Match Report.
Well this match had a bit of everything including a potential dust up and a remarkable bit of mathematics on the score sheet.
Not sure if we won the toss or not but we were having bat. So and the flu infested Dowell (got out of bed for the team) opened and faced some steady bowling. After two overs they were going steadily but in the third over power play Dowell went for one and was bowled. So followed suit and after another run out in the fourth 21 was posted. Then Hill and Vlastuin are in and the runs compile slowly with Sub Prime able to keep the bowling tight. 23 is posted and we are building. Final pair is Rock and Black and Rock swinging freely picks out a couple of fieldsmen for run outs and some threes and fours while Black deftly picks off the constant leg side inswingers for two. Another 21 and 65 is on the board not enough it is felt but you never know in this game.
Dowell opens the bowling and picking up a wicket keeps it tight and they have only 4 on the board. With Vlastuin, Hill and So following they did manage to get a couple of lucky shots away and compile 27. New pair and Black is thrown the ball. Despite one 7 getting away 4 wickets are taken including the usual clean work by Rock and a spectacular one handed catch off the top net by Black himself and Sub Prime are under pressure. The approach from Sub Prime was to keep swinging and Dowell and Hill at the back were given a work out. The second pair managed to post 29 with a strange final ball incident off Hill. The batsemen decided to wander down the pitch leisurely while Hill was running in. Hill decideds to not deliver the ball stops and sends him back to the crease. Matt the mouth for Sub Prime at the non strikers end has a go at Hill, Hill responds. Delivering the last ball the batsmen employs the same tactics of wandering well down the pitch - Hill bowls stright over his head - a little too high otherwise Rock would have effected the stumping. Calls for no ball and the like was asked for but the umpire said the ball was good. And then there was a little verbal with the usually quiet Dowell jumping into the fray and arguing with the whole team through the net. Calls from Hill and Black got Dowell back on the game.
So with 10 to defend can Black weave some magic? and he did! First ball eyes light up whack and Hill positions himself perfectly and takes the catch. Three more wickets follow and Black has taken 8 for -8 in his two overs and we are in with chance. So followed and more wickets came including a third ball run out. Rock to bowl the 11th and a full toss gets despatched and they only need 3 off the last over. Dowell has the last over and following discussions with Hill, Dowell suggests keeping three up the front as they are probably going to creep their way to the total. First ball to the better batsman and he carefully gets two. Next a full length ball and a healthy edge is caught by the forward placed So. 4 to get and with the better batsman on strike Dowell manages a dot ball with a near stumping as he falls foward playing carefully. Unfortunately Dowell then bowls a straight full toss and it is despatched to the back - 7 and they keep the last two out to win by three. Without that opportune delivery the pressure could have mounted.
Evaluating the score sheet the umpire got himself totally confused as he added negative numbers as positives including awarding the final pair a total of 27 when they only made 13. This also included one of the last pair making 30 which should have been 17 and being awarded MVP. Black with 16 runs and spectacular bowling figures was clearly the MVP. Interesting game.
