Jags 166-7, (Kav 52*, Meldal 26*, Sawyer 25, Mailes 17, S Sahaai 4-18) beat Sharks 121-8, (Smith 26*, Sahai 16*, Holmes 3-7) by 45 runs
Man of the Match - Kav
We've played the Sharks a lot over the years and had some good old fixtures. Things have flipped, they used to beat us, annihilate us in fact, for the first 5/6 seasons of Jags crickets, then it got close for a few seasons, and lately it has flipped where we tend to be the stronger side. I used to contribute quite a lot in heroic defeats back in the early days, and now I contribute very little in scorching wins for the Jags. We have history, it goes back a full 15 years at this stage, which is longer than most professional sports careers last.
Also, I'd characterise the Jags as a "Vibes" team, we're a strong side. We're friends (mostly) and we like playing together, win (preferably) or lose, we are there to enjoy the absolute madness that is cricket. We clap batsmen in, we offer condolences on people getting out unfortunately, we apologise for lucky dismissals and we have a bit of a lark around in the field and spend more time sledging each other than the opposition. I think the spirit or friendliness of the entire endeavour is a big part of why we do it. It's certainly a big part of why I organise and attend. That and the pub.
Tonight the vibe felt a bit off. I can't put my finger on it. We had an insanely strong side (lads, save your availability for the league fixtures) and raced away out the gate, put a big total on, and it was clear at the turn there was only going to be one winning team. This happens, it's cricket, it's a core part of what happens with two innings.
We won the toss and batted, Kav and Meldal were absolutely on it early, Kav absolutely creaming everything he faced with never a forward defensive in sight. Freddie was an able deputy, and we hit about 40 runs off the first 3 8 ball overs. It was absolute carnage from the first ball, 4 6 sixes in this period, one outrageous slap down the ground from Kav sticks in the mind, as does an upwards drive from Freddie, back in fluent form. Katy Perry sang a song about this; it was called fireworks (although Kissed a Girl is also a cracking track).
Even this early on in the innings, and bearing in mind we had an hour and a half to play, heads visibly slumped in the field, as ball after ball was collected from hedges, trees and tennis courts. Kav retired on 25* (old school game) and you would think his swagger/stroll off the field deserved its own soundtrack by white snake or someone. Cooper joined found a few singles before holing out to cow finding the only spot with a fielder in that area. Holmes then did exactly the same as Paul a few balls later. Neither could have picked out the fielder better, and neither fielder had to move an inch.
I strolled out and was given a bit of a 'greeting' to the crease (which is fine), I missed my first ball, there was a very big appeal and I was given out LBW by the judicious but fair Liam, and then was given a bit of a send off (which is also fine). Rammers did politely enquire if I'd hit it - which was nice of him, but I categorically hadn't and off I went to general mirth. I was comfortably out, it's a little bit annoying but that's cricket and what not, it just felt a bit, erm, off. It reminded me a bit of one of those wildlife shows where the lions get outfoxed by the wily wilderbeast herd (Kav, Freddie), but they manage to corner a three legged little one at the end and rip the poor bugger to shreds, and this was somehow a cause for celebration.
The innings picked up again a bit at this point. Mailes (welcome back) was fluent and Parrish was not at all fluent, but still scored, mainly off the edge of his bat, and entirely in singles it would seem. Mailes was bowled. Parrish struggled for every single one of his 15 runs this week. Purton joined for a bit before being caught to their bowler of the night Sumit. Sawyer then strolled out, had a lot of fun, including a reverse pull, and then Kav returned and hammered the last few balls for 50.
Other things I recall at the end, Parrish got caught, I also didn't given him LBW just before then (which might have been a mercy at this point) mainly as he wasn't LBW, but also because the bowler forced me to stand a good 20 feet from the stumps. Brett briefly was in and bowled. Phillips kept Kav company at the end and allowed him to farm the strike to get his 50 (good man), and Sawyer laughed whilst he was batting, including during actual shots (not in a twatty way, I promise). Some of the bowling was very generous, apart from that on offer by Sumit.
166-7 Boom.
Sharks never really got going at the start, I think mostly because of the imposing total, but also this was mainly/entirely down to Jake Holmes starting at a weekend Onyx level pace. 1, 2 and 3 were sent back to the hutch, one caught and bowled, one just bowled (the incomparable Matt Biss) and another bowled in the first 4 overs. We took him out of the attack with an over to spare in his locker as he as just bowling too well and then rotated ten players into bowl. Cooper had a spell that got tapped about a bit, Brett did some bowling (slightly lower than his full pace) that was wicketless, and Toby, Kav and Mailes all had a go.
Rob Smith (opposition captain) put up the stoutest resistance with a fluent and well constructed 26*, Brown briefly threatened to put up a fight, but perished to a borderline no ball pulled straight down deep square leg's throat. No one but Rob hung around for too long, Rammers played nicely, but Purton took his leg stump with one that turned miles, Marc struggled on a pitch that seemed to get worse and was bowled by Mailes. Sumit hung around with Smith for a decent spell, and was joined by another player and his son at spells. Scoring slowed and the game was out of sight.
There was time for me to bowl (pull pin, throw high, duck and cover), Parrish and Meldal. Meldal almost got a career first and only hattrick with the last three balls of the innings, but in truth the game was more or less over a couple of overs after the innings break.
We went to the Red Lion, ate Pizza and the pub vibes were great.
