Sporting Alfas Cricket Club Sporting Alfas 2nd X1 122 for 8 drew with La Manga 2nd´s 172 for 8
Sporting Alfas welcomed La Manga to the Woodbridge Oval on a blistering hot morning in August with both teams sending well wishes to Neil Brook.
La Manga won the toss and elected to bat and started with a fury. Simpkins and Vine opened the batting and quickly had the scoreboard ticking along at 5 an over. However, in the 8th over, Abdul finally struck, clean bowling Simpkins with one that swung all the way from the swinging 60’s!
However, with Vine in great form at one end, Wharton came in and acted as the perfect foil, staying in and letting Vine keep the scoreboard ticking. The next Alfas breakthrough did not come until the 20th over, 2nd change bowler Dell cleaning out the leg stump of Wharton with one of his drifting specials. Alfas tried to put the pressure on new batsman Warwick but he was well up to the task and Vine was actually the next batsman to depart.
Having hit a virtually chanceless 50, Vine decided to have some fun but was stopped in his tracks by a rare straight ball from Waqer and clean bowled was the method out again. However, La Manga were in a good position here with 27 overs gone, just 3 wickets down on 122. However, the introduction of Laundon got the persistant Warwick, caught behind off a ball that just swung away at the end…a wicket that brought James to the crease and some questionable running.
Young Hunt was the first victim as, coming back for the second run, both batsmen ran into each other down the middle of the wicket, allowing Dell to launch a long throw into the ‘keeper’s gloves to complete the run out of Hunt, who not for the last time in the match, had some choice words! The next over, James himself was the victim of the run out, a wideish ball was diverted from slip by Byrne and James called Hunt Sr. through for a run, however, the ball had gone to Waqer who, for the 3rd match in a row, got the throw into the ‘keeper for another run out. Hunt Sr. soon followed, stumped by J. Perman but the Alfas hopes of getting La Manga all out were dashed by Primble (16) and H. James (9*), La Manga ending their 40 overs on 172/8
Alfas in reply started steady, with Ward and McKinstry both looking comfortable while warming up. However, with Vine opening the bowling as well as the batting, the run rate was under serious pressure early on. Vine’s first 5 overs went for just 4 runs and got the early breakthrough of Ward, Ct. by Wharton on 14. At the other end, Williams was ably helping Vine but a bit more expensive, going for 20 off his first 5 overs.
Abdul and McKinstry stayed together for the next 10 overs, both passing 25 before Abdul (27) slashed at a wide one and Simkins took the first of a number of good catches for La Manga. The thrid run out of the day then saw McKinstry have the most rotten luck as K. Perman drove Hunt Sr. a little to straight. Hunt managed to throw out a boot and catch McKinstry with a direct deflection while backing up, a good innings brought to an unlucky end on 29.
Then the collapse happened….Perman (1) was first to go with a towering drive of Hunt that Williams somehow managed to hold on to at the very tip of his reach out in the deep. Byrne (2) slashed a backward cut off Hunt that Vine, diving to left, managed to hold onto and then J. Perman (0) found Williams again, this time taking the ball around his ankles in a reversal of his first catch. Alfas were suddenly 79/6 off 25.
Waqer and Dell then started to build a partnership with Waqer the aggressor and Dell the immovable object, not getting sucked in to play any shot. However, after putting on 30, Waqer got a rush of blood to the head, skied one straight up that could have been caught by 3 or 4 of the La Manga fielders, Simkins eventually taking it by virtue of being head and shoulders(and waist in some cases) taller than anyone else around! Evans (5) went in with very little chance to effect the game and was castled by Vine´s penultimate ball and in the end, La Manga had to settle for the draw as skipper Perman and Dell held out for the last 3 overs to reach 122 off their 40 overs.
A good game of Cricket all round with some interesting moments and played in the right manner.
Report by Sporting Alfas Cricket Club.
