Div 2 Round 2: Aliens vs Grønland
When: 13 May
Where: Rommen
Aliens Cricket Club Won by 5 wickets
Our second game of the season took place at Rommen in near perfect playing conditions. After loosing the toss and being sent into the field we wasted no time in establishing our presence. Damon opened the bowling and immediately had the batsmen on their toes. The first wicket fell after just five balls, with the batsman hole-ing out to Will Barton at mid-on, for a bright and shiny golden duck. Dennis’ second over was no less impressive; a sharp caught-and-bowled and magnificent yorker onto middle stump to close it out. Unfortunately the hat-trick could not be completed at the opening of Dennis’ third over. His third wicket came in the eighth over.
With the initial damage done by the opening pacemen, the ball was passed to the spin duo in Christopher and Dave to continue to attack. Both bowlers bowled well, with Dave claiming the fifth wicket when the batsman sent a high ball to Shanthakumar at long on. Not five overs later, and just after drinks, lightning hands from the keeper, Simon, snared Christopher a brilliant stumping.
Sudesh was brought on after drinks and snared two caught and bowleds in his first? over.
With their innings-end in sight Grønland’s eighth wicket pair started swinging and connecting, putting on 53 before Dennis managed to get one to hole out to Santhakumar at long-on. Dennis claimed his fifth and the final wicket in the 28th over, clean bowling the no. 11.
After such a dominant effort in the field we were ready to sit back and enjoy the show of Will and Dave opening the batting. And a show it was, 20 runs belted in the first two overs. Dave was the first to fall in the sixth over, followed shortly after by Santhakumar in very dubious circumstances. After initially being given not-out (for a striker’s-end run-out), further enthusiastic ‘appealing’ by Grønland resulted in the decision being overturned by the umpire at the non-striker's end. Damon also fell victim to the incessant appealing by Grønland when he was given out LBW after edging the ball, onto his toe, outside leg stump. Stepping into the centre with a newly repaired bat (courtesy of Dave), Dennis wasted no time in returning it to its pre-repaired state first ball. The new bat did not behave well though and Dennis was soon on his way back after only six balls. Enter Marcus. He and Will sought to close out the game, and it was looking as though they would be the pair to do it until Will was surprised by a quick darter that sent his bails flying. Six balls later Marcus hit the winning runs to claim a five wicket victory in the 26th over.
Best bowling figures were achieved by Dennis with 5/18 off 5. Will top scored with 79 of 72 balls.
