Wow! Damn, but that hurt.
Our opponents this time were the undefeated “Tarsus”; and we knew it would be tough. That said – the team we selected were strong, and we gave ourselves every chance of an upset. It wasn’t made any easier when half their team pitched up in Gauteng colours!
Once again we decided to field first. We knew from looking at the analysis that these guys were hot stuff in the field – so we needed to make sure that they scored a minimal amount. The bowling and fielding had to be spot on. Ruaan’s very first delivery managed to prise out a runout, and we were off to a flier. Indeed, the first over conceded just 8. Ettiene kept up the good work and with a catch off his last delivery kept them to just 4. Fred was smashed for a straight 4 off his second delivery, but kept it tight after that, and Darren managed to get another run out before the following ball was smashed for 6 in retaliation. So partnership up, and 33 runs on the board. Things needed to improve.
Well – improve they did, an extremely economical Colin forced a run out off his last delivery, before Darren was as tight as a ducks arse to concede just 5. Wayne put the icing on the cake with a run out first ball, before some pride was restored to their batting lineup with a straight 4. The final over was bowled by the energetic Ross, and a 4 three balls from the end was erased with a run out off the last ball; and 26 runs richer – the second pair departed.
In came their third pairing, and immediately started pinging nets before Wayne had one caught off the third ball of his first over. Colin was extremely economical once again, and with a catch off his second kept them to a mere 5. Kevin entered the attack and immediately deceived the batsman to clean his stumps up, before Ross finished off the pair with a run out off his final delivery to send them packing for 22.
The final two bats walked in, needing 19 to go past 3 figures. When Kevin had one caught off his penultimate ball – that target was looking unlikely. Fred bowled with furious pace, and aggression – frequently targeting the sensitive ribs, and produced a pearler to clean the batsman up first ball, and induce a run out off his penultimate. It needed a heroic effort from the rattled bats to post the 19 they required, and a smash off the third last ball of the innings to hit the back nets for 4 helped them get over the mark. Innings ended and a mere 102 the score.
So 103 to get – it would be tough. Just how tough our openers, Darren and Ross discovered. Mostly Darren, who was run out off his second last delivery of the first over, before being clean bowled then caught in successive balls one over later. A catch off the first ball of the third over really caused hassles, and the team was sitting at -5. A steady trickle erased the negative, but the total was going to be hardly exciting – a lonely 5 runs from the partnership and we were in severe distress.
Colin and Wayne took up the challenge, but when Wayne was run out first ball – things looked bleak. Fortunately – the partnership steadily rebuilt, until eventually Colin launched into one to send it high over the heads for 6. The joy was short lived tho’, and the final over saw some unbelievable glove-work by the opponents with 3 stumpings split over 2 wides to end the over without a single run off the bat, and 5 less runs on the board. The partnership had finished with just 19.
Our third pair walked in with a massive job to do – 80 still to get, and only 8 overs to get them in. Kevin and Fred went to work, slowly building up steam until a smart bit of work saw Fred stumped in the second over. Kevin watched the ball swing like a pendulum to end up stumped twice in the next over before some solid batting saw the partnership end with no further damage, and 24 runs to the better. It was a valiant effort, but too little too late.
The final pair walked in with an impossible task – 58 needed, and no time left. When Ruaan was cleaned by a scorcher third up, the drama was almost complete. Not even a huge six from his bat two overs later could resurrect the chase, and although Ettiene continually rotated the strike, the big nets remained out of reach. The final over saw a huge number of gift runs with 3 extras in a row, but the game was up already by that time. 24 added, and only 70 on the board.
It was a heavy defeat, but since it was against what looked like ex provincial players, and some seriously quick wicket keeping, there are lots of positives to take out of it.
Man of the Match would be Colin, who tried valiantly for his 15 runs, and managed 2 for 9 from his bowling.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Action Cricket Chronicles - fit the tenth
Looking at our record you would be forgiven for thinking I could start this piece with: “Another game, another loss.” But this team won’t kowtow for such nonsense! Far from it, we remain eternally competitive.
The team took to the field first up, whilst our opponents walked in, confident, swaggering. When Ruaan sent the ball way down leg three times in the opening over – that confidence seemed well placed. Russell made his debut, and bowled with raw pace. And, after some athletic commitment in the field yielded a run out, his final ball scorched through the gap to leave smoking piles of melted plastic where stumps used to reside; and the attitude had been well and truly adjusted.
Wayne, managed to create a run out, and two balls later a catch; before conceding two fours off the final two deliveries; and with it – the confidence returned. The final over bowled by Kevin was bunted to numerous nets, and the partnership ended with 26 on the board.
The second pair walked in; to face the limping menace that is Darren. The perils of underestimating your opponent showed immediately with a run out first ball; two dots followed before the fourth sneaked past the bat and clattered into the stumps; and Darren was on fire. Wayne picked up the pieces and smoked two clean bowled wickets in a row before the pressure of the hat-trick proved too much and he sprayed it wide. Final ball got smoked for 4, and he finished his spell with very credible figures. Danie took up the ball, and dragged the bat out of the crease first ball to set up a sharp stumping which Colin took full advantage of. Three dots later, and the over was up; only for Ross to get a run out first up. He kept it tight, and the partnership limped off – battered, bruised and only 3 runs richer …
Things started to slip slightly in the third partnership. Danie was smoked repeatedly to the far net for 3 maximums in a row. Kevin bowled a tighter line, but still didn’t manage a break through. It was up to Darren to bring back some respectability to the bowling. He did in fine style, with the final two deliveries bringing catches – the last one a group effort; with Danie fluffing the first grab, Ruaan backing it up and squirting it up too, before clutching it on the second take, with Danie wrapping his hands around it at the same time. Now that’s teamwork. Colin was punished in the last over for 2 maximums, and the partnership had restored some pride to the score line – adding 48.
The final pair walked in, and immediately Ross brought about some damage – a run out first ball, clean through to bowl him on the second, before keeping it fairly tight in the final four deliveries. Colin made amends by setting up a catch off his second, and then spoiling it by getting smashed for four off his last ball. Athletic fielding brought a run out from Ruaan first up, before Russ was smashed for max in the final over; and the team finished on 104.
So – over a hundred to get; and big Kevin and Dazzler to open. A mockery was made of the first ball – sent straight back to the bowler with interest for maximum runs; before Dazzler was run out on the last delivery. Some solid, no-risk batting followed, with Kevin stroking some violent 4’s and the partnership ended on 36 to take an early lead.
Next up, Colin and Wayne strode to the crease, moving things along slowly, but steadily until the final over was gifted to them with 4 extras and a few runs along the way to set us up beautifully, adding 38 to put us on 74.
Ross and Danie came together to continue the assault; and immediately there was trouble. Ross was repeatedly run out, whilst Danie succumbed to a stumping and a catch. Without any big nets being pinged, the wickets were hard to make up; and the partnership mercifully ended with the score just 7 runs to the better. So 24 needed to win, and the final pairing walking in. When Russ was run out off his first delivery, some nerves were clear; before Ruaan rectified the natural order of things by lacing a ball almost through the back net for 6. Runs flowed steadily after that; and the final over approached – with 7 needed from it. The first ball was smashed by Russ for 4; the second gift of a no ball. The third and fourth found the small nets, and with the game in the bag – Ruaan was left with the final delivery. It pitched enough outside of off to allow a Kallisesque leave; and we had done it. Scoreboard flashing 110 behind us.
Congrats to the team. You pushed it close to the wire – but pulled through again; thanks in no small part to some fantastic commitment in the field. Job well done.
Man of the match was Darren for his top score of 23, and unbelievable bowling of 4 for -3 …
The team took to the field first up, whilst our opponents walked in, confident, swaggering. When Ruaan sent the ball way down leg three times in the opening over – that confidence seemed well placed. Russell made his debut, and bowled with raw pace. And, after some athletic commitment in the field yielded a run out, his final ball scorched through the gap to leave smoking piles of melted plastic where stumps used to reside; and the attitude had been well and truly adjusted.
Wayne, managed to create a run out, and two balls later a catch; before conceding two fours off the final two deliveries; and with it – the confidence returned. The final over bowled by Kevin was bunted to numerous nets, and the partnership ended with 26 on the board.
The second pair walked in; to face the limping menace that is Darren. The perils of underestimating your opponent showed immediately with a run out first ball; two dots followed before the fourth sneaked past the bat and clattered into the stumps; and Darren was on fire. Wayne picked up the pieces and smoked two clean bowled wickets in a row before the pressure of the hat-trick proved too much and he sprayed it wide. Final ball got smoked for 4, and he finished his spell with very credible figures. Danie took up the ball, and dragged the bat out of the crease first ball to set up a sharp stumping which Colin took full advantage of. Three dots later, and the over was up; only for Ross to get a run out first up. He kept it tight, and the partnership limped off – battered, bruised and only 3 runs richer …
Things started to slip slightly in the third partnership. Danie was smoked repeatedly to the far net for 3 maximums in a row. Kevin bowled a tighter line, but still didn’t manage a break through. It was up to Darren to bring back some respectability to the bowling. He did in fine style, with the final two deliveries bringing catches – the last one a group effort; with Danie fluffing the first grab, Ruaan backing it up and squirting it up too, before clutching it on the second take, with Danie wrapping his hands around it at the same time. Now that’s teamwork. Colin was punished in the last over for 2 maximums, and the partnership had restored some pride to the score line – adding 48.
The final pair walked in, and immediately Ross brought about some damage – a run out first ball, clean through to bowl him on the second, before keeping it fairly tight in the final four deliveries. Colin made amends by setting up a catch off his second, and then spoiling it by getting smashed for four off his last ball. Athletic fielding brought a run out from Ruaan first up, before Russ was smashed for max in the final over; and the team finished on 104.
So – over a hundred to get; and big Kevin and Dazzler to open. A mockery was made of the first ball – sent straight back to the bowler with interest for maximum runs; before Dazzler was run out on the last delivery. Some solid, no-risk batting followed, with Kevin stroking some violent 4’s and the partnership ended on 36 to take an early lead.
Next up, Colin and Wayne strode to the crease, moving things along slowly, but steadily until the final over was gifted to them with 4 extras and a few runs along the way to set us up beautifully, adding 38 to put us on 74.
Ross and Danie came together to continue the assault; and immediately there was trouble. Ross was repeatedly run out, whilst Danie succumbed to a stumping and a catch. Without any big nets being pinged, the wickets were hard to make up; and the partnership mercifully ended with the score just 7 runs to the better. So 24 needed to win, and the final pairing walking in. When Russ was run out off his first delivery, some nerves were clear; before Ruaan rectified the natural order of things by lacing a ball almost through the back net for 6. Runs flowed steadily after that; and the final over approached – with 7 needed from it. The first ball was smashed by Russ for 4; the second gift of a no ball. The third and fourth found the small nets, and with the game in the bag – Ruaan was left with the final delivery. It pitched enough outside of off to allow a Kallisesque leave; and we had done it. Scoreboard flashing 110 behind us.
Congrats to the team. You pushed it close to the wire – but pulled through again; thanks in no small part to some fantastic commitment in the field. Job well done.
Man of the match was Darren for his top score of 23, and unbelievable bowling of 4 for -3 …
Friday, May 9, 2008
Spin Doctors needed
I was listening to people rant about Eskom this morning, and it made me consider putting my viewpoint down for the betterment of people, and spin doctors everywhere. This whole debacle could have been handled so much better.
Yes, I'm aware that better management would have gone a long way to ensuring the mess never occured in the first place, but the milk is spilled, the coal burned or soaked, and the power out - so no use crying over it. Let's look at how to handle the situation from a crisis management point of view.
How much easier it would have been had the communication from Eskom been humble and contrite instead of bullyish and brash? If the word from the company had been along the lines of: "We fucked up. Sorry. We're working on fixing it, but we need your help." Instead they went with: "We can't give you enough you greedy bastards, reduce what you use now or we'll cut it off."
I have no issue with implementing measures to save electricity. In fact, I applaud them. I take truck with being told that it is my fault. Eskom initially went with the "help us" mode of communication, but then decided to threaten. My favourite part of this saga was the radio ad which said: "Due to customer's failure to save enough electricity we have had to implement load shedding again." No word of Eskom's failure to produce enough for the consumer to use.
I'm not trying to lay blame on government, or the parastatal. I'm pointing out that the problem lies not with the consumer but with the provider. In all service industries, even if the customer made the mistake, he didn't. How much more does this hold true when the customer didn't do anything wrong in the first place?
To strain the restaurant analogy further: We have a situation where the customer ordered sixteen hard boiled eggs, and got served 6, and is now being told it is his fault that there aren't any eggs left. Would you eat there again? What if it was the only choice?
For too long, companies that serve the average South African have given poor service and it has been ignored. It's high time that the situation changes.
Yes, I'm aware that better management would have gone a long way to ensuring the mess never occured in the first place, but the milk is spilled, the coal burned or soaked, and the power out - so no use crying over it. Let's look at how to handle the situation from a crisis management point of view.
How much easier it would have been had the communication from Eskom been humble and contrite instead of bullyish and brash? If the word from the company had been along the lines of: "We fucked up. Sorry. We're working on fixing it, but we need your help." Instead they went with: "We can't give you enough you greedy bastards, reduce what you use now or we'll cut it off."
I have no issue with implementing measures to save electricity. In fact, I applaud them. I take truck with being told that it is my fault. Eskom initially went with the "help us" mode of communication, but then decided to threaten. My favourite part of this saga was the radio ad which said: "Due to customer's failure to save enough electricity we have had to implement load shedding again." No word of Eskom's failure to produce enough for the consumer to use.
I'm not trying to lay blame on government, or the parastatal. I'm pointing out that the problem lies not with the consumer but with the provider. In all service industries, even if the customer made the mistake, he didn't. How much more does this hold true when the customer didn't do anything wrong in the first place?
To strain the restaurant analogy further: We have a situation where the customer ordered sixteen hard boiled eggs, and got served 6, and is now being told it is his fault that there aren't any eggs left. Would you eat there again? What if it was the only choice?
For too long, companies that serve the average South African have given poor service and it has been ignored. It's high time that the situation changes.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Action Cricket Chronicles fit the 9th
What a rollercoaster of a game sports fans! Pity the cart fell off at the end of the trip …
Captain Tosser (not a derogatory term by any means) won the flipping coin toss for the umpteenth time in a row, and chose to put the runs up on the board. Out walked (or in Darren’s case limped) our intrepid opening pair, with Ross partnering the young Dazzler. When the first delivery fizzled past his (Dazzle’s) outside edge, almost everyone on the bench just dropped their heads down; and when the fourth ball popped straight into the bowlers hands in his follow through and erased the three runs made prior to it, we just let the heads stay down. The first upward turn came from Ross’s bat; and a sweetly struck straight drive burst through the fielder’s despairing dive and pinged the back net. The partnership ended on a marginal 29.
Colin and Attila were sent in to try and bolster the innings, and when Colin found the boundary with the fourth ball of the stand, the spirits were soaring again. They deflated quickly with a sharp catch one over later. Nevertheless, not even Attila being bowled through the gate could quite destroy our indomitable spirit, and the partnership ended on 17.
Kevin “wheelie king” Horne and myself trooped up, and Kevin immediately showed his aggression with a sweetly timed four in the first over. I plodded through – pushing singles, and Kevin rotated the strike powerfully, so that not even a double run out in the penultimate over could dampen the pace of our counterstrike; and the partnership added 32 to put us on course for our second score over 100.
JC and Ruaan stroked the ball powerfully pinging all the nets and duly moved us past the century mark to end the innings on 109.
So 110 runs to defend, and the mood was upbeat. Ruaan started the attack, and despite being shunted around for numerous small nets, he did set up a sitter which JC took easily to contain the opposition to just 8 from the first over. JC then took up the ball, and two balls later set up a catch of his own to take the air out of the opponents attack. Unfortunately, the next downward spiral was on its way – and it was a big one … I came on to bowl my medium pace and was treated with extreme disdain, smashed for a straight four and punted to every net in the entire arena. When Attila’s first ball went above head height over the batsman, on course to decapitate the umpire sitting above us, the nerves started to flutter. His next ball went miles down leg, his third overcorrected to end up several yards outside the off, and his fourth an overstep, just hitting the pitch with his fifth took the batsman by surprise and he only managed one. The tortured over finished two balls later – fittingly with a no-ball, and the partnership left satisfied with 41.
The second pair walked in cock-a-hoop, and had the stuffing knocked out of them by Colin’s first delivery flattening middle stump. However, Attila’s radar in the second over of his spell worked as badly as it did in his first. So much so that the final ball was delivered underhand, and smashed straight back past him for four. But then the coaster track moved upwards again, with big Kevin walking in. A run out off his first ball, a remarkable catch next ball up, a runout on the penultimate; and suddenly the opponents were losing steam. Darren bowled a reasonable over and managed two wickets – including a brilliant ball which clipped off stump by a coat of varnish. The partnership over, and just 20 to show for it.
This was about the time we really picked up steam. With a direct hit running out the striker off the first ball of Ross’s over, and again on the last ball. Kevin bowling another pearl to take his fourth wicket of the match. Ross striking twice once more in his final over (and throwing himself horizontally to try and take another one superman style with scant regard for his skin, and the hard concrete floor covered with industrial-strength-grass-burn-inducing matting), and a brilliant catch at short leg (well to be honest I stuck out my hand and it somehow stuck) off the first ball of Colin’s last over. Partnership done, just 16 from it, and at a comparative stage we were 1 run ahead.
All down to the final pairing then. Unfortunately, It was demon Hicks to bowl his luckless military medium, and the second ball was duly smashed for four. The over ended tightly, but the damage had been done to moral, and the fielding became slightly sloppier. Darren’s final over was smashed for four and six, and numerous nets; leaving the sense of inevitability looming. Not even the macho display by the captain after effecting a remarkable run out in his final over, or JC’s last ball uprooting middle stump could save the match, and we lost by the scant margin of 8 runs.
Man of the Match had to be Kevin for his belligerent top score of 19, and bowling analysis of 2 overs no maidens, 4 for -1.
Captain Tosser (not a derogatory term by any means) won the flipping coin toss for the umpteenth time in a row, and chose to put the runs up on the board. Out walked (or in Darren’s case limped) our intrepid opening pair, with Ross partnering the young Dazzler. When the first delivery fizzled past his (Dazzle’s) outside edge, almost everyone on the bench just dropped their heads down; and when the fourth ball popped straight into the bowlers hands in his follow through and erased the three runs made prior to it, we just let the heads stay down. The first upward turn came from Ross’s bat; and a sweetly struck straight drive burst through the fielder’s despairing dive and pinged the back net. The partnership ended on a marginal 29.
Colin and Attila were sent in to try and bolster the innings, and when Colin found the boundary with the fourth ball of the stand, the spirits were soaring again. They deflated quickly with a sharp catch one over later. Nevertheless, not even Attila being bowled through the gate could quite destroy our indomitable spirit, and the partnership ended on 17.
Kevin “wheelie king” Horne and myself trooped up, and Kevin immediately showed his aggression with a sweetly timed four in the first over. I plodded through – pushing singles, and Kevin rotated the strike powerfully, so that not even a double run out in the penultimate over could dampen the pace of our counterstrike; and the partnership added 32 to put us on course for our second score over 100.
JC and Ruaan stroked the ball powerfully pinging all the nets and duly moved us past the century mark to end the innings on 109.
So 110 runs to defend, and the mood was upbeat. Ruaan started the attack, and despite being shunted around for numerous small nets, he did set up a sitter which JC took easily to contain the opposition to just 8 from the first over. JC then took up the ball, and two balls later set up a catch of his own to take the air out of the opponents attack. Unfortunately, the next downward spiral was on its way – and it was a big one … I came on to bowl my medium pace and was treated with extreme disdain, smashed for a straight four and punted to every net in the entire arena. When Attila’s first ball went above head height over the batsman, on course to decapitate the umpire sitting above us, the nerves started to flutter. His next ball went miles down leg, his third overcorrected to end up several yards outside the off, and his fourth an overstep, just hitting the pitch with his fifth took the batsman by surprise and he only managed one. The tortured over finished two balls later – fittingly with a no-ball, and the partnership left satisfied with 41.
The second pair walked in cock-a-hoop, and had the stuffing knocked out of them by Colin’s first delivery flattening middle stump. However, Attila’s radar in the second over of his spell worked as badly as it did in his first. So much so that the final ball was delivered underhand, and smashed straight back past him for four. But then the coaster track moved upwards again, with big Kevin walking in. A run out off his first ball, a remarkable catch next ball up, a runout on the penultimate; and suddenly the opponents were losing steam. Darren bowled a reasonable over and managed two wickets – including a brilliant ball which clipped off stump by a coat of varnish. The partnership over, and just 20 to show for it.
This was about the time we really picked up steam. With a direct hit running out the striker off the first ball of Ross’s over, and again on the last ball. Kevin bowling another pearl to take his fourth wicket of the match. Ross striking twice once more in his final over (and throwing himself horizontally to try and take another one superman style with scant regard for his skin, and the hard concrete floor covered with industrial-strength-grass-burn-inducing matting), and a brilliant catch at short leg (well to be honest I stuck out my hand and it somehow stuck) off the first ball of Colin’s last over. Partnership done, just 16 from it, and at a comparative stage we were 1 run ahead.
All down to the final pairing then. Unfortunately, It was demon Hicks to bowl his luckless military medium, and the second ball was duly smashed for four. The over ended tightly, but the damage had been done to moral, and the fielding became slightly sloppier. Darren’s final over was smashed for four and six, and numerous nets; leaving the sense of inevitability looming. Not even the macho display by the captain after effecting a remarkable run out in his final over, or JC’s last ball uprooting middle stump could save the match, and we lost by the scant margin of 8 runs.
Man of the Match had to be Kevin for his belligerent top score of 19, and bowling analysis of 2 overs no maidens, 4 for -1.
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