Nondescripts make it 2 from 2
The Nondescripts have taken out out their game against Queensland, despite a battling allround performance from Shane Watson.
The Nondescripts won the toss and batted first, and Russel Arnold got them off to a good start, hitting at over a run a ball before a violent inswinger from Bichel had him plumb lbw. Muzumdar started where Arnold left off, hitting two towering sixes in his short-lived 16 from 13 balls, which was eventually undone as he went for another boundary off a Bichel slower ball which caught a leading edge and popped straight back to the Queensland veteran. Opener Kumar Sangakkara and number four Nawaz both struck half centuries, but caused the run rate to fall, especially Nawaz. Sangakkara stepped up in the latter stages of his innings, and was out as he hoiked a six back over Hauritz's head, only to lose grip of the bat and have it fall onto his stumps. At 3/157, however, Nondescripts were well poised for a decent score. Hopes of 280+ were diminished with each ball that Tillakaratne (14 from 27), Kulasekara (2 from 14) and Nawaz (67* from 102) left for the keeper, and only Bahutule (28* from 22) showed how batting should be done in the final ten overs. The Nondescripts finished with 5/249, with Bichel taking 2/54, and Watson and Kasprowicz both finishing with 1/37.
Needing early wickets to defend 250, opening bowler Lasith Malinga dismissed Jimmy Maher for a four ball duck, which Komasaru followed up at the other end, with Hayden caught, also on zero off four. Suddenly, Queensland were 2/0 and facing an uphill battle. Perren and Watson wrested Queensland back into the game with a determined 103 run partnership, until one from Bahutule spun the other way and caught Perren padding up. From there, the new Queensland batsmen struggled to convert starts, while Watson refused to lose sight at the other end. Love and Symonds both fell for low scoring, slow innings, and Paulsen failed to make things better with his 18* off 33. The match petered out to a Nondescripts win, with Queensland always a few behind the run rate in the last 10 overs, despite Shane Watson's unbeaten century.
Nondescripts 5/249
Sangakkara 80 (98), Nawaz 67* (102), Bahutule 28* (22)
Bichel 2/54, Watson 1/37, Kasprowicz 1/37
Queensland 5/221
Watson 114* (142), Perren 45 (57), Love 26 (34)
Malinga 1/31, Pradeep 1/32, Bahutule 1/42
MOTM S Watson.