ALFAS TAKE THIS YEARS ALICANTE CUP

 ALICANTE CUP RETURNS TO ALFAS

Intellectuals CC Cricket Correspondent, 31 October

A closely contested encounter at the Woodbridge Oval ended with a victory for Sporting Alfas CC in the 2011 Alicante Cup; depriving the Intellectuals from claiming the trophy for the third consequtive year. After several days of torrential downpours any chance of the match being played seemed highly unlikely. But, come match day dry winds and sunshine blessed the Albir ground and the match went ahead under blue skies, and apart from the odd outfield puddle, on an otherwise, dry playing field. 

Winning the toss Sporting Alfas chose to bat. It was rather a wobbly start, with an early run out and two further wickets being lost for just 14 runs. But with a solid middle order made up of Jamie Roper (20), Chris Cooper (28) and a impressive knock of 38 from skipper Geoff Evans, Alfas reached a respectable total of 131 for 7 off their 30 overs. Pick of the Intellectual bowlers was Neil Richards with 3 for 21 off his 6 overs. Special mention should go to Stefan Martin for his dogged fielding and the retrieval of anything hit towards or into the fish ponds cunnigly positioned behind him towards long leg; and also to Tamsin Grantham for stepping in (in her open-toed sandles) and making her Intellectual debut – this after a little gentle persuation by the Intellectual president and a hefty push by her hubby.

After some very tasty teas were taken (compliments to the ‘sporting’ caterers), well fed and watered the players returned to the field. Opening with Laurence McGarry and Ric (the skip) Wasley the Intellectuals set about their task cautiously but purposefully; knowing that batting-wise the team was maybe lacking a little in depth. The innings appeared to be progressing rather nicely (there were even mutterings of a partneship) when in the tenth over with the score on 38 McGarry (9) was caught trying to hit over mid-wicket. Undeterred Wasley stuck at his task and continued to grind out the runs off the Alfas bowlers. With the next three batsmen taking the score on to 73 off 19 overs, and the skip still stoically at the crease, in came ‘slogger’ Keeling (as opposed to the other more conservative bat, ‘stonewall’ Keeling) to try and push the score along and ultimately win the match. 59 needed off eleven overs. Messrs Wasley and ‘slogger’ Keeling applied themselves to the task and at the end of the 24thover, the score on 104, 27 needed, a victory for the Intellectuals was still very much on.

The Alfas skip, Geoff Evans had to react and so back into the attack came ex-Intellectual Spence Dawes. Dawes new that anything short of a length would be dispatched to the boundary by ‘slogger’ Keeling, so he was looking for a testing full-length delivery with his first ball. Low and behold and much to the surprise of theWoodbridgecrowd and sugnificantly the batsman, he found the perfect line and length skittling middle stump and dispatching Keeling back to the pavillion. Nevertheless,  ‘slogger’ Keeling’s valiant effort (19 runs and a 31 run partnership with Wasley), had given the Intellectuals a fighting chance to hang on to the Cup. Sadly (for the Intellectuals), however, lacking any remaining firepower and Wasley unable to maintain strike the Intellectuals ultimately fell short of the winning total by 19 runs. A captain’s innings of 45 (confusingly retired-out in the last over) by Wasley deservedly earned him the Man of the Match award; a consolation of sorts for his teams narrow defeat.

So an entertaining match played in the true spirit of the game between two equally balanced teams sporting youth, experience and those of even later years, most ably umpired by Mr. Brian Pitts, ended in a victory for Sporting Alfas.

Both teams now eagerly look forward to the next Alicante Cup match to be played at Bonalba Cricket Ground in 2012.

Scorecard