One Day Competition - President Cardinals vs BWU, Burnside Park #4, Presidents, 12th March 2016
This game against Burnside, was a top four game and the two sides third clash of the season.
Having pumped Burnside at home earlier in the season, followed by a loss with our batting well understrength in the return match a month ago, it was always going to shape as the decider.
Both sides were confident of victory, though Syds more so once Burnside batted first. Burnside got away to a reasonable start, but didn't capitalize in making 201/7 – a score both teams felt was below par given the quality of the wicket, and certainly far below the 273 Burnside set us for victory with an understrength batting line up last time.
Conway and Barron started well enough, Conway looking streaky before offering Ralphy a return catch on 20 with the score at 28. Barron, who compiled a century last time, was joined by Chris Kennedy, who batted the rest of the innings making 63 not out. Barron went for 41, LBW to Brownie with the score at 89, Robertson went next to Flem for 4 and Matt Loose, on a return to the bowling crease picked up Turner for 32 at 138.
Flem got Croft, before Ralphie picked up the consecutive wickets of Roy and McInnes with his last two deliveries, an LBW and a catch behind to Laughts, making his first ball next week the hattrick delivery. The final drama of the Burnside innings was Gibson pumping Flem for two consecutive sixes over long off in the final over.
Of the bowlers, Jules VD 7-0-31-0, Winder 7-2-27-3, Brown 8-1-32-1, Smith 2-0-22-0, Phil Walker 4-0-23-0, Fleming 8-0-43-2, Loose 4-0-20-1.
Burnside thought they were underdone, and so did we. Only, from that point on, things didn't really go to script.
Wildy went with the score at 0, and Laughts with the score at 7, both caught behind. Matty Loose was hitting powerfully and made the most of a chance when caught off a waist high full bunger called by Jules VD at square leg, crushing eight fours in a score of 34 to fight our way back into it until he departed with the score at 37. Tim made an ever elegant 18, and Phil Walker a threatening 32 before losing his footing turning back from a quick single to get caught short of his ground. Ralphie was uncharacteristically restrained in a score of 30, lining up a captain’s knock and although the tail was wagging, the runrate was mounting. Brownie was showing some ticker at one end, while Ferg added to a difficult day at the office with a duck.
The departure of Flem was probably the final stake through the heart. Having troubled the scorers with 12, the Vampire Slayer troubled the scorers – and the captain – further, aimlessly kicking a stump as he crossed the boundary, which collected all three.
Brownie was the last out, for 11, perishing with intent in top-edging Conway’s first delivery to the keeper, leaving Phil enthusiastic but unemployed at the non-strikers end, for Syds to finish 161 all out, 41 short of victory.
With MP getting beaten by Easts Gold at the weekend, and us due to play Easts in the last game of the season, there’s still plenty to play for.
Man of the Match: Brenden Winder
Check out the scorecard from the game.