Dodgers v Department of Culture, Media and Sport
2pm
7 June 2000
Dodgers beat DCMS by four wickets
The two teams assembled in the best weather of the year to date for this encounter, thankful at least to be playing on grass rather than the threatened (and lively looking) artificial strip alongside.
DCMS were pegged down early on by the pace of Paterson and Crawford, the latter picking up two helpful lbws. Replacing Rod, John Hilary bowled an admirable spell, mixing away swingers and off spinners/cutters at will and was not flattered by his figures. John Cooper also generated a great deal of swing but tended to drift too many deliveries down the legside. Sian made light work of a catch at mid-on off his bowling, though, to leave DCMS struggling a little at 52-3 at the mid-innings break.
Matt Leach bowled quite fluently and picking up one victim, as did Phil McBarron thanks to a good low catch by stand-in keeper Neil Benn. DCMS opener Sean Cove had batted steadily and was still there when the arrival of Neil Bond at number 8 threatened to de-rail the Dodgers' effort. Bond was particularly savage on David Pope's first over, but had difficulties in the second before being dropped off a difficult chance by Benn.
The drop had little cost, however, as Paterson returned to the attack. Bowling very quickly, he sent Bond's leg stump cart-wheeling back with a yorker – the "champagne moment" for sure - before bowling a hapless tailender and trapping another lbw to finish with fine figures of 3-19.
The target of 157 looked within range and despite losing Westhead early for a duck lbw, veteran grinders Benn and McBarron kept the board ticking nicely against the DCMS second string having been rightly cautious against the openers. 56-1 after 16 overs was a very satisfactory start, but Benn then got out paddling a high full toss to backward square for 17 and John Cooper followed soon after playing a horrid shot across the line of low straight delivery. Cap'n Carr righted the ship with McBarron expertly, taking the score to 114 in the 29th over with some good running and three excellent straight fours. His dismissal was..... err.... controversial, lbw a very long way forward. [Umpiring from square leg, JC was 4 feet down; with the bowler delivering in-skidders, the chances of it striking him in line and still hitting leg stump were about zero.]
Two more wickets fell in horrific fashion quickly: Crawford wiping across a triple-bouncer for 1 and Paterson (having hit an attractive straight drive for four) wiping across a double bouncer for 8. At 130-6 with 7 overs left the victory seemed in doubt, but ice-man Hilary combined with McBarron sensibly to win the game with 6 balls to spare. The sight of the three musketeers (Pope, Brown and Leach) all padded up simultaneously no doubt providing the spur he needed to stay in. McB's 52no – with no boundaries – was an excellent effort, proving the adage that success sides have someone who bats for a very long time in these 40-over games. Out of touch, Phil had batted resolutely throughout, offering no chances and blocking the better bowlers effectively where necessary.
This was a good performance from the Dodgers, though our batting was unconvincing at times. It was no coincidence that, on a pitch with little bounce, our three straightest batters scored best and there were some horrid dismissals among the big hitters. DCMS had been unable to resist our opening bowlers in the way McBarron, Benn and Carr had done to theirs. Our support bowling – especially John Hilary - was far better, conceding 18 fewer wides. Our fielding was good too, especially John Cooper at long on; an improved performance from David Pope; and one memorable stop from Matt Leach. Benn conceded 10 fewer byes than his DCMS counterpart behind the stumps, and 25 fewer extras overall made a significant difference in the end.
DCMS won the toss and elected to bat.
2pm
7 June 2000
Dodgers beat DCMS by four wickets
The two teams assembled in the best weather of the year to date for this encounter, thankful at least to be playing on grass rather than the threatened (and lively looking) artificial strip alongside.
DCMS were pegged down early on by the pace of Paterson and Crawford, the latter picking up two helpful lbws. Replacing Rod, John Hilary bowled an admirable spell, mixing away swingers and off spinners/cutters at will and was not flattered by his figures. John Cooper also generated a great deal of swing but tended to drift too many deliveries down the legside. Sian made light work of a catch at mid-on off his bowling, though, to leave DCMS struggling a little at 52-3 at the mid-innings break.
Matt Leach bowled quite fluently and picking up one victim, as did Phil McBarron thanks to a good low catch by stand-in keeper Neil Benn. DCMS opener Sean Cove had batted steadily and was still there when the arrival of Neil Bond at number 8 threatened to de-rail the Dodgers' effort. Bond was particularly savage on David Pope's first over, but had difficulties in the second before being dropped off a difficult chance by Benn.
The drop had little cost, however, as Paterson returned to the attack. Bowling very quickly, he sent Bond's leg stump cart-wheeling back with a yorker – the "champagne moment" for sure - before bowling a hapless tailender and trapping another lbw to finish with fine figures of 3-19.
The target of 157 looked within range and despite losing Westhead early for a duck lbw, veteran grinders Benn and McBarron kept the board ticking nicely against the DCMS second string having been rightly cautious against the openers. 56-1 after 16 overs was a very satisfactory start, but Benn then got out paddling a high full toss to backward square for 17 and John Cooper followed soon after playing a horrid shot across the line of low straight delivery. Cap'n Carr righted the ship with McBarron expertly, taking the score to 114 in the 29th over with some good running and three excellent straight fours. His dismissal was..... err.... controversial, lbw a very long way forward. [Umpiring from square leg, JC was 4 feet down; with the bowler delivering in-skidders, the chances of it striking him in line and still hitting leg stump were about zero.]
Two more wickets fell in horrific fashion quickly: Crawford wiping across a triple-bouncer for 1 and Paterson (having hit an attractive straight drive for four) wiping across a double bouncer for 8. At 130-6 with 7 overs left the victory seemed in doubt, but ice-man Hilary combined with McBarron sensibly to win the game with 6 balls to spare. The sight of the three musketeers (Pope, Brown and Leach) all padded up simultaneously no doubt providing the spur he needed to stay in. McB's 52no – with no boundaries – was an excellent effort, proving the adage that success sides have someone who bats for a very long time in these 40-over games. Out of touch, Phil had batted resolutely throughout, offering no chances and blocking the better bowlers effectively where necessary.
This was a good performance from the Dodgers, though our batting was unconvincing at times. It was no coincidence that, on a pitch with little bounce, our three straightest batters scored best and there were some horrid dismissals among the big hitters. DCMS had been unable to resist our opening bowlers in the way McBarron, Benn and Carr had done to theirs. Our support bowling – especially John Hilary - was far better, conceding 18 fewer wides. Our fielding was good too, especially John Cooper at long on; an improved performance from David Pope; and one memorable stop from Matt Leach. Benn conceded 10 fewer byes than his DCMS counterpart behind the stumps, and 25 fewer extras overall made a significant difference in the end.
DCMS won the toss and elected to bat.
DCMS Innings
Cove lbw b Paterson 63
Bradshaw lbw b Crawford 6
McGowan lbw b Crawford 0
Paragreen c Brown b Cooper 9
Coster b Hilary 2
Scattergood c Benn b McBarron 9
Fitzgerald D b Leach 8
Bond (c) b Paterson 26
Fitzgerald B not out 12
Jackson b Paterson 0
Dawes not out 2
Extras (w16, b2, lb2) 21
Total (40 overs) 156 for 9
FOW: 20, 22, 52, 54, 85, 104, 137, 141, 141
Bowling
Paterson 8-1-19-3
Crawford 8-2-20-2
Hilary 8-0-17-1
Cooper 4-0-18-1
Leach 4-0-24-1
McBarron 4-0-22-1
Pope 2-0-19-0
Brown 2-0-13-0
Dodgers Innings
Benn (w) c Scatt'd b Fitz'd D 17
Westhead lbw b Bond 0
McBarron not out 52
Cooper b Bradshaw 1
Carr (c) lbw b Fitz'd B 21
Crawford b Paragreen 1
Paterson b Dawes 8
Hilary not out 11
Extras (nb1, w34, b12) 46
Total (39 0vers) 157 for 6
dnb: Brown, Pope, Leach
FOW: 11, 58, 59, 114, 118, 130
Bowling
Bond 8-3-13-1
B Fitzgerald 8-1-17-1
Bradshaw 8-1-22-1
D Fitzgerald 3-0-10-1
Jackson 4-0-23-0
Paragreen 3-0-18-1
Dawes 2-0-11-0
McGowan 2-0-11-1
Scattergood 1-0-5-0
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