Quins dissapointed at weekend performance
The manner and the magnitude in which Quins lost this encounter was disappointing to the team, which hopes to bounce back in their next 50 over match against Hillary Malvern at Quins this coming Sunday.
THREE of Harlequins Cricket teams were engaged in league match activity during this past weekend.
The sixth team incurred a commendable victory over Chatsworth United 4 at Lt King Park, Fynnland and the fifth team played Phoenix 7 at Harlequins, the result of which was not available at the time of print.
Quins flagship team played their first match of the teams which were placed in the top six of the promotion league as of 16 February, against Rhythm at DHS School, in a rain-delayed match.
Synthetic protective covers were removed an hour late which revealed a well-compacted surface almost totally devoid of any flora and with some minor attention allowed the match to commence at 10.40am, resulting in a one hundred minute delay and a consequential reduction of overs from 50 to 40.
Rhythm batted first. Quins strike bowlers could not affect any early dismissal, which necessitated the introduction of slow bowlers at an earlier juncture than usual.
They too could not effect a dismissal, requiring that fast bowlers be reintroduced into the attack, but not before the Rhythm openers had accumulated a century partnership in just 17 overs, when in that same over, fast bowler, Kevin Kettle, trapped a Rhythm opener LBW and had Rhythm’s number three batsman caught in the midfield by Rahul Batohi in the 21st over.
Medium-paced seamer Faiyas Safri’s reintroduction was relatively successful, when he removed three middle-order batsmen, but not before they had contributed somewhat toward a sizeable total of 277 runs in 40 overs for the loss of 6 wickets.
Kettle captured two wickets for 36 runs in 8 overs, Safri took three wickets for 49 runs in 7 overs and right arm orthodox spinner Brandon de Mellion claimed a wicket for 48 runs in 5 overs. Quins’ batting response was abysmal at the onset.
The match was further reduced as a consequence of another rain intervention to 35 overs with a revised target of 243 runs.
An enterprisingly dynamic innings by middle order batsman Kettle wherein he took the Rhythm bowlers on single-handedly, striking 7 boundaries which included 3 maximums, accruing 46 runs in quick time, with more mundane support by Jaques Strydom who got 22 runs and minor contributions by Jeran Pillai who got 12 runs, De Mellion who managed 15 runs and Momedthala Mothala who struck 11 runs. Rhythm won by 104 runs. Chatsworth United chose to bat first at Lt King Park, Fynnland.
Despite taking only 1 wicket in the first 13 overs, Quins 6 opening bowlers kept the run rate at only 3.5 to the over for the duration of the opposition’s innings.
This achievement was later vindicated as Chats 4 batsmen took risks and lost wickets with a fair degree of regularity. They were ultimately dismissed for 129 runs in 29.3 overs. Best of the bowlers were Dylan Jenkins with 4 wickets for 19 runs in 5 overs and Donavan Steele with 3/35 in 6 overs and Damien “Woody” Wood with 2 wickets for 14 runs in 2.3 overs.
Although Quins 6 lost to their initial wicket to the first ball of the innings, there were consistent partnerships all the way through their innings.
Dylan Jenkins scored 27 before Keith Baxter on 24 runs who was undefeated and G Hazell on 22 runs not out added the finishing touches to see Quins 6 end in diminished luminescence with the score on on 130/4 in just 17.3 overs.
Mention must be made of a bizarre 14 ball over costing an unbelievable 40 runs from a Chats United 4 bowler with 26 runs off wides and no balls and 14 in boundaries.
The Chatsworth United strategy when fielding seemed to be to bowl their overs as slowly as possible, perhaps hoping for bad light and rain to save them from a defeat based on calculated run rate.
When Quins 6 hit the winning runs there was only 20 minutes off playing time left and still a full 12.3 overs to bowl.
The manner and the magnitude in which Quins lost this encounter was disappointing to the team, which hopes to bounce back in their next 50 over match against Hillary Malvern at Quins this coming Sunday.
Quins top four teams have matches scheduled for Sunday, 1 March. The sixth and U13 sides have completed their 30 over format matches for the current season and are awaiting their T20 fixtures for March.
Contact 073-795-0363 for further club information.
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