ANDALUCIA WELCOME GIBRALTAR TO THE CARTAMA OVAL

CRICKET  Sunday 18^th March 2012

A bright blue but blustery day at the New Cartama Oval saw a local Andalucian XI take on the visiting Rock Barbarians from Gibraltar in a 40 overs per side friendly match.  The locals won the toss and elected to bat.  The visitors showed their pedigree from the outset.  Their tight spin bowling from both ends was backed up by lithe athleticism in the field. Time after time, singles were denied, possible twos were restricted to singles and the boundary seemed largely out of reach.

Unused to such an attacking fielding display the local openers seemed a little bogged down, putting on just 19 runs until in the 6th over Kasun’s off drive struck thin air while the ball struck the bails from the stumps.  Nushan came and went quickly, caught after slicing a full toss high in the air.  A minor recovery to 53 for 2 became 53 for 3 when inexplicably Previn and Azzard found themselves at the same end with Yousef casually tipping off a bail at the other end.

This soon became 73 for 5 off 18 overs after a Ferrary/Collyer double act, one stumped, one caught behind.  Azzard, Tanveer and then Shahid stiffened up the batting with Tanveer and Shahid indulging in some big hitting to take the score along to 176 for 7 off 30 overs.  Four overs later it was all over, 193 all out.  It didn’t seem enough runs – not by 40 or 50 at least.

Rock Barbarians brought their athleticism to the crease.  At the slightest hint of a run they scampered down the track, challenging the field to run them out if they could and winning the bet each time.

The home side had a couple of early successes with wickets in the 6^th and 7^th overs leaving the visitors on 25 for 2 and the locals with their tails up.  It looked very different as the mid innings drinks interval approached.  19 overs gone and 103 for 2 with barely the hint of a scare along the way and the visitors in command and strolling to victory.

With the non-striker exhorting his colleague to “see it out till drinks” Collyer’s excellent innings ended with him plumb LBW right back on the stumps.  104 for 3 moved easily on to 131 for 3 off 26 overs.  And then, bang – bang 135 for 5 off 27 overs with Barrett twice demolishing the stumps in that over.  Kabir went for 36 three overs later, 151 for 6.  Was there a sniff of an upset in the air?  No it must be the imagination.  Until, bang – bang.  LBWs off the first and second balls of the 33^rd over saw Rock Barbarians rocking on 164 for 8  What don’t you need when you are 25 runs short of victory and every chance of getting them?  You don’t need the non striker stranded half way down the pitch and the fielders with time to take a cup of tea before running him out.  168 for 9.  Five overs left.  One wicket remaining.  The game on a knife edge.  Tension near breaking point.  Then 3 overs left.  7 needed to win.  Then comes a deafening  appeal for LBW.  A crescendo of tension.  Not out!  The ball hit the bat before the pad.  Tension deflated.  Shoulders sagging.  But wait.  The ball is looping up to mid on and falling into the grateful hands of Shahid and the game ends in an unlikely victory for the home side by a mere 6 runs.  A match to grace any cricket ground.  Well done both teams.  Can’t wait for the re-match.

 Andalucua XI

Rock Barbarians