Not so much a game of two halves, more one of four overs and then another 36.
After 24 balls the scoreboard read Sharks runs 10 Phoenix wickets 5. Yes, you read that right – 10-5. Ten for five!
Fast forward a couple of hours later and we were contemplating a 30-run defeat. The Sharks middle order not only mended their sinking ship but went on to sail it round the regatta in a respectable time.
Then they bowled well to defend their par score of 122. After 10 overs the worm showed we had exactly the same amount of runs plus wickets in hand. But out middle order became becalmed and we ended up limping into port, mast broken and ensign drooping.
Still, 10-5 eh?
Some excellent catching made it happen as the Sharks order attempted to smash the varnish off the pink ball without playing themselves in. Peter took the first, Damon the second and Adrian on his Phoenix farewell pouched the third. Then Graham, making his Phoenix debut, ran in to take the best of the lot before Bruce ran out batsman number five.
The Sharks skipper and their keeper played sensibly to restore normality until the latter walked having nicked one off Adrian to stand-in keeper Gareth. I can truthfully say we would NEVER have done that. Not because we are cheats, it’s just we are plainly all too deaf to hear anything. There was no appeal.
With Matt unavailable because of a horrific redcurrant picking injury we were a regular bowler short, although Dave and Graham were not expensive (the latter dropped a difficult catch off the former too). The Sharks tail wagged vigorously (although their female players was unchivalrously ran out by the final bat without her facing a ball) but it wasn’t a daunting total.
Dave and Aidan couldn’t get to double figures in reply but Gareth was in top form, using the ample airspace of Queens’ to get the scoreboard moving as Damon offered support.
Both perished in fairly quick succession though and our run-rate dropped never to recover until Antipodean duo Simon and Adrian biffed a few late on. Too late on, sadly. Oh well.
After 24 balls the scoreboard read Sharks runs 10 Phoenix wickets 5. Yes, you read that right – 10-5. Ten for five!
Fast forward a couple of hours later and we were contemplating a 30-run defeat. The Sharks middle order not only mended their sinking ship but went on to sail it round the regatta in a respectable time.
Then they bowled well to defend their par score of 122. After 10 overs the worm showed we had exactly the same amount of runs plus wickets in hand. But out middle order became becalmed and we ended up limping into port, mast broken and ensign drooping.
Still, 10-5 eh?
Some excellent catching made it happen as the Sharks order attempted to smash the varnish off the pink ball without playing themselves in. Peter took the first, Damon the second and Adrian on his Phoenix farewell pouched the third. Then Graham, making his Phoenix debut, ran in to take the best of the lot before Bruce ran out batsman number five.
The Sharks skipper and their keeper played sensibly to restore normality until the latter walked having nicked one off Adrian to stand-in keeper Gareth. I can truthfully say we would NEVER have done that. Not because we are cheats, it’s just we are plainly all too deaf to hear anything. There was no appeal.
With Matt unavailable because of a horrific redcurrant picking injury we were a regular bowler short, although Dave and Graham were not expensive (the latter dropped a difficult catch off the former too). The Sharks tail wagged vigorously (although their female players was unchivalrously ran out by the final bat without her facing a ball) but it wasn’t a daunting total.
Dave and Aidan couldn’t get to double figures in reply but Gareth was in top form, using the ample airspace of Queens’ to get the scoreboard moving as Damon offered support.
Both perished in fairly quick succession though and our run-rate dropped never to recover until Antipodean duo Simon and Adrian biffed a few late on. Too late on, sadly. Oh well.
Sharks
Pat c P Creed b J West 5
Hugh c Rainsford b A West 1
AB c Foster b J West 2
James c Briscoe b J West 0
Ralph retired not out 25
Steve run out 0
Marc c Everson b Foster 18
Rajeev not out 27
Sumit c Garman b J West 17
Anna run out 0
Jason not out 1
Extras 26
Total: 122-8 off 20 oversJ West 4-0-15-4
Pat c P Creed b J West 5
Hugh c Rainsford b A West 1
AB c Foster b J West 2
James c Briscoe b J West 0
Ralph retired not out 25
Steve run out 0
Marc c Everson b Foster 18
Rajeev not out 27
Sumit c Garman b J West 17
Anna run out 0
Jason not out 1
Extras 26
Total: 122-8 off 20 oversJ West 4-0-15-4
A West 4-1-14-1
S Lancaster 4-0-19-0
A Foster 4-0-24-1
D Garman 2-0-13-0
G Briscoe 2-0-11-0
S Lancaster 4-0-19-0
A Foster 4-0-24-1
D Garman 2-0-13-0
G Briscoe 2-0-11-0
Phoenix
D Garman c Ralph b Steve 6
G Everson c Marc b Pat 21
A Swain b Steve 3
D Rainsford b Pat 11
P Creed c? b Jason 1
G Briscoe b Pat 5
B Cairnduff lbw b AB 8
S Lancaster lbw Rajeev 10
A Foster not out 6
A West not out 2
Extras 19
Total: 92-8 off 20 overs