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HIGH DRAMA AT IMBER COURT
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Superstars 119 all out (Anand 29, Mountain 23, Gaught 20). LOST TO |
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DCMS 120-9 (Keates 3-14, Duggan 2-23). |
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After Rupert Murdoch said DCMS were allowed to play and the weather gods were kind enough to stop the piddling rain for a short while Superstars
arrived at Imber Court for their clash against DCMS. These matches tend to be close affairs and this was no exception. Barry won the toss but surprisingly opted to bat first in what seemed
seamer friendly conditions. |
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Bungle and Speno opened the batting and the going was tough with the Ministry for Fun bowlers keeping a tighter line than a Minister up at Leveson.
Eventually the bowlers got reward with Speno knicking a ball that left him slight behind. In walked Matt C after 2 innings, 3 balls and 2 ducks so far this season. His first run was greeted
by ironic cheers and a raised bat. However after smacking a huge six he was caught and bowled off a full toss. Owo (aka Jim) got a good ball that cut back on him and was bowled. Superstars were
35-3 in the 11th over as Chris "Man" Mountain strode to the crease on his 100th appearence and immediately looked to be busy and aggressive. The highest stand of the innings (37) followed at a
slow rate caused by one of those innings from Gaught that he can't be beaten but can't find the runs either. Unfortunately Chris was run out and then soon after Bungle tried to change the tone of
the innings but after one or two nice front foot shots went for a horrible back foot smear and was bowled. Barry and Mike T failed to register a run, getting similar balls to Jim, while Jez was run out.
This bought Mike D to join Vijay who clearly decided to attack the bowling. Aided by some fall tosses Vijay hit 4 sixes and a four although this was more than matched by Mike's lovely cover drive four.
However Mike was bowled for 5 and Vijay caught for 29 (their partnership, the best but not highest of the innings was 35) leaving Roy with a faultless 0 not out from 0 balls. Superstars were 119 all out
after 32.1 of their 35 overs. It felt 20 or 30 below par. |
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Clearly Superstars needed a good start and this was given by Roy's very tight pressure building bowling (2 maidens in his 5 overs - plus a bad dropped catch by Barry)
and Jeremy who was superb - taking two early wickets. When Mr Scarecrow took a wicket with his first ball of the innings DCMS were 30-3 and it was most certainly GAME ON! There was now a decent
partnership but DCMS never got away from Superstars with the run rate always between 3 and 4 an over - with Mike finishing on 4-1-14-1 and Vijay 4-1-21-0. At around 60 odd for 3 Superstars needed a
wicket and turned to wicket machines Michael Duggan and Chris Mountain. Both delivered in their first overs - Chris getting an edge which Barry snuffled and Mike's was from an amazing diving forward catch at
gulley from Jim. When Mike T took a good catch off Mike D's bowling in now blowy and occasionally drizzly weather DCMS were 6 down and some people's minds were wondering if we were ahead on Duckworth-Lewis.
With four wickets required an a decent 7th wicket standing forming Barry turned to Jez to finish off his spell and Matt C, after lifting the pressure of his duck-run. Jez dismissed the dangerous NJ to end
with 7-1-14-3 while Matt's wicket to wicket flat spin gained a wicket, LBW. Added to this there was a run out from Jez's accurate throw from cover to leave last two at the crease and 6 required to win.
Chris Mountain was bowling at this point but their number 10 had two big hits in him and won the game for the DCMS with the crowd going crazy. |
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A great game but unfortunately this time Superstars were just on the losing side of another close finish. So our proud unbeaten run of 285 days was over but the nice
bar was frequented with a round of applause for Chris' 100th cap and relief that we weren't thrashed and out-classed the same way Ireland were by Spain in the football. |
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