Div 2 Round 12: Aliens vs Inter Lions
When: 12 August
Where: Stubberudmyra
Aliens Cricket Club 155/8 (30.0 ov)
Inter Lions Cricket Club 139/10 (29.1 ov)
Aliens Cricket Club - Won by 16 runs
On an overcast morning, Aliens took on Inter Lions in the 12th league game of the season. The groundsman at Stubberudmyra, was obviously on his summer break, which meant the outfield had generous areas of unmowed grass, which meant that boundaries would be at a premium.
Inter won the toss and surprisingly invited Aliens to bat first, bearing in mind Inter have a reputation of being chokers in a run chase.
Damien and David set about things with a steady accumulation of runs at a fair nick. Halfway through the innings, Aliens were 64 for 2, and if the old formula of double the score of the interval and add 30 more runs was to be applied, the projected score was to be around 160, which everyone thought would be a defendable total.
Marcus and David accelerated the run rate after the break, with some excellent running between the wickets, it took its toll on Marcus, but he was well up for it, they added 79 valuable runs and more importantly batted through to 27 overs.
David with an excellent 64 and Marcus with a 47, and a strike rate of over a 100. Aliens ended up with 155.
Inter set about the chase with a good opening partnership of 34 in 6 overs, but Denis kept a lid on things with some astute bowling changes, and Sudesh provided the vital breakthrough, which opened up the floodgates. Three wickets followed in quick succession, and Aliens managed to get a stranglehold. Some great catches from Sudesh and Damon and even the match report author managed to grab one albeit in ballerina style.
There was a brief resistance from the Inter skipper, but you could sense the writing was on the wall. Inter were finally dismissed for 135, Damon finishing proceedings with a well judged catch, running in from the boundary.
This was an excellent team effort from Aliens, bowlers being supported with superb ground fielding and catching and some very clever field placements by the skipper.
That's six wins for Aliens and a respectable mid table position
