Another hot weekend! Not too many happy stories this week, although Div 4 continue their excellent start to the season. One more round for our cricketers to build up some stories to bore family and friends with over the Christmas break!

After Lachie Woolf's myth-building in last week's newsletter, Harry Meehan does his bit to show that a background as a university History student does wonders for writing cricket reports. Quite probably the first time that the word 'balistraria' has graced our club's newsletter!

Thanks to our sponsors

As always, a huge thank you to our club and team sponsors, Sporting Edge, BBS Timbers, Bombay Tandoor, The Brewers, Burger Station, ITM Dyers Road and VIP Trade for your continuing support of Merivale Papanui CC. Your generous help makes a massive difference to the cricketing experience we can provide to our junior and adult members this season.

Meat raffles at The Brewers

Every Friday evening during the season, MPCC is selling meat raffles at our sponsor, The Brewers, in Merivale. All teams will take a couple of turns doing the selling - this week our Championship side are on selling duty. All club members are encouraged to head down at 5.30 support the raffles and our sponsor and get in some pre-match predictions for Saturday's games.

MPCC Christmas Party – Saturday 21 December

Rain or shine, the MPCC Christmas Party will take place on Saturday, hopefully once a full round of fixtures has been completed. With deals on refreshments and teams encouraged to dress in their most absurd dress-up options, it should be a great night to finish off 2024 at the club.

MPCC Golf Day – Sunday 26 January

Further details are now available for our annual golf day. This year, the event will be held at Avondale Golf Club. The day will feature an Ambrose competition with teams of 4 registered for $200, or anyone who wishes to sponsor a hole can do so for $300 with an associated team entry. The day will start with team registrations at 10.30 with tee-offs from 11. Along the way there will be

• Prize holes for the longest drive, nearest to the pin and other achievements
• On-course BBQ refreshments and $5 drinks
• Post contest catering and prize-giving

Let’s get as many teams on the course as possible and make this a great day out for all involved with MPCC!

Congratulations to Masters lynchpin, Mark Hume, who recently brought up his 200^th Masters appearance – the first MPCC player to do so.

Congratulations to current Masters captain, Petros Kapralos, who passed 50 appearances in the last round.

Congratulations to Frank Kokiri, who also passed 50 Masters appearances recently.

Congratulations to Sporting Edge Div 2 captain, Michael Beattie, who took 5-12 off 3.2 overs in his side’s T20 victory over OBC.

Congratulations to Wez Masterton, who continued his destructive T20 form for the Sporting Edge Championship side with 87* off only 45 balls vs Heathcote. Wez topped the MP Championship scoring charts during the T20s, hitting 233 in 6 games, including two half-centuries, 33 fours and 12 sixes!

Congratulations to Sporting Edge Div 2 Red batter, Caleb Cottom, who hit 57* in his side’s win over OBC.

Good  luck to Panthers player, Conner Rankin, who is making a move to Queenstown. Hopefully we'll see you back at Edgar Mac in the near future!

Match Reports from Saturday 7th/Sunday 8th December

MP Sporting Edge Championship vs Heathcote @ Edgar Mac 1 (T20 - Win)

The final day of the T20 round robin group stages arrived, with Heathcote the visitors in the morning. The scene was set for an absolute run fest with a fresh wicket, a browning outfield and a baking hot day. Merivale-Papanui took to the field brimming with enthusiasm and E numbers after Hydration Technician Williams water boarded the bowlers with an electrolyte solution with an ingredient list longer than Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. Leo (Spilsbury, not Tolstoy) took the first over from the far end and out of fear/optimal hydration/well executed plans produced a pearler of an inswinger to dismiss the Heathcote captain first ball LBW, with the standing umpire timidly raising his finger, presumably hoping nobody would notice. This was the perfect start to a plan, so cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel, devised by designated ideas man Piper who had spent a quiet Friday evening watching Blackadder. Said plan revolved around 'setting the tone' for the first 18 balls. Having decided the old man had not gone mad, the bowlers concurred and had Heathcote 3-2 after 3 overs (or 2/3 depending on your hemisphere of choice). From there, things continued to go to plan with the rotated bowlers supported well by energetic, aqueous fielders. As such, the Heathcote innings never really got going and their final total of 120 felt somewhat under par.

Ling and Masterton strode to the crease full of confidence in pursuit of Heathcote's total. However, tensions in the changing rooms briefly rose as word spread that in a moment of madness, Wez may have substituted his renowned breakfast of champions (6 Weet-Bix) for something more paltry, with vicious rumours of a green smoothie and avocado toast swirling as Wez's first ball registered as a dot. As the bowler charged in next ball, a pin could be heard dropping in Edgar Macintosh Park. Dog walkers and dogs alike stopped dead in their tracks, elderly lawn bowls players peered over the hedge and passing traffic rubbernecked from Condell Avenue (although as one Heathcote player found out the hard way earlier in the season, you can't park there, sir). However, Wezley, a man's man who lives life by the mantra of if it ain't broke don't fix it, soon allayed any fears of the rumoured breakfast blunder by pummelling the next ball to the boundary. From then on, Wez continued his fine form this season with an exhibition of clean hitting, ably supported by Lingy's calculated strike rotation and the target was chased down inside 14 overs for no loss.

MP Sporting Edge Championship vs Halswell @ Edgar Mac 1 (T20 - Loss)

After an early finish in the morning game, Merivale Papanui's chosen men had a few hours to refuel, fortify the defences of Edgar Macintosh, pray for loved ones and restock the balistraria points (eat lots of Thai food, lounge around watching the test match) ahead of the much anticipated arrival of the Vikings. Patience wore thin as the Vikings took their time making their way up the Avon in their Longship from their morning fixture in Hagley Park, branching off onto Wairarapa stream before disembarking onto Rossall Street and continuing the rest of the journey on foot. This was a masterstroke from the Vikings, retaining an element of surprise on their unsuspecting victims who, after a near-faultless morning, could be forgiven for considering the inland fortress of Edgar Macintosh secure from the Vikings, who typically operate in coastal towns. Having made MP wait and lured them into a false sense of security, what followed next was a textbook Viking warfare; the smash and grab. Halswell's openers seized the initiative from the MP bowlers, reaching 35-0 after 3, with the plan to start well in the first 18 balls out the window, MP were forced to rethink. After clawing back some of the momentum, with Max particularly economical through the middle overs, MP were dealt a hammer blow. Having weathered the early deployment of longbows in the afternoon heat, LCJ Senior, keen to celebrate good cricket and another advocate of 'the most hydrated team wins' maxim, attempted to ply the MP boundary riders with cold beers. Alas, any premature celebrations were to be left on ice as the Halswell number 6 hit a brutal 50* off 27 balls.

Faced with a target considered to be around par, MP were well-spirited at the interval but early wickets stemmed the flow of runs and soon the required run rate was almost out of sight. A spirited 41 from Ling brought respectability to the total but otherwise meaningful contributions were few and far between, resulting in a disappointing 60 run defeat. Halswell may have won the battle, but the war would be determined as soon as tomorrow morning in the form of a T20 semi-final.

MP Sporting Edge Championship vs Halswell @ Hagley 5 (T20 SF - Loss)

Sunday morning rolled around with a shot at redemption on the table, and with revenge best served cold, the weather God (other creators available on request) played ball by serving up a crisp morning out on Hospital Corner, Hagley no. 5. Merivale-Papanui arrived in good spirits with conversation ranging from pitch conditions, why it was called Hospital Corner, the highly exciting prospect of playing on Hagley Oval and associated showering facilities. Readers will be pleased to hear that after an evening of vivid dreams of no consequence to cricket, the author awoke with a refreshed outlook on the world including but not limited to: a revitalised resolve to further the message of the futility of war. As such, all Viking/ battle references will cease and Halswell will be presented as a strong, yet beatable cricket team over whom MP were keen to secure victory and with it a place in the T20 final. Game on.

Having been inserted after losing the toss, MP lost Ling to the first ball of the innings and Wez followed soon after. Jordan played with great freedom and tried to hit the Halswell bowlers off their lengths before being dismissed bringing the 'accumulators' to the crease earlier than planned. There was a brief rebuilding period required and whilst the middle order were eventually able to turn over the strike well, MP lacked the firepower to reach a competitive total, closing on 101 from 20 overs. However, during the interval club cricket does what club cricket does best in its role as an ersatz therapy service by allowing the MP players the space to voice up a concoction of thoughts which formed the bedrock of our plan for the second innings: misplaced optimism, 'make the old man run' and runs on the board in a final.

Despite these efforts, it was not to be. Credit must be given to the Halswell opening pair who made the pitch look like SH 1 and for providing a masterclass of how to chase down a score, a taste of MP's own medicine from earlier rounds. It is worth mentioning that Halswell were gleefully granted multiple hydration breaks as they made light work of the MP total, a luxury only granted to MP through gritted teeth. The most hydrated team really does win. Congratulations to Halswell and eventual T20 champions Burnside. MP will be back this week to take on East Shirley in round one of the One Day competition.

Harry Meehan

MP Sporting Edge Div.2 Red vs Marist Harewood @ Bishopdale (T20 – Loss)

Back to Bishopdale park for the seconds this weekend, up against top of the table Marist Harewood in our last round robin games of the T20 campaign, on the cusp of a semi-final spot the side would need at minimum one win to secure a spot, two to make it comfortable. We won the toss and elected to bat, with a drier than usual pitch expecting it to get slower as the day went on trying to get the best of batting conditions. We unfortunately failed to do so, only managing to score 108 – the only real resistance shown by Louis with a well made 49 (run out by the skipper, sorry mate).

In to bowl we thought around 120 would have been par at the start of the day, so a good bowling performance required. The return of Nathan Columbus saw a good spell of bowling, 4 overs 2 wickets for 22. Spin from the other end saw 8 overs but negotiated well by Marist, no wickets but only 42 runs. Beattie following Nath bowled 3 overs, no wicket for 8 runs and Alex bowled his 4 overs, 3 wickets for 32. The real turning point in this game was during one of Alex’s overs, Beattie dropped a goober over the boundary for 4, next ball went for 6 and the ball following for four overthrows. Marist, however, still needed 15 to win off the final 3, Beattie went for 6 in the 18th, and Nathan 10 in the 19th for us to lose with an over to spare, the real killer being 16 runs from the 17th over. A loss first up but on to the next one!

MP Sporting Edge Div.2 Red vs OBC @ Bishopdale (T20 – Win)

Losing the toss, we were put in to bat this time, we lost Louis early in the first over for 4, but good contributions through the middle from Sloaney (19 off 12), Tom Music (17 off 16) and Gilly (19 off 13) and pick of the batters this match, Caleb Cottom (57 off 56). Not a huge amount of resistance from the lower order on this occasion, but some handy runs here and there batting around Caleb. Some looser bowling and additional extras from the OBC boys allowed us to get through to 147 – an above par score given the first fixture, we thought.

Starting again with Nathan and George, both bowled very well, Nathan again not going for many (4 overs, 1/16) and George going for less than a run a ball yet again (4 overs 0/23). With the loss of Robbo mid-day, we were a touch lighter on bowling for the second fixture but got four overs out of Sloaney (3 overs 0/25) and Caleb (1 over 0/9). Alex continued his wicket taking streak in the T20s, taking 2/27 off his four. OBC needing 25 off the final over, there were arms swinging everywhere from the part timers (Gilly even jokingly going to take his pads off to bowl the final over!), some discussions between Beattie and Duncan down on the straight boundary, and some tough negotiation almost saw a part timer get a chance, but the last two balls going for boundaries sealed the decision for Beattie to come back and nab the last two wickets off the first two balls of the final over, ending up with figures of 5/12 off 3.2. Semi-final spot secured against Riccarton the next day!

MP Sporting Edge Div.2 Red vs Riccarton @ Hagley 3 (T20 SF – Loss)

With the weather significantly cooler for Semi-Final Sunday, we took on top qualifiers Riccarton at Hagley 3. It appeared that the sprinklers were activated throughout the night, and an untouched pitch from the day prior left us a bit guilty of being dejected from the start and not preparing adequately for a big match. We won the toss and elected to bowl. With Nathan out Beattie and George opened, but all of the bowlers struggled to find any real consistency on the day, with only Hamish managing to go for less than a run a ball (4 overs, 22 for 1). If not for some good middle over bowling from Hamish, Sloaney and George later in his spell we could have been chasing a whole lot more, but ended up needing to chase 156 to win.

With an aggressive batting lineup, Louis and Sloaney opened, but with our top 5 (Lou, Sloaney, Caleb, Rakesh and Gilly) only managing 27 between them, we were quickly reduced to 42/6 after Hemanshu also went quickly for 4. Beattie and Duncan showed some brief resistance, but at 11 an over could only manage a partnership of 38, the rest of the tail showed some brief resistance but the rate forever climbing quickly, we couldn’t quite get across the line, bowled out for 96 in 15 overs. A reasonable T20 campaign for us, but with ambitions to get promotion from the grade, a stronger final seeding will be required in the One-day campaign starting on Saturday (weather permitting).

Michael Beattie

MP Burger Station Div 2 Black vs Lancaster Park Lions @ Garrick 2 (T20 - Loss)

A third captain in as many weeks, with Bellsy and Dave both injured, El Presidente Ranjith took over for our final two rounds of T20s with the team out of playoff hopes, looking for our first win in the competition. A few new faces joined us this week with Ash Reddy in for Shane, who wouldn’t be available until the afternoon, and our second father-son duo of the team with Ashton Brown of Shirley Boys’ 1st XI and his father Ants turning out. We started against Lancaster Park Lions at a sweltering Garrick 2, winning the toss and batting first.

Returning to the scene of last week’s run-out debacle with three, we started perfectly getting through to 31/0 after four overs. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off with Ash’s dismissal (13) and some clinical bowling from Lancaster Park, along with a couple of the dreaded run-outs (five now in just two games on this ground) saw us crumble to 77/8 with six overs remaining, only Basa (20), Hemanshu (17) and Ants (15) making runs through the middle order. Sam Coughlan joined Richard at that point, with the temperature now above 30 degrees, and they put on 21 trying to bat out the overs, Sam hitting a six over square leg (only his second-ever, and first since year 10 in 2018) in his 11 with Richard getting 8. Sam fell trying to up the ante in the penultimate over to a one-handed screamer on the boundary and Richard was stumped in the last over. All out for 98.

Defending a low score wasn’t going to be easy and we took heart from the fact a few balls were turning or keeping low in our innings. Jack and Ashton opened up and kept things tight before Jack induced an edge taken by Sam C in gully with the score on 30. Sam came on to bowl not long after and had their other opener caught at long-on with his third ball, before Hemanshu picked one up not long after, but we weren’t able to get the consistent wickets we needed to threaten their chase. Sam got his second when, with just 10 needed, their batter stepped back to cut a wide one but could only connect with his own stumps. The remaining runs were promptly hit off the next three balls, with one ending up in the car park. A six-wicket loss where we showed a bit of fight especially after collapsing with the bat.

MP Burger Station Div 2 Black vs Sumner @ Woolston (T20 - Loss)

Our final T20 saw us move over to nearby Woolston Park to play fellow cellar-dwellers Sumner, with just one win between both teams in the competition. Shane came in for Ash and we again batted first, setting about putting together a good total. Basa was run out early for 4, before Shane was gone for 12 off 24 balls. But this time the middle order fought hard, Hemanshu (28 off 20) putting together a great power-hitting knock at No 3, hitting a string of boundaries. When he departed, skipper Ranjith joined young Ashton and the pair nearly batted the remainder of the innings, Ranjith scoring 28 before being run out in the final over and Ashton compiling a superb 47 not out off 42 - including several beautiful cover-drives from the leftie. We ended up getting 150/4 from our 20 - by far our best batting effort yet.

Confidence was high defending a good score, and we were off to the perfect start when Jack ripped one through their opener in the first over, bowling him with the score on 0. Jack would pick up another two, one bowled and one well caught by Shane, to leave them in a world of trouble. But their No 4, Singh, had been going about his business well and when joined by No 6, Jones, the pair played some fantastic shots to chase the total quickly. Despite a wicket to Ashton, getting Singh to sky one caught by keeper Sam Hall shortly after reaching 50, by then the required rate was so low thanks to them taking 38 from two overs by Hemanshu and Ranjith, and they had all-but secured the win. We fought hard and Sam H picked up a stumping off Ants’ leg-spin, who had bowled seamers prior to that, but it was not enough, with Sumner reaching the target five down with three overs remaining.

So our T20 campaign ended sadly, with seven losses from seven, and we will now turn our attention to the one-dayers starting on Saturday against Riccarton at Hagley Corner, our last game before the Xmas break. Hoping to have a few of our walking wounded available in short time - we’ve missed Darren’s classy batting, Bellsy’s loopy spinners and Dave’s left arm swing bowling.

Sam Coughlan

MP Div 4 vs St Albans @ Edgar Mac 2 (Win)

It was a hot day and we finished the game early. St Albans all out 86 off 26 over. MPCC made the score in just 16 overs. This time our openers were out early. Our vice-captain Mahesh smashed back to back 2 sixes to put pressure on the other team but lost his wicket. This time the middle order took responsibility on their own shoulders and played sensible cricket. Birender Chamoli and fill-in batsman Aftab did well and we chased the target, 87/4. Also our bowlers Arjun Rawat and Om Prakash bowled well. Really impressive figures with Arjun taking 3/6 and Prakash 2/5.

We look forward to the next game and enjoy the weather.

Prakash

MP Div 6 Panthers vs Hornby @ Denton 1 (Loss)

On a scorching Saturday at Denton Park, the Panthers faced Hornby in a Division 6 clash that ended in disappointment for the visiting side. The day began with hope but quickly turned as temperatures soared and fortunes dipped. Skipper Andy A lost the toss, and the Panthers were sent in to field under the blistering sun. Opening the attack, Andy A and Steve delivered a steady start. The breakthrough came when Andy A induced an edge that keeper Deano safely pouched. AJ, back from an Indian holiday, made an immediate impact with a caught-and-bowled in his first over, followed by an unusual dismissal where a ricochet off Deano's helmet landed in Isuka's hands at short fine leg. Max, arriving late after his son’s cricket in Sefton, bowled an economical spell, but luck deserted him in the wicket column. Meanwhile, young Isuka faced the wrath of Hornby’s in-form batter, who anchored their innings with an unbeaten 86. However, Isuka redeemed himself with two bowled dismissals, using the crosswind to extract extra swing. Harsha cleaned up the tail with two late wickets, restricting Hornby to 181 in their 40 overs.

The Panthers’ reply began on shaky ground as both openers fell cheaply. Max and Conner steadied the ship briefly, with Conner (playing in his last innings before he moves down to Queenstown) showcasing his strength down the ground and trademark cut shots. His promising knock ended on 28, just as he looked set for a significant score. Sunny’s stint was short-lived, bowled by a delivery that uprooted his off stump. Andy A joined Max at the crease, but their partnership ended when Max's ambitious attempt resulted in a top edge to the keeper. Andy A followed shortly, chipping an easy return catch to the bowler. AJ provided a glimmer of resistance, striking a towering six over deep mid-wicket, but support from the lower order was limited. Steve gifted a catch off a full toss, while Abhi and Isuka played a few nice shots before the innings concluded with Isuka top-edging a pull to fine leg. The Panthers' chase fell well short, ending their impressive five-match winning streak. Hornby capitalised in the heat during their innings, leaving the Panthers fatigued and vulnerable to tired shot-making when they batted. It was a tough lesson for the visitors, who will look to bounce back and regain their momentum next week.

Andy A

MP BBS Timbers Div 7 vs Swannanoa @ Sheldon Park (Loss)

The 9^th placed BBS Timbers Div 7 team was up against 4^th placed Swannanoa at (yet again) Sheldon Park on a very hot and windy day. Nana finally won a toss and chose to bat, opening up with himself and Kieran. It was a slow start, with runs unusually (for those two) hard to come by, and the score was only on 14 when Kieran was bowled for 6 in the 5^th over. I came in and the run rate began to increase. Things were going along quite nicely when, par for the course, I got myself out caught for 27 in the 15^th over, 73/2. Jamie departed not long after that, caught for a solid 34 in the 17^th over, 76/3. Things kind of went belly up after that – Karim was caught for 3 on the 18^th, Charan was run out for 1 in the 19^th, and when Amen was out LBW for 5 the very next ball, we had gone from a position of reasonable strength to 78/6 after 19. It didn’t really get much better after drinks. Pav was caught plumb in front, no doubt at all despite his endless…constructive feedback…for the rest of the day, for 6 in the 22^nd, 90/7. It took some determined resistance from our lower order to get us any kind of respectability. Ayan and Frosty got us through to the 27^th over before Ayan was caught for a hard fought 20, 108/8. Kaku was bowled for 6, and Narayana caught for 13, leaving Frosty not out (for the 4^th time this season) on 13. So all out for 145 in the 32^nd over. Very much an under par score, and 8 overs short of the 40.

It would take something special from our bowlers and fielders if we were to peg back a strong Swannanoa batting lineup. With Kieran and Pav opening up for us things got off to great start. Pav struck first ball of his first over, 1/1. And then again with his 4^th, and at the end of the 2^nd over they were struggling on 1/2. Unfortunately, that was about as good as it got for us. While we generally bowled well, and the fielding was solid without being spectacular, it wasn’t until the 12^th over before we made the next breakthrough with a very good run out from Karim and Kieran (who had taken over the keeping from Nana), 55/3. We kept the run rate down, but that was never really going to be an issue for Swannanoa. Pav struck again in the 22^nd over, 89/4, and Ayan in the 28^th, 116/5. In the end they got home quite comfortably in the 36^th over, finishing with a 6 so 149/5. Pav was the standout bowler with 3/24 from his 8. Ayan was the only other bowler who had success, 1/35 from 4.5. Kieran bowled well with no luck, 0/25 from 6, Nana returned 0/17 from 4, Frosty 0/30 from 6, and Kaku 0/16 from his 3. In the end we just didn’t make enough runs – we fought hard, with reasonably tight bowling and ok fielding, with only a couple of missed catches (although they didn’t offer many opportunities).

And now…the scorecard:

Batting: C. We simply didn’t put enough runs on the board.

Bowling: B+. We bowled well without making enough inroads. That said, Swannanoa also batted well with little in the way of poor shots etc, and played with controlled aggression.

Fielding: B. An ok effort – couple of missed chances (catching and runout), but another good runout and generally solid ground fielding.

There is definitely a lot of potential in this team – we’re just not making the most of it on a consistent basis. Hopefully this week at home (weather permitting) will see us put more of a complete performance together.

Cheers

Richard

MP Masters vs Sydenham @ Sydenham 3 (Loss)

MPCC 164/8 lost to Sydenham Cardinals 165/7 on Sydenham 3 on a decidedly hot day. P.K. won the toss to give us first use of the pitch where we opened up with Fire and Ice, Verma and Bell with Cardinals offering up Scott and Winder with the wind picking up to keep the heat at bay. MP batters getting the better of the initial exchange getting to 34 seeing off the opening bowlers without loss at the six over march, Verma, with the trademark attack while Bell absorbed the pressure putting great value on his wicket. With the change bowlers coming on, Julian and Walker, the scoring rate came down but our lads stayed strong and negotiated the spells of these two as well, making their way to 58 after 14. The reintroduction of Scott at the Port Hill end paid an immediate dividend, with the first ball crashing into Rakesh's castle bringing to an end the aggressive openers stint at 41 (45). Hume in and dispatching the first ball bowled to him for four. Bell and Hume combined with a bit more energy getting well past drinks before the second wicket was taken, that of Bell, being caught well at cover by Ross (?) off Winder for a patient 28 (73), MPCC 106/2. Zwies in, Zwies out, falling for 1 playing a Julian ball on, getting a little tangled up and being unable to kick the ball away in time, 110/3. Crimp joined Hume for a period of time knocking it around, accumulating 20 when an ill-advised pull into the wind from Hume, trying to dominate Fleming hung in the air for too long to be caught by Wild in a three-quarter position in the midwicket area. Hume departing for a well versed 39 (51), MPCC reduced to 130/4. Pickle in, Crimp looking to hit out. One maximum, a couple of doubles but it was a single that broke this partnership at 140, a direct hit from short third man had Crimp continuing the run back to the sideline, can only think it was Walker in that position to effect that result, Crimp off to the races for 18 (26). Cartmell in to enjoy the fight, dominated the next partnership, but suffering in the running department, forced to go a couple of triples with Pickle egging him on. Another partnership to die an ignominious demise, Winder inducing a pulled leading edge from Cartmell, steepling against the wind to the sub fielder (sorry to say I didn't catch his name), who showed remarkable concentration to pouch the tough chance, Simon gone for 16 (19). This bought Mendis to the crease, who unfortunately for us didn't come off also being dismissed in the over being caught by a backtracking Yousef without scoring, MPCC 160/7. The last two overs were disappointing in the runs production area SVG being particularly ineffective, finding fielders with regularity, Paul Dearsley, at least being able to rotate with a couple of singles off the three balls faced. Pickle (9/19) being run out on the last ball pushing for two that was never there, leaving MP 164/8 at the finish of the innings. Winder being pick of the bowlers with 8/1/35/3.

With the pitch showing definite signs of wear and the Cardinal bowlers showing how to utilize the wind and pitch conditions we though it would be a close run thing, but Matthews had other ideas, doing Matthews things picking off an out of sorts Pickle in the first over, taking 11 as I was guilty of getting too straight and not finding the correct combination to produce the swing that was evident earlier in the day. However, Dearsley was on the ball, picking up the early wicket of Wild (2) in his first, the presented catch accepted by RV. A bit of a role reversal for the next two overs as Matthews got PD away for 11 and Scott was tied down. Soon we had the first genuine put down, Scott hitting hard with the wind to Pickle patrolling the legside boundary, a bit of running to get in half decent position, but the hand height was slightly off, resulting in the ball ricocheting off the heel of the right hand solidly into the ribs and deflecting a fair distance back infield giving another reason to be grumpy, but only one run scored. A few overs later the vigil of the aggressive Matthews was over, smoking Pickle back to the bowler, this time the hands were correctly positioned to ensure the ball stuck, Paul going back to the dugout incredulously for 30, Cardinals 44/2. Ross in to partner Scott started with a flurry. Time for MP to change it up introducing Mendis from the city end and Kapralos from the Port Hills end. Story of two sides, Mendis tight as anything, but the Pickle drop causing nightmares for P.K. and Kelvin Scott teeing off, sending 4 maxi's over the short boundary, curtailing Petros's stint at two overs and an immediate switch to pace. This was provided by Cartmell who picked up Scott second ball courtesy of a lobby caught and bowled dismissing Kelvin for 46 brutal runs, 88/3. Cardinals getting to 101/3 at drinks which were very well received at the time, the water drainage from wind and heat becoming a factor, and hydration being important, so we have been told. At this stage Ross and captain McKay were at the crease and looking controlled, they pushed on, our usual curse of drinks not materializing and the score steadily building. Frankie and Cartmell, then Mendis switching ends prevented the runs from being taken quickly but couldn't effect the breakthrough either, that was until Frankie managed to tease out the false shot from Ross finding P.K. to fall for 30 in the 31st over, Cards 139/4. Another small combination between Yousef and McKay had the score reach 155 which is when Sydenham experienced a decent speed wobble. McKay (27) being sent back, unsuccessfully racing a bullet arm from Humey for Bell to whip off the bails, Walker (0) being well caught in short by Zwies in the same Dearsley over then Yousef (7) being unable to control a pull skying Pickle to Cartmell at square leg, 155/7. A misdirected full ball flick away to the boundary first up from Julian put a dampener on our comeback and he and Winder managed to keep us at bay until the first ball of the 39th edged between keeper and first slip sealed it for the Cardinals Julian 9* and Winder 1* and the win by 3 wickets. An entertaining game that had the traditional swings and twists but again finding in favor of Sydenham. The day topped off with the Cardinals coming over for a well-deserved beverage with the usual banter, before we had to depart to make a club room appointment to celebrate a couple of milestones in the form of Frankie and P.K.s fiftieth games and Hume's 200th. There should be another for Crimp who has posted considerably more than 50 but we'll address that at another time.

Cheers, Pickle.

MP Bombay Tandoor T20 vs Riccarton @ Polo 3A (Loss)

No report

North West Youth Cricket Results (returning in 2025!)

NWY 1st XI (No fixture)

NWY 2nd XI (No fixture)

NWY Colts (No fixture)

NWY 3rd XI Green (No fixture)

NWY 3rd XI Black (No fixture)

NWY Year 9A (No fixture)

NWY Year 9B (No fixture)

NWY Year 9C (No fixture)

Article added: Wednesday 18 December 2024