these days in OD. Smith still needs to bowl well.
- Heath Davis could given Demeza's CW-XI-fastest-to-50-wickets a good chase if he played for any other team.

Inactivity Check (1st Quarter)

NB - Storer will be soft inactive until he properly shows activity.
In other news, Blues taking a beating.

NB - Aseem Sharma is close to soft inactivity.

* soft inactive
If these players are not picked during the second quarter, they will not suffer a skill loss. However, if they do not return before the end of the quarter, they will be deemed fully inactive. And note that the CWBCC will monitor posting to ensure that there's not a casual check-in strategy employed.

Good win. Hopefully, this is a start for strong performances to come. Happy with my bowling so far; wished I could've batted higher up the order in most matches. Guess that'll have to wait before I establish myself.

Mr Mxyzptlk said:

Some observations on the first quarter:

- Andrew Garven working hard to take his "best to never be capped" title to a whole new level.

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Hopefully i can keep it up

As I've retired from First Class/Dev League, do I take a hit in skill, or are you happy that I'm still 'active'?

And just who is Rusty Downpipes if he's active? Want to buy this guy a pint. Leg-end.

His username on cricsim is Rusty, I assume it's the same here.

So this means that if Armstrong checks in and posts a few times, he won't be considered active straight away? Might not bother with him if so, got Speirs, Ritchie and Burgey who can all do a job. He's been in woeful form anyway.

HeathDavisSpeed said:

As I've retired from First Class/Dev League, do I take a hit in skill, or are you happy that I'm still 'active'?

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No, I think we can make an exception here as you're sticking around keeping sharp in Grade. Not sure what use it'll do you, though I guess it gets the girls going.

dontcloseyoureyes said:

So this means that if Armstrong checks in and posts a few times, he won't be considered active straight away?

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He'll be considered active as soon as he establishes activity. That could be done with a couple of posts. But if he disappears again right after, CWBCC will review his status again.

Mr Mxyzptlk said:

In a suspected depression-related incident, Yngwie Fjermestad has suffered a facial injury and will miss 1 match.

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The pills don't work

happy do be doing well overall for the colts, chipping in with runs, taking wickets and keeping it tight in both forms...pity my former spin partner is taking a beating over at greens, wish him the best

gutted to be only valued 3 !

overall us colts can't complain! long live the Colts

Mr Mxyzptlk said:

No, I think we can make an exception here as you're sticking around keeping sharp in Grade. Not sure what use it'll do you, though I guess it gets the girls going.

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Was hoping to sell my skill on Trade Me/eBay. If my skill had been slashed, then i'd have to sell a kidney; so it's all good.

Poor stuff so far this season.

Cricket Web Black vs Cricket Web Colts
at Pickford Reserve

Scorecard
Ball By Ball

In the match of the round, the willow-wielders held sway for most of the game, despite weather and pitch conditions being generally pronounced awful for batsmen. The bowlers simply could not work out the defences, as there were excellent knocks on show from Towns, Stedman, Kerr, Smith and Cole.

Cricket Web Colts were inserted, as heavy clouds surrounded Pickford and three international bowlers were sure to exploit this. However, despite a good start from Borcich, who removed both openers cheaply, Kerr and Towns found the going surprisingly easy amid the gloom. In 17.2 overs between Rai's dismissal and tea - rain had taken away the remainder - they added 77 runs, including four sixes, of which two came off Richards' innocuous early spell.

Kerr should have been lbw on 53, but with the help of the umpires, the Colts marched on. Towns looked imperious, though he had lost some of his attacking intent from earlier in the day, while Kerr also looked unthreatened despite countless bowling changes. Despite that, only five bowlers were used on the first day, on which Colts went back at 185 for two.

More clouds were in store on the morning of day two, yet Kerr took Borcich' first over for nine, and both batsmen reached their hundreds in successive overs. That also marked the 200 partnership - Richards, who had come on for Borcich, broke it a couple of minutes later, as Kerr smashed one to Donald. Black were on top for the remainder of the session, but the pressure only resulted in one wicket, as Butler was caught by Smith at the stroke of lunch.

Smith's fielding form didn't last. Dylan Cole was dropped second ball - a particularly crucial drop, as it turned out. Smith did get Towns out with his second ball, but Cole survived another drop and a hearty, funky appeal from Patrick, as he reached 40 at tea. By then the score had reached 376 for seven, and though Black created plenty of chances in the afternoon, they needed 26 more overs to wring out the last Colts batsman.

Black had conceded 467 runs in a rather flat display of bowling, with even the tail providing plenty of sting. Closing on 10 for no loss at the end of the first day, Smith and Stedman braved a not too testing display from Thomas and Wright, before going on the attack. Stedman was particularly audacious; he launched Weber for four shots in one over, of which two were dropped and two went for six. At lunch, Black had recovered to 134 for nought, and were looking good for a first innings lead.

Much of the same followed after lunch, though Stedman reined in his attacking intent as he neared his century. It was to be his undoing. Prodding cautiously at an innocuous delivery from Rai, he dribbled an edge back to the bowler, who took the catch inches off the ground. The opening stand was broken at 182, but Colts had barely began to bite at Black's batting.

They were ground further towards tea. With the sun coming out, Smith and Cloete littered the boundaries at leisure, though Thomas provided some threat with his quicker balls just before tea. Yet, they had added a further 58 for no loss, with 106 runs coming in the second session.

Smith brought up his hundred by sweeping Weber half an hour into the evening, with Cloete having raced to fifty at the other end. However, he clearly struggled to score, and when Hancock had him lbw on 104, there were sighs of relief around the ground; the scoring rate could be upped and the victory could be forced. Cloete did so just before the new ball arrived, slashing Hancock for three fours as the allrounder's bowling had once again been reduced to cannon-fodder.

At 321 for two, Wright naturally sought the new ball. It initially helped little. Cloete collected a near run-a-ball hundred, and it looked as though Black would control their way to a record score. However, the change bowlers did the trick with an older ball, as Blackman and Cloete were dismissed in successive overs.

At close of play, Black trailed by 84 runs, and despite the fall of two wickets, the talk around Pickford still centered around the timing of a declaration. Most agreed that Black would have to bat out the day to have a chance, and Chaulk and Speirs provided the runs. A fine display of hitting got the total up to 500 before lunch, buoying the crowd.

Just after lunch, Thomas provided the breakthrough, as Chaulk launched a shot to mid on and was gratefully held by Wilson. Yet, Speirs stood solid, collecting his hundred with a single before launching Hancock for six a little later in the over. Weber found some threat with the second old ball, as the footmarks finally came to the fore, but only got the one wicket to show for it, while Dylan Cole had Speirs lbw with his sixth ball.

Black's lead was a little over a hundred at tea, and the aim was now to get quick runs. Instead, Weber and Wilson cleaned up the tail, helped by a vibrant Bosco Fitzsimmons at lone slip, who took three catches. Black lost their final three wickets for 15, leading by 135, as the Colts began their chase of possible winning runs.

This should have provided exciting cricket. Instead, Rai and Fitzsimmons struggled. A couple of streaky shots off Patrick, who had the batsmen playing but rarely found the edge, were the highlight of the new ball spell, but the boundaries came quickly when Pickup and Donald was brought on, leaving Smith with a conundrum. He solved it by bringing back Borcich for a final three-over burst; Rai smashed his first ball for six, missed the second, and thumped the third down Smith's throat. One down for 61.

No further wicket was taken on the fourth day, and with clouds gathering again around Pickford on the morrow, the match looked certain for a draw. Richards was given the first over of the day, but Fitzsimmons showed admirable attacking intent, smashing three fours over cover. At the other end, Towns remained stubbornly on one, and his dabbed single off Patrick in the seventh over of the day was met with ironic cheers. However, the cheers subsided as Towns hit Patrick's next over for eleven. More rain then brought an early lunch, as Colts closed on 111 for one.

Again it was the part-timers who came up with the breakthrough. Fitzsimmons was held at square leg after a hapless hoik off Speirs, but this brought Towns and Kerr, the heroes of the first innings, together. They weren't to stay there for long, however; Richards' arm ball gave Pickup a grateful chance at long on, which he was not about to squander. Butler was then dropped second ball after giving a return catch, yet justice was done shortly afterwards, as Pickup held another catch in the deep. Four down, with only a lead of 21, and Colts were in a spot of bother.

Not intimidated by the situation, Dylan Cole smashed the first ball for six to increase it to 27, before the batsmen began to settle against Patrick and the off-colour Pickup. Once again, it fell to Borcich to reignite the match, as Cole nicked a yorker through to Chaulk, and Colts were effectively 85 for five at tea.

A couple of quick wickets would have settled the match. Instead, rain intervened once more. With 20 overs being cut from the evening session, Smith settled for the inevitable, and the spinners bowled out to an unsatisfactory conclusion.

Cricket Web Colts 467 all out
Towns 133, Kerr 106, Cole 85*; Richards 3/73, Borcich 3/110

Cricket Web Black 602 all out
Cloete 116, Speirs 108, Smith 104; Weber 3/92, Wilson 2/74

Cricket Web Colts 265 for five
Fitzsimmons 66, Kerr 49*; Borcich 2/42

Match drawn
Man of the Match: D. P. Towns (Colts)

Cricket Web Blue vs Masters XI
at PDV Dome

Scorecard
Ball By Ball

Blue shook off the ghosts of their previous encounter with the Masters, batting first and providing a decent performance to entertain the home fans. Andy Maina was a revelation against the tourists' top order, while there was good batting on show from a number of players. The Masters, in turn, were just too reckless.

Cricket Web Blue took full first advantage of the uncharacteristically fine PDV Dome wicket. Stephen was the most aggressive of the Young opening pairing, reaching fifty just after an hour, while Peter looked more subdued and eventually fell cheaply to Tyron Henderson after adding 95. Cribb continued the attacking cricket, flaying Henderson for a four and six in the next over, and Warne found himself having bowled ten overs by lunch on a pacers' wicket.

Bond kept Cribb quiet when he came back after lunch, eventually having him caught behind at 27, but could do little against the rampant junior Young. He reached his hundred off 142 balls, but having reached the milestone, he decided to potter about against Odoyo. Camps recognised the danger of having an uncertain batsman at the crease, and told Young to go for his shots, a tactic that was executed perfectly in the next over; Odoyo was hit for twelve and replaced by Warne once more.

It was brief, however. Warne and Chandana succeeded in tying the opener down, and eventually he padded up once too often, and was given out lbw by accumulation just before tea. Blue were still confidently placed at 231 for three, however.

The confidence showed when Camps faced the first over from Odoyo. On the second ball, he stepped forward and hooked the ball cleanly for six, but attempting the shot again with the fourth ball was folly. Hamish Marshall ran in to take a fine catch, and Klusener held Wilson immediately afterwards. Bowen fell a couple of overs later, but a good rescuing mission from Crampton and Popat took Blue to the new ball. Bond, Henderson and Odoyo polished off the tail, but Popat managed a decent 46, and Demeza managed to be part of a 19-run stand with Maina.

The Masters innings was a blur. By the end of the morning session, they had lost five wickets, yet four of the batsmen had scored at quicker than a run a ball. Lance Klusener was left on 13 off 17 at lunch, the others had dragged on while trying to keep up the rate, which at 106 off 19 was unhealthily quick. Klusener didn't dally long, striking two fours and a six immediately after lunch, which brought Demeza back for a cleanup operation. It worked well enough, as Klusener smashed to Young for the sixth wicket, but Odoyo, Chandana, Warne and Bond resisted with even more stroke-making, as the Masters had made 253 for eight by tea - in just 48 overs.

Demeza and Popat struck again to leave the Kenyan stranded on an unbeaten 51, and the Blues with a reasonably comfortable lead of 90. If only the Youngs could repeat the first innings heroics, they would be safe. Yet, there was a different approach on show in this innings. The players were contented with taking leisurely singles - before Stephen Young dragged on Shane Bond for 9. Shortly after, Peter Young disappointed the fans by launching a shot to Das, for his second dismissal in the twenties. The stage was set for Shane Warne to prove his worth, but after trapping Warne lbw for 5, he was thwarted by patience from Camps, Wilson and Bowen. The latter two added 106 for the fifth wicket in arguably the most important partnership of the match, lashing out runs at nearly a run a ball. With Alex Crampton chipping in with a fifty, the Masters required a massive 382 to win, although time would not be an issue.

The Masters managed 22 without loss at tea, leaving the evening session as key to the match result. Keeping Lara in the pavilion would be key, and the openers realised their job, taking things more seriously than in the first innings. Yet, after facing off 12 overs from the new ball bowlers, Andy Maina broke through with his second ball. Maina continued to plug away with his quicker balls, and was rewarded with two more catches, leaving him with three for 22 from the evening's work. Liam Camps took the fourth wicket, Marshall nibbling behind, and the Masters closed at a precarious 130 for four.

The Dome faithful expected a quick rout on the fourth morning. So it proved. Maina added another wicket, plus a run out, and Lance Klusener eventually smashed out for a top-scoring 60. Sudeep Popat polished things off for a 149-run victory.

Cricket Web Blue 362 all out
S Young 123; Odoyo 3/79

Masters XI 272 all out
Odoyo 51*; Popat 4/73, Demeza 3/67

Cricket Web Blue 291 all out
Bowen 77, Wilson 73, Crampton 51*; Bond 5/75, Odoyo 3/52

Masters XI 232 all out
Klusener 60; Maina 4/40, Popat 3/28

Cricket Web Blue won by 149 runs
Man of the Match: A. E. K. Maina (Blue)

Cricket Web Green vs Cricket Web Red
at CWBCC Stadium

Scorecard
Ball By Ball

Cricket Web Red continued their resumption of some semblance of form, led by Muhammad Amir, who took twelve wickets in a massive display of quick bowling. Yet the win could not have been achieved without the batting of Zac Ritchie, whose 125 will linger long in the memory of denied Green supporters.

Cricket Web Green attacked with relish on the first morning, leaving the Red bowlers with little but their three wickets to show for some poor fielding during the morning session. By lunch, Green had piled on 172, thanks to big fifties from Mamesh and Garven.

Red fought back immediately after lunch, however, with Singh catching Garven for 79; Amir came through after a slow partnership between Cunningham and Corrin, taking three more wickets to further solidify his standing as leading wicket-taker for Reds this season. He also took Rose shortly after tea to end with six for 70 - expensive, but it had been more than worth the cost as Green were all out for 287.

A Test opener in poor form was thrust into it when both Singh and Gray crashed in single figures, yet after facing off Cunningham and Rose, Mørk was undone by a yorker from Forner. Three down for 70, and it looked as Green were on top yet again. Dauth and Kearsley put together 47 before the close, however, and Red closed on 117 for three.

The batting feast continued the following morning, but the Green captain came up with a key wicket, having Kearsley caught for 58, and Ritchie was out on the stroke of lunch, leaving the game finely balanced with Red at 228 for five.

Dauth struck out through midwicket for the hundred immediately after lunch, carrying the Reds' hopes with him, and the Greens could proudly mob Corrin after he held a catch on 112. Some healthy batting from Nayak (31), Dwyer (26) and West (28) gave the Reds a tiny lead of 70.

However, Green fought back before stumps. Once again Mamesh was flamboyant, striking five fours before stumps, and Green reached 105 for one in just 20 of their overs. The third day see-sawed between Green attack and Red wickets - yet again it was Kennett and Amir who had to be relied on, taking eight wickets while conceding bucketloads, and by tea they had totalled 402 - nearly 300 runs in two sessions. Amir took the final wicket after tea, leaving Red to chase 338 for the victory.

Mørk was dropped first ball, to immeasurable disappointment for the Green crowd, but the Reds managed to keep patience in the chase - before Mørk set himself off for a suicidal run and was run out for 6. Singh, however, showed good application as opener, before Dauth was again the beneficiary of a first-ball drop. Yet again, however, Green managed to take the wicket early, with Dauth lbw to Corrin for 19.

Red required 226 with seven wickets in hand, which quickly turned to six when Singh padded up to Cunningham. The Green crowd, buoyant, started to celebrate victory; yet Zac Ritchie fought to deny the hosts. He sliced ten fours in a partnership of 108, showing scant regard for recent Red selection policies, and was 80 not out in the Red total of 245 for five at lunch.

The crowd then turned on the umpire shortly after lunch, as Rose and the wicketkeeper went up in a vibrant appeal for the dismissal of Ritchie lbw - replays showed the ball had struck plumb in front, yet Ritchie survived, and struck a couple fours off Rose a few overs later to bring up the hundred. 58 runs were required, with four wickets in hand.

From there, Red rallied easily. Dwyer supported Ritchie excellently, and the two struck at nearly a run a ball to carry Red across the line with the four wickets in hand.

Cricket Web Green 287 all out
Garven 79, Mamesh 54; Amir 6/70, Kennett 2/61

Cricket Web Red 357 all out
Dauth 112, Kearsley 58; Rose 3/89, Corrin 2/47, Mitchell 2/66

Cricket Web Green 407 all out
Garven 75, Mamesh 54, Malone 49, Rose 46 Raftery 42; Amir 6/132, Kennett 3/84

Cricket Web Red 339 for six
Ritchie 125*, Singh 57, Dwyer 42*, Kearsley 40

Cricket Web Red won by four wickets
Man of the Match: Z. J. Ritchie (Red)

Good to see a century from Burning Speirs. Shame about the weather and lack of bowling penetration though.

Gah, did well to get back in that, just couldn't close it out.