The Cutters: November 2012

This week's reporter-Captain Perry

Perry wins the toss and we decide to bat. We are only 5 but we’re quietly confident. There’s a new kid in town so Hill bats with Paulie. A steady start with a surge in the last two overs adds 37. 26 coming from the last two. Perry and Foss in next. Foss comes out warming up a little like Punter. Similar to the opening pair, a steady start and just the one out. Foss looks very comfortable and once he’s worked out the scoring zones he’s off and away. 46 added which included a promising 28 from the debutant. Last pair in and they pick Paulie for another bat. 2 outs from the first two balls but then they slowly crawl back out of the hole they dug and make 26. Paulie was doing the KP with reverse sweeps and back of bat shots to impress the crowd. Anyway 109 on the board was a good score but 5 in the field would be a challenge.

Perry opens with Dowell absent. No wickets and they push it around for 1’s & 2’s. Vlastuin next and he breaks through with a couple of wickets. Paul & Foss finish and the batting is a little more aggressive. 21 scored and the skin make 29. Danger pairing of Stutsel and Sarge in next. Hill is given the ball and Stutsel slugs 5 off the first ball. The rest of the over is quite tight. Perry next and although Stutsel is contained Sarge scores 5 this time. Oh for a 6^th player to reinforce the back net as both 5’s were stoppable. Paulie dazzles in his over with 2 wickets including a straight drive catch which was heading low and towards the back net. A 10 run play. Hill finishes off the pair but Stutsel breaks loose and slaps one to the back net. 47 off and we have a game on our hands. 33 required by the last pairing. Vlastuin starts with a great over, 2/5. There was a runout off a 7 which stopped them in their tracks. Foss in next and it was great until the last ball 7. 16 needed from the last 2 and they’ve picked Chris & Paul to finish off. A mixed over with a nice caught and bowled taken adds 9. They need 7 to win. Paulie gets hit for 4 off the first, and again it’s due to the gap in the field. They scrape to a run in front after 3 and Paulie bowls a lovely dot ball for the fourth. 2 balls to go and we need a wicket. A short ball is hit to the back net but it’s taken quickly and the throw misses by a ball width with the batsman a metre short of his ground. Oh so close. 2 off the last and 119 seals a 10 run victory.

To sum up I’d say not having a 6^th was the difference. But every cloud has a silver lining and Foss’s batting, slow inswing bowling (reminiscent of one J. Clewlow) and nice keeping (reminiscent of one J. Clewlow) looks the goods. We look forward to next week.

Match Report .... a wounded ..Mark Dowell

It is the Big One - The Grand Finale and The Cutters are there early with Fraser and Cowley, The Hill Clan, Most of the Rock Clan and Vlastuin's better half to soak in the atmosphere and to cheer the Cutters on. Its Show Court one as it should be and the nerves are jangling - you can smell it (or is it just those t-shirts) never mind. Hill is doing one final pouring over stats of The Barnies - his cousin suggesting - just go with the flow of the game. But how will we go without our spiritual leader?

The toss is won by Hill and he chooses to bat first. The regular opening pair of the Don and Dowell are in first - they have been here before and they know what to do but can they get it off to a solid start. A solid but not pretty first over had 10 runs on the board but 2 run outs in the 2nd weren't what we needed. In frustration The Don goes for one and it is in the air - side net fieldsman has one grab and another and then it dribbles for a much needed four. Dowell trying to get one though the field has to stretch for the run and pulls his hammy and he is hobbling. 3rd over collects a vital 8 runs the total now 20. But Dowell playing too carefully dollys an easy catch 1st ball of the 4th over. The Don does the same from the third ball from innocuous bowling - some wides and extra ball gets the score to 21 but not really enough - but not a total disaster.

Hill and So next and the runs come but a 4th ball caught was unfortunate. 2nd over is facing the tempting Evan but 2 runouts are effected - some sharp fielding from the Barnies and the score is rising very slowly. Power Play 3rd over sees another 2 wickets and 4 more runs and they have only added 10. Last over and the score is creeping along and then second last ball So is bowled and there is a bit of anxiety amongst the faithful. So puts that behind him as he spanks a final ball 5 adding 20 for the pair - the total a so so 41.

Enter Rock and Vlastuin - first over and the sharp fielding continues despite Rock and Vlastuin middling the ball. Facing the pacey Luke another run out is effected 1st ball and they struggle to get him away - the total is only 47 with 2 overs to go. Power Play over and they are facing the fiesty Karl and their is a steely determination with these two. Rock is hitting the ball almost too well but Vlastuin plays smart at the non strikers end, staying in his crease as Rock makes his way down and fieldsman shatter the stumps at the bowlers end only to find it is not out - Vlastuin scampering to the other end - brilliant steely stuff by the oldest bloke in the team. A glorious 7 from Rock off the last ball of the 11th over has brought the score up to 66 - it looks like we may be able to post at least 70 something to have a real chance of defending. But these boys are focussed and the strike rotates each ball - a great four from Rock and then a final ball five from Vlastuin to push the score to 80 and the applauses from teamates and the gallery said it all - a brillant batting performance by both men when it was needed most.

So now to defend this total. Dowell is not moving freely but does open the bowling. They are playing carefully and ones and twos flow but a fifth ball run out (sorry guys can't remember who) was handy and they have 6 on the board. So next and the runs continue to flow and the ball is thrown to the Don. Third ball is pitched beautifully and the snick is taken cleanly by Rock. This is followed by another well flighted delivery past the bat and Rock effects the stumping with great efficiency - a couple of handy wickets. Power Play final over and Vlastuin has the job - a second ball caught is handy but some runs are scored and they finish at 30 and a good start for The Barnies.

Hill puts himself on for the first to a pair that we suspect has one of their best batsmen and with 2 dots and only ones and a wide they only get 5 off the first. Rock next and a second ball caught and bowled is very handy. But this pair are struggling and off Rock's last ball they finally get one away where Dowell in attempting to stop the three has the ball dribble into the back net for four - but as he gets to it they have set off to steal another run - Dowell throws it accurately to keeper Donaldson the full length of the court - the Don gathers and effects the run out and this pair after 2 overs have added just 3. Vlastuin next and they are being very careful now but an uppish drive is hit straight to Hill fielding at silly mid on and wraps everything he has got around it to take the vital chance. Following a great dot ball from his final ball the score is 37. Hill is going to bowl himself - Dowell suggest he should hold himself for one over for the final pair - but he is channeling our spiritual leader - if we get some more wickets its going to put a lot of pressure on the final pair. No mistaking that as the first ball is a dolly catch to Dowell. Next ball is a gem and straight through and rattling the stumps and this pair don't know what to do and finish adding only 5 to the score - great decision and backed up by good accurate and fast bowling by the Hill boy.

Final pair which is the captain and Karl the fiesty but statistically best batsmen - but they need to make 46 to win - can we keep tham at bay. So first and after a first ball wide collects three dot balls amongst some runs - only 6 added a good start. The Don next and an attempted seven off the second ball is swallowed by Dowell and we feel it is getting a little beyond them - but looking at the scores at the same time after 10 overs Cutters were 47 while the Barnies are 50 - it can be done. Rock next and Karl senses the urgency off the last 2 balls having added only 6 so far he gives himself room to leg but Rock bravely follows him and gets him all tangled up - dot - dot - brillant stuff from Rock and Karl knows he has missed the opportunity. The Final over and they are on 56 needing 25 to win off the hobbling Dowell - and its the Power Play. First ball is not good - a rank full toss that is called a no ball and belted for four - ouch - the gallery have gone quiet. With Karl facing up well to leg he is intent on one thing, hitting sevens - Dowell puts one wide outside off - he can't get it but it is also called a wide. Next is more in line and Karl spanks that for 4 and the score has reached 68 - 13 for the win three balls to go - can be done. First ball is a dot - next is a dot and they get one off the last and they finish on 69 and The Cutters snare a great and hard fought team victory.

After Karl threw his bat at the stumps in frustration The Barnies were very gracious in defeat. Off to the bar to enjoy the free jugs and to get our medals. Rock MVP for some great batting (brilliantly supported by Vlastuin), his usual great work behind the stumps and some canny bowling that netted 2 for 4 - his second over was daring and shrewd following the batsmen to leg brilliantly. Hill studies bore fruit as captain - his bowling changes were the right ones at the right time - his own bowling typically menacing. Vlastuin brilliant with the bat 19 with Rock's 20 - steady with the ball and reliable in the field. The Don ground it out to get the innings started - very effective with the ball with 3 for 12 and for that gather from Dowell while keeping - critical. So made a crucial 18 in the middle pair and made many stops as the anchor man down back. As for Dowell the couple of whiskeys have numbed the hammy nicely - ground it out with his mate to get a start, bowled serviceably and stopped quite a bit down back hobbling about. But all in all a great team effort.