T20 Oslo 2021 Match 7: Aliens vs Nation B
When: 15 August
Where: Ekeberg 3
Aliens 134/6 20.0/20 ov
Nation B Ck 135/5 19.4/20 ov
Nation B won by 5 wicketrs
Aliens began at a decent lick, with both openers putting bat to ball and rotating the strike nicely. But the stand was soon broken when Marcus feathered one through to the keeper, prompting approving murmurs on the boundary for what looked, at least from a distance, like a "proper cricket dismissal".
Damon strode to the crease, fresh from creaming 150 throwdowns to an imaginary long off boundary. Alas his form didn't transfer to the big stage, and he was soon on his way back to the prefab pavilion for just 10.
Dennis continued scoring at a run a ball, as he sought to repeat his heroics of the previous match. But a tricksy over from ex-Alien Asad proved his undoing. After a reprieve when the oppo keeper fumbled an easy stumping, Dennis popped an simple catch back to the bowler - who promptly grassed it. But his death-wish was not to be defied, and he fell lbw to the very next ball for a useful 44.
Scottish Dave held the fort as the middle order came and went. Matt, Shahabaz and Erik all departed for single-figure scores, leaving Dave and Branson undefeated on 37 and 5 respectively, and extras the third-highest scorer on 14.
The total of 134 felt 20 runs light - and so it was to prove.
The opposition openers began in comfortable fashion, picking off ones and twos interspersed with the occasional muscular boundary. Bowlers were rotated to little avail, until wily veteran Arif turned the game on its head with his first over.
Dipping deep into his bag of tricks, he produced a mesmerising mix of slower balls and much, MUCH slower balls to dismiss both openers in short order. And in an uncanny parallel with the ongoing test match, it was two plucky young lads from the Broad Acres who were central to the turnaround.
A misdirected pull from the left-handed opener found Erik "the Halifax Hurricane" Powell who held his nerve well to pouch the ball on the midwicket boundary. A couple of balls later, an attempted legside hoick ballooned up off a top edge into the safe hands of Paul "the Barnsley Breeze" Ireland. Suddenly it was game on, and the old adage "When Yorkshire are strong, Aliens are strong" had never seemed so true.
With 2 wickets down and 54 still needed, a rejuvenated bowling attack warmed to its task. Four overs later, Arif struck again, inducing another edge which Branson gratefully plucked out of the sun.
As Aliens pushed for another wicket, a succession of half-chances went begging. One notable effort saw Damon leap, salmon-like, high to his right on the long on boundary, only to see the ball spill out of his hands and over the rope for four.
Then, returning for his second spell, Erik came to the party, steaming in from the carpark end and picking up a couple of quick wickets. The stage was set for a dramatic final over: two runs needed, a new batsman at the crease, and Damon with ball in hand.
Dot followed dot, as the chat around the bat intensified. An unlikely victory suddenly seemed possible...when, with just three balls remaining, the batsman managed to squeeze one through the offside cordon for two runs and a hard-won victory. A deflating end to an exciting game, and Aliens left to rue what might have been if they'd recruited just one more Yorkshireman...