Sporting Alfas Cricket Club Sporting Alfas 2nd X1 227 for 10 lost to Oslo Aleins C C 296 for 4
Deciding to bat first, and eventually taking the field(!), the Oslo openers quickly started off as they did the day before, finding boundaries at regular intervals keeping the scoreboard ticking along. They took a while to come to the crease but did not hesitate once they got there. Finally in the 9th over, Matthew missed a straight one from Abdul and the breakthrough had been made 75/1.
With heads beginning to drop, the Chairman and skipper combined with encouragement to the team and the next partnership was cut short when J. Perman got Sahota to pop one up only to see the giant form of Fletcher pluck it disdainfully out of the air and sending Sahota back to the hut for 4. A sorry end for the only member of the Oslo team to have arrived with a clear head and a bright smile that morning, indeed, he arrived about 1 hour before the rest of his team!
Peter then added another 40 with Simon (who also moved onto his 50 during this partnership) before Peter danced past one like he was still in Cafe B and Byrne was able to whip off the bails to give Dhondai a wicket in his last match for this year.
Dhondai was not finished yet and got his 2nd and Alfas last when he managed to get Simon to try for a long straight 6 but only found Abdul floating along the boundary who, unlike some of his team mates, remembered that you are allowed catch the ball, Simon falling eventually for 69.
The final pair of Crawford and Kohlwhim saw out the remaining 6 overs with some nice stroke play and no hurry to bring the total up to 296 at the end of 40 overs.
They say a No. 3 has to be dynamic, energetic and able to step into any situation…..well, failing to have anyone of that description, Skipper Perman sent in the Chairman Fletcher to move things along. Along with Perman, looking calm and playing with great freedom, the pair added another 34 before Fletcher offered a chance and the visitors, not as gracious as their hosts, took another catch!! Fletcher on his way for 13. 82/2
Waqer joined Perman in the middle and shortly after was on hand to see Perman hit yet another 50 in this remarkable start to the season he has been enjoying. However, shortly after, he miscued one off the dangerous Sahota and offered an easy C&B for the bowler to depart on 57. 119/3
Abdul and Waqer saw the team though to drinks actually ahead at the same stage of the match, but with a long way to go in the 2nd half of the innings. Things did not start well as Abdul edged behind in the 1st over after drinks and Alfas were 155/4 off 21 and Byrne joined Waqer in the middle.
Together they added another 18 as the visitors finally showed some generosity as Byrne, 2nd ball, tried to hit the moon with one shot but the fielder underneath had too much time to wait for the ball to come back down to earth and the chance slipped away, Byrne and Waqer getting 2 as the ball made it’s long way back down. Waqer fell for 37, the Oslo team showing that catching, generally was no issue for them and another chance taken easily. 173/5 Marriner came in next……175/6.
Skipper Perman joined the Vice Captain Byrne and they set themselves a target to bring the team onto 200 at least to see where they stood. Some nice running between the wickets and a few driven 4’s saw the target arrive before Byrne, having tried another Lunar shot and seeing the catch go down again, finally fell, ruining the visitor’s book by getting trapped LBW.209/7.
The innings then started to fall away, Smith was caught just failing to clear the fielder, Perman got caught trying to hit over the top but the fielder took advantage of the little hill on the pitch to get the extra height to make the catch and finally, with Dhondai and Roper at the crease, Roper, facing a nice pace off Damien D. connected but not well enough and became the last wicket to fall, once again the Oslo team holding onto the chance and Alfas were all out for 227.
A long day for both teams, 500+ runs scored on the day to match the previous day’s batting totals. Both teams retired to the bar where the Alien’s presented Alfas with a very special, limited edition club shirt to commemorate their visit to Spain and Chairman Fletcher responded in kind with a club shirt to Man of the Match Damien D. for his unbeaten ton and 2 wickets. A very convincing winning tour from the team from Norway but one that the Alfas hope to play again in the near future to seek some revenge.