One Day Competition - President Cardinals vs Merivale Papanui, Bradford Park #1, Presidents, 24th October 2015
Bradford Park is turning into a sh#t venue.
Having burgled victory there against LPW last season, and suffering a humping against Hornby last visit, we arrived determined to reclaim our home territory. Unfortunately we got Merivale-Pap smeared on a pitch that but for the marked creases, would have been difficult to distinguish from the outfield.
Ralphie started off alright, winning the toss and putting Merivale Pap in, but it went fairly steadily wrong from there. Merivale scored at a pretty quick clip initially, to be 35 after seven overs before the first wicket fell two runs later – a catch well taken by Ralphie at cow. Ken Julian picked up another with the score at 47, as Ken and Phil Walker reined in the run-rate a bit to go to drinks at 69-2.
Merivale-Pap came out firing after, with O’Connor going well. The third wicket fell at 138 in the 33rd , a ripper of a catch to new player Brent Dunn turning out for the first time in 16 years. We got Ferris, who took us apart last time, cheaply at 147 to another screamer by Waza Guy, and O’Connor went for 70 with the score at 161, top edging one to Laughts off Ferg. Ultimately, they compiled 177, and might have felt that was a bit light, given a few dropped catches and the best opening combo in the grade reunited for us for the first time this season.
Bowling wise, Guy, six overs, 35-0, Smith, 2-45 off eight, Julian 2-20 off eight on the trot, Phil Walker, one for 12 off five including a maiden, Fleming 1-19 off eight, Brent Dunn none for 17 off two, and Ralphie 0-18 off three, though bowling with some real menace, and should have bowled himself earlier than he did.
Laughts and Wildy got us under way well enough, though calamity set in with Laughts going LBW to one that stayed low at 22, and Wildy departing four runs later to a sharply taken catch. Phil Walker, batting at three went with the score at 27, and it was up to Ken Julian and Ralphie to restore some stability – which they did, putting on 41 before Ken went with the score at 68, and Ralphie went at 75. Fleming stuck around for a not out seven, but Bert, Dunn, Phil Barclay and Waza “Sparkles” Guy all departed for ducks, and Ferg whacked seven, including a beautiful straight four, before running himself out having been dropped – the last five wickets falling for 15 runs.
All of their bowlers were handy enough, but Hastings was easily the pick, finishing 5-15 off 5.2.
Man of the Match: TBD
Check out the scorecard from the game.