Cricket Web Red vs Cricket Web Black
at the CW Oval
Intense cricket at the Cricket Web Oval came right down the final ball of the match, when Kartik Iyer defended Thompson solidly to secure an unlikely draw. Left hanging on for dear life, the Reds were 92/8 at the close. The heroes were Iyer and David Kennett, who batted for 12.3 overs to save the game.
Kennett's masterclass was manifested in 0 not out from 31 balls against quality spin bowling.
Until the final session of day five, the game had been evenly poised and a keen contest throughout. Black batted first and spent the first two days of the match compiling a huge total of 498/6 declared. Centuries from Blackman and Kearsley were helped along by half-centuries from Jones, Butler and Chaulk, as all the batsmen contributed.
The conditions were still good for batting, however, but the Reds settled in and ensured that they batted themselves into a position where it would be difficult to lose. Dauth, Markus and Robbins were the main contributors, but the patient Black bowling chipped away at the wickets column to eventually take a lead of 116 runs.
The second innings presented challenges for both teams, tactically and technically. Black faced up the Red bowlers on a track that was still good for batting, but everything changed when it was the turn of the Reds. Thompson destroyed the top order, then Richards had the lower order hanging on for dear life. Iyer and Kennett - centre stage.
Cricket Web Black 1st Innings 498 for 6 dec.
Cricket Web Red 1st Innings 382 all out
Cricket Web Black 2nd Innings 224 for 6 dec.
Cricket Web Red 2nd Innings 92 for 8
Match Drawn.
Man of the Match: AJ Blackman
Cricket Web Blue vs Cricket Web Colts
at the PDV Dome
The Blues wasted first opportunity on a flat surface, but the inexperience of the Colts told, as they slid to a substantial defeat. Fitzsimmons first innings runs came up huge in the end, although he fell short of his first hundred of the season.
Kyle Wright bowled 33 of his team's 109.4 overs, and was rewarded with 5 good wickets.
Unfortunately, his batsmen didn't back up the effort. Mamesh found good touch and looked good for a 3rd FC hundred of the season, before he was bowled around his legs by Halsey. No one else really stood up in the Colts batting order. Hancock batted himself in, but got himself out - a soft caught and bowled. No one else passed 20.
A lead of 107 in the bag, Peter Young picked up where Fitzsimmons left off. He played his way to a brilliant chanceless hundred, and Blue pushed to 293/9 declared.
Exactly 400 runs were needed by the Colts, and one and a half days remained to get them. By stumps, however, a reachable target was fastened firmly out of reach - 141/7 at stumps. On day 5, the Blues wasted no time in completing the job.
Cricket Web Blue 1st Innings 299 all out
Cricket Web Colts 1st Innings 192 all out
Cricket Web Blue 2nd Innings 293 for 9 dec.
Cricket Web Colts 2nd Innings 142 all out
Cricket Web Blue won by 258 runs.
Man of the Match: PE Young
