The 5-Day Final
Cricket Web Black vs. Cricket Web Green
at the CWBCC Stadium
In front of a packed house and a sea of black and green, the Greens took the game against the Blacks into the 6th day of timeless final, but couldn't not push on to victory. It was a indeed a champion performance from the 5D runners-up, as they recovered admirably from 62/3 to post 441 all out in the first innings and ultimately a 166-run victory.
The rookies came up big for Black, with Jones and Dubb-Lynch scoring half-centuries and Callum Thompson smashing an unbeaten third FC ton. Amidst the revelry of youth, Ash Chaulk managed to stroke a typically swift half-century and the Green bowlers toiled for a day and a half in conceding the massive total.
After the strain, the Greens found themselves at the wicket and simply could not cope with the pace. Bhatia claimed 3 wickets, but it was Mohammed's dismissals of Rose, Goff and Cunningham that truly impacted. Rose had played well for a meaningful half-century at the top of the innings and captain Andrew Garven counterattacked in the lower middle order, but it was far from enough. Hoy and Timewell did manage to see Green past the follow on target, but could not avoid a deficit of 184 runs on first innings.
Literally with all the time in the world, the Blacks were in no rush to score runs and instead were intent on wearing the arms off the Green bowlers. With the game plan set, Black batted into the 5th day to score 310 all out and set 495 runs for victory. Chris Butler found some form with a workmanlike innings and anchored the total with a half-century. Weber, Cunningham and Feeney bowled well for 3 wickets apiece, but the share of 0 wickets for Timewell and Hoy proved costly.
The fourth innings of the match started a hour before lunch on the fifth day, and Green had massive amounts of time in which to achieve their target. Hoping to inspire a heavenly effort on a crumbling pitch, the Greens were quickly disappointed by the loss of Feeney and Goff.
Rose and Lezama battled on past the hundred mark, but just when the former looked well entrenched, he top-edged a sweep against Pickup and was caught at short fine leg. As in the first innings, Verghese played a very busy innings and then was out, this time to a spiteful lifter from Thompson - caught behind. Andrew Garven once again walked out with his team in shambles.
He assisted Lezama to a well-played fifty, but then saw him out LBW 10 runs later. With hope almost gone, Garven decided to play his natural game and see how far he got. He and Walsh took Green to stumps on day 5, but Walsh was caught behind off Bhatia in the first over of the sixth day. A couple overs after, Garven brought up his fifty, then he too was victim to Bhatia.
Sangrah finished with 4 wickets in the innings. Bryce Cunningham and Tarick Weber soldiered on to take Green past 300, but the cause was long lost. Fittingly, the Black captain and the vice-captain took the 9th and 10th wicket - 328 all out.
Cricket Web Black 1st Innings 441 all out
Cricket Web Green 1st Innings 257 all out
Cricket Web Black 2nd Innings 310 all out
Cricket Web Green 2nd Innings 328 all out
Cricket Web Black won by 166 runs.
Man of the Match: CP Thompson