Tasmania University Cricket Club
Scores and Reports
Season 2005/06
First Grade
Round 13 v. Lindisfarne (2 day game)
Played at the University Oval, 18th. and 25th. February 2006.
(Toss won by : Lindisfarne)
Darren McNees 6-41 Josh Marquet 2-21 Josh Bean 2-22 and Ben Hilfenhaus 5-60 Darren McNees 3-33 |
James Kingston 23 Josh Bean 23 Remi Barley 14* Chris Topp 7* and |
(Day 1). Unfortunately the ouright victory last week against the Bay et. al. didn't eventuate (in no small part due to five dropped catches in their second innings) which meant that two first innings wins in the remaining two games (and assuming Lindisfarne lose both as well) would see Uni. level on points with today's foe at the end of the roster season. Unfortunately the Farnies percentage is way better. An outright today would be the only way, probably, of Uni. Ones making the Finals. The task was not to be made any easier with Uni.'s skipper and reserve (Painey and Lockdog) joining Hilfy in the Tassie one-day team playing in Victoria, whilst the opposition could call on the latest interstate fast bowling recruit, Brendan Drew. Toppdog, fresh from his 8-26 in the Twos last week was included, Remstar stood in for Painey and China L. made his return after a half game sojourn in the lower grades. Lindisfarne's skipper (and ex. Uni. player Travis Prins) won the toss and chose (the word elected to be banned here for the next five weeks) to have first use of yet another three week old strip! It looked flat, no craters therein but, as is the case, may keep a bit low as the game progresses? Nessie and Thommo opened up for Uni. and Dags got the first wicket with only 3 on the board. Josh Marquet replaced Thommo after 6 overs and Jamie Cox, one of the stalwarts of Tassie cricket for many years (and ex. Uni. player) survived what is probably José's longest and loudest appeal ever! Josh admitted that he thought it may have hit him outside the line of off stump - the Umpire thought it was missing leg! From this point on the game (in a cricket sense) turned ugly. At drinks the Farnies had slumped to 4-38! Nessie bowled two and José at last had an lbw appeal upheld! Just to include some sort of 'light relief' in this report (there won't be any more for a while) those ex Tassie comrades Cox and Marquet would share maybe one last 'bonding' for the rest of the day - the swapping of the available ice packs at the Club! Josh for his knees (whilst sitting in front of the Clubrooms) and Coxy for his groin (thankfully out of sight). Meanwile back at the cricket - wickets just fell! Lindisfarne put on their best partnership (27) ended by Beany (who requires throat surgery for his lbw appeals until he finally got one) and, with exception of ex. Lions' Prinsy there was no resistance! Inninings closed at 2.30 (negating the need for drinks). Their last wicket put on 15 - more later! So the scenario was looking good for Uni. As Uni.'s no.1 ticket holder observed Uni. now had over a week to score 114! I thought it seemed a better choice to get the runs by stumps (with wickets in hand) and then getting as big a lead next week in search of those ten points. But - the game got even more ugly. Nessie, having bowled a long spell and claimed six wickets then opened, with Kingo. A careful start with Uni. reaching 17 before Dags' dismissal. Enter Richie, exit Richie two balls later. Thommo departed the last ball before tea (!) and Uni. were 3-28! What happened to the plan? We still had over a week to score the runs! I'll skip the ball-by-ball (wicket-by-wicket) descriptions here and get to Uni. at 8-67! Of the dearly departed batsmen only Kingo showed any fight, finally edging one to the keeper after a stay of 91 minutes - the longest of any batsman all day. But we still had Beany at the crease - in his best batting form ever and, after this game, maybe seriously challenging for the batting averages! Where the top order seemed totally transfixed (by whatever) Beany charged and smoked the ball off the quicks. With Remi at the other end he even began to take quick singles at the end of the over to keep the stike! A quick 23 was finally finished by a catch behind off their leggie and in between words that can't be quoted here Beany did acknowledge "that was a good ball". 9-84 and the last two at the crease. When Remi entered the fray ealier it was suggested to him by our opponents that "that's it - we're home". Joined by Toppdog with all his British whatever and still 45 minutes to stumps and 30 runs for first innings points the Farnies were positely salivating! . Drew threw everything he could (including the ball) at mainly Remi who just got behind it. Spinners were brought on - still no wicket. The runs came slowly but there was never a chance given or even a false shot played. With the sky darkening dramatically and the Farnies doing everything they could Remi and Chris held out until stumps and added 19 runs (nb 4 more than their last wicket put on) in the longest partnership of the whole game, getting Uni. to within 10 runs of (only) 1st. innings points! And now for the worst example of the rules of the TCA comp., life in general or whatever : when the game resumes next Saturday the Lindisfarne bowlers will be striding in to Painey and Lockdog! Remi and Chris will be in the field for the Twos at Lindisfarne - I trust that they get the news that their efforts today are translated into the first part of Uni.'s chase for an outright. And, finally, another (not two) lighter side of the game. An un-named Second Grade 'keeper, having filled in for the day and maybe kept the One's hopes alive was heading home and couldn't find his mobile. Searched through his (large) bag - no show. Richie was at hand and dialled the number. Sure enough we could all hear it - in either his left or right pocket! What a day. To next week and the Finals? Tim and Lockdog to blast past the 113 and add another 200 by lunch. Hilfy be allowed to bowl and we're there. (Day 2). Apart from all the other possibilities the weather bureau forecast 26 degrees (C; 83 F) and rain! Well - the cricketing fraternity of Hobart has had a few weeks of dry weather - back to normaility? And the Bureau were nearly right (for a change). For the hour preceeding the start of play and the hour after the start of play the covers were on, off, on, off and play eventually started 65 minutes late! With Uni.'s (second) no.s 10 and 11 at the crease (and with the weight of expectations from all the Uni. faithful, not to mention Remi and Toppdog) the first ball went to the boundary. A couple of twos, a single and we were up to 112! But what makes cricket such a wonderful game? The third over of the day saw Lockdog drive at a ball and get the faintest edge - gleefully caught behind. Two runs short of the first needed target. One shouldn't be too critcal of course - it shouldn't be up to the number 11 batsman to get any team home. No doubt Remi and Chris heard of the score somehow (probably via. Lindisfarne players whilst in the field). This meant that there was only one scenario for Uni. to have any chance of making the Finals - roll the Farnies quickly, score the needed runs and then get an outright against Glenorchy in the last round. And how they tried. A great catch by Bakesy in the slips saw Cox out first ball, an easier catch by Richie saw the Farnies 2-3, Scooter took a bat/pad to make it 3-4, two more wickets (both lbw) saw Lindisfarne at 5-53! Two partnerships got the Farnies to 7-139 and Uni. were trying everything to have a run chase. BT and Bakesy were given a run with no success, Beany had a short spell, China L had a go and got the 8th. wicket, Hilfy came back on and got the last two in two balls, Lindisfarne all out for 142 - Uni. needing 144 to get 8 points (and that's a whole different story) off 21 overs. Hilfy, appearing for Uni. for only the second time this year, had bowled a mammoth spell, Nessie was tight, Beany and China bowled good lines (but both dropped short on occasions), the fielding was good - and now to the denoument. Seven an over and Richie and Tim opened the batting. It was a Twenrt20 game all over again and Richie launched into the first ball from Drew and nearly decapitated the guy at first slip! And then - the weather bureau were proved right! It bucketed down and that was the end of the day's play and Uni. One's chanches of making the Finals. The skies did clear later but with Uni. then needing close to 20 an over the game was brought to a sad ending. A sorry ending to the season. This game should have been won on the first day. |
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