Sporting Alfas Cricket Club Sporting Alfas 2nd X1 148 for 9 lost to Cosby C C 228 for 8
Sporting Alfas II’s welcomed Cosby from the Isle of Man without their captain, leading batsman or opening bowlers, making what was a difficult match from the off, a much harder one!
Irish rule came, briefly to Alfas as Byrne stepped in for M. Perman and his first act as captain was to reduce the match to 30/30 at the behest of the Cosby players, testament to the close game they played the day before, pushing the first team all the way to lose by just 37 runs in a high scoring game. Winning the toss, R. Kniveton did not hesitate to opt for a bat thereby allowing some of his players much needed rest and rehydration during the day!
The Alfas team started well enough, claiming a wicket in the fourh over, Oates picking out McKinstry after hitting a shot that troubled passing aircraft due to it’s height but that was about as good as it got before drinks. One other wicket fell before the break, Waqar dropping like it was hot in order to get a fingertip to a straight drive and run out skipper Kniveton backing up at the non striker’s end.
After drinks, Byrne unleashed the Alfas secret weapon and rocketman Kyle Roper came on and took two wickets in his first over, dismissing Rothwell for 63 via the safe hands of Waqar.Things got even better for the Alfas youngster when he got K. Kniveton for a golden duck to match the duck he got the day before to complete a terrible tour with the bat.
All the while, J. Rowlands at the other end was marching on to his 50 and beyond and after seeing three more partners fall, decided the final over was a good one to try and swing his arms and with the last ball of the game, provided an edge for Byrne to take a diving full length catch.
After the break, Byrne opted for experience and opened with McKinstry and Nix in an effort to remove the shine from the ball while putting runs on the board. His plan worked to perfection……for three overs before McKinstry feathered one from Venter to Rowlands in gully.
One down quickly became two as Jamie Roper was so taken by McKinstry’s dismissal that he decided to do the exact same, same shot, same bowler, same fielder, 37/2. Nix, sickened at seeing his batting partners depart went in the next over leaving Alfas on 38/3 off 8 and staring down the barrel.
Byrne, using the McKinstry review system got a life after being given out caught behind to a phantom nick off an umpire desperate to watch Liverpool, god knows why, and made the most of the chance, not in runs but staying at the crease while others fell around him.
Watching from the non strikers end he saw Waqar, Keegan and Shaz all come and go before Basharat Ali came in to light the fireworks. Byrne eventually falling edging to Kniveton behind the sticks and Ali falling to a screamer from the other Kniveton in the deep.
This left Alfas with five overs to negotiate to not be bowled out. Braitewaite and K. Roper seeing the team home, not to a win but to a credible result from a disastrous start, Alfas finally finishing on 148/9
Alfas MOM – K. Roper – 3/38 off 5 Overs and a valuable not out.
Sporting Alfas Cricket Club