Trip to Hamilton

I got a call from James who required my indoor cricketing talents for the Mens 5 Superleague competition. Apparently half the team had pulled out, meaning that if there isn't at least 6 players present, the game cannot go ahead and 8 competition points will be deducted. I said yes to help them out. The catch was that the games were to played in Hamilton.

I got a ride with Glen and his brother, who play for Mens 5. I was a bit nervous at the level of competition in Superleague level, but apparently, as I'll explain later, it was not much different than Monday nights, in fact it was probably easier.

Unfortunately we could only muster 5 players plus 3 outside ringers. This meant that the team will get 8 competition points deducted, but at least the team didn't have to pay a fine that would involve them paying for the other team. That meant that our opposition won by default! Since we drove all the way from Auckland, and not wanting to feel shortchanged, we decided to play a non-serious game with the opposition, which game us license to play around a bit.

We batted first and only scored around 90 runs I think. The very first ball that my partnership faced, I got run out at the keeper's end since the ball bounced so far from the net that it virtually ended up in the keepers gloves! Those nets are very bouncy unlike the ones in St Lukes where the ball virtually drops dead to the ground. That was the only time I got out. Then I played some watchful batting and managed lots of 1's and 2's. Nothing fancy, play it safe. The opposition put up a good bowling effort.

But their batting went to crap. Literally. Instead of playing it safe they decided to go out and slog. In the best of times, this tactic can win matches in quick time. But the risk factor also increases. When I was brought on to bowl some slow offspin, the opposition saw that I could be slogable, and I got hit for a couple of 7's. That was inevitable. But the nets can also be your friend as a couple of my balls bounced off the nets in the back and went to the safe hands of the top-sticks fielder. Another delivery got hit very straight over my head, but the top-sticks fielder took a brilliant jumping catch over his head preventing the ball from going for 7. He later mentioned that the ball went in slow motion, which was amusing since any ball that goes for 7 always goes at a rate of knots. To round up my list of dismissals I bowled someone off a full toss after he charged, misread the huge flight, plays a hook shot while the ball was still above his read and then drops like a stone onto his stumps. Not the prettiest dismissal, but still it was worth -5 runs to the team.

Even though we officially lost the match on default, we still murdered that team. I may even try out for the Superleague competition next year as I had an enjoyable time. Ah that was a great outing.