England League and Cup Discussion

[Ffoh]

Looking to be compiling a challenging target here...

Yes our pace attack failed miserably - it's going to be a tough one to chase.

[casperj]

R. Junor (rws) 3-1-4-1, B. Luckmini 71 (74b), R. Bunworth 7 (15b)
End of over 25 (4 runs) - Crestfallen Sidekicks(132-3). 164 runs required from 25 overs. RR 5.28 RRR 6.56

Looks like might be going down to another defeat. Bathaloner's lack of F/FM bowlers don't seem to be hurting them in a Sunny/Uneven. Our bowlers were typically ineffective leaving us probably too many to get.

[Atko]

Well, we amassed 310-4 from our 50 overs, and the state of play at drinks is -

R. Baldwin (rfs) 3-0-16-1, V. Irandika 2 (6b), J. Fischer 1 (2b)
End of over 25 (3 runs) - Ffoh(110-4). 201 runs required from 25 overs. RR 4.40 RRR 8.04

Three of those four Ffoh wickets fell in short order just before the break. At 99-1 after 21 overs they weren't too far off the pace, but the ME can be a right git when NRR pressure builds!

I'd tentatively say this one's in the bag...

[Ffoh]

I'd tentatively say this one's in the bag...

[casperj]

Bathaloner won by 16 runs
A. Doctrove (rm) 10-0-73-2, C. Zulch 91 (80b)
End of over 49 (5 runs) - Crestfallen Sidekicks(279-10). 17 runs required from 1 overs. RR 5.69 RRR 17.00

Crestfallen Sidekicks Bathaloner
Batting - Top Order 13,732 13,642
Batting - Middle Order 12,582 11,702
Batting - Tail 5,700 6,362
Bowling - Seam 12,964 (40) 12,011 (30)
Bowling - Spin 14,820 (10) 13,621 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 16,389 15,898
Overall 238,200 231,439

Another frustrating loss. Opponent only has 1 F/FM bowler on a Sunny/Uneven but wins relatively compfortably despite being away from home and having a weaker team. Similar thing happened to my affilate -We had a 14k ratings advantage, and at home, but lost heavily to a team playing 1 (not very good) spinner on a crumbling wicket. Just feels like the ME punishes you for having a team that suits the conditions sometimes,

Match against the Spitfires next week already looking like a relegation 6-pointer. On the evidence of the first two matchs we out-rate them by 25k, but whether that'll be enough to beat them seems questionable at the moment,.

[Atko]

I'd tentatively say this one's in the bag...

Sorry - had to be done -

Yep - too steep a target in the end, although the last few overs saw some fireworks from Ffoh's batsmen as they tried to smash the runs in boundaries. Speed and Calver managed to knock over the last three wickets to leave their star batsman for the day, Irandika, high and dry, 5 runs short of a century -

M. Calver (lm) 8.4-0-49-1, V. Irandika 95 (76b)
End of over 48 (5 runs) - Ffoh(258-10). 53 runs required from 2 overs. RR 5.38 RRR 26.50

The main damage, as is generally the case on seam tracks, was done by Speed (LF), who took 5-58. For once, all the batsmen contributed, so the bowlers didn't have to take up their bats this week.

The numbers -

Match Ratings
Ffoh The Raging Speed Horns
Batting - Top Order 14,355 15,033
Batting - Middle Order 13,552 11,185
Batting - Tail 7,172 4,510
Bowling - Seam 13,613 (40) 14,953 (30)
Bowling - Spin 13,854 (10) 15,381 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 17,733 18,660
Overall 254,652 250,007

That leaves only us and last seasons champs, Egham Town, unbeaten. Early days, but a solid start

[spark]

Bedfordshire Jats Ruff Royals
Batting - Top Order 13,658 14,326
Batting - Middle Order 9,889 12,290
Batting - Tail 4,530 4,759
Bowling - Seam 11,915 (40) 13,027 (30)
Bowling - Spin 13,528 (10) 13,984 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 15,149 17,509
Overall 214,412 240,322

Ruff Royals won by 93 runs

We won the toss and batted first which was a good decision as we managed 343 on an uneven pitch. Bullock was the star with 154 not out, a personal best, and House also weighed in with 131.

The pace bowlers didn't pick up many wickets but they kept it tight and it meant that spinner Westerveld who bowled at the end could profit handsomely. Westerveld ended up with 7-55.

[spark]

Old Baldonians won by 2 wickets

Ruff Royals Old Baldonians
Batting - Top Order 8,851 9,563
Batting - Middle Order 10,482 5,395
Batting - Tail 6,504 3,843
Bowling - Seam 9,586 (20) 9,483 (40)
Bowling - Spin 9,544 (30) 12,677 (10)
Fielding/Keeping 13,216 10,944
Overall 184,300 154,801

I picked my reserve team plus a couple of youths to make up the numbers for the MKMC and we only managed to limp to 202 on a sticky pitch. Whether it was not getting enough or allowing their just under 7k waged batter who opened the innings to get 78 or a drop by Marwat late on that caused us to lose, it was a disappointing end to the MKMC season for us.

I would have liked a couple more games of experience for these players and a few extra pennies in the bank balance but sadly it's not to be.

[Atko]

NY Demons vs The Raging Speed Horns
Cup Matt Krevs Memorial Cup

Weather Sunny
Pitch Uneven

Hmmm...

Old Baldonians won by 2 wickets

Ruff Royals Old Baldonians
Batting - Top Order 8,851 9,563
Batting - Middle Order 10,482 5,395
Batting - Tail 6,504 3,843
Bowling - Seam 9,586 (20) 9,483 (40)
Bowling - Spin 9,544 (30) 12,677 (10)
Fielding/Keeping 13,216 10,944
Overall 184,300 154,801

I picked my reserve team plus a couple of youths to make up the numbers for the MKMC and we only managed to limp to 202 on a sticky pitch. Whether it was not getting enough or allowing their just under 7k waged batter who opened the innings to get 78 or a drop by Marwat late on that caused us to lose, it was a disappointing end to the MKMC season for us.

I would have liked a couple more games of experience for these players and a few extra pennies in the bank balance but sadly it's not to be.

Absolute shocker - that sucks big hairy ones! And having initially planned to adopt a similar-ish approach -

.....Looks like I'll probably be playing NY Demons in the next round - they rate circa 150-160k, so the youngsters will likely get another outing.

- but I note that a few "big guns" have been purchased off the TM by my opponent; NY Demons last OD match ratings have increased by 20k, and that doesn't include their two latest signings. With that in mind, plus your example of a 30k ratings advantage being worth diddly squat anyway, I've cranked the team up from a "6" to an "8", including three 1st XI bowlers and two batsmen. Much as I'd love to pump some more xp into the 2nd XI, discretion is required here, although it should be noted my team is still 55% reserves

[Atko]

9 wicket win in the end -

Match Ratings
NY Demons The Raging Speed Horns
Batting - Top Order 11,284 13,700
Batting - Middle Order 8,556 7,988
Batting - Tail 4,485 5,119
Bowling - Seam 10,329 (50) 13,279 (40)
Bowling - Spin 0 (0) 14,563 (10)
Fielding/Keeping 10,928 16,323
Overall 177,249 218,762

They might have posed problems for my genuine 2nd XI, but the inclusion of demon LF, Max Speed, who picked up 5-26, and up and coming RF, Vinnie Saxon, who bagged 3-31, did the trick to bundle them out for 114 (nice to see the quicks actually performing on an uneven track).

So, on to Round 3. My opponents will be The Hybrid Dolphins, who on a good day, can touch 200k; I'll probably field a near-full strength side probably

[Atko]

The Raging Speed Horns vs Sledgingshire
League Youth Twenty20 2.2

Weather Cloudy
Pitch Dry

Our coin tossing skill continues to amaze as we win another one. No hesitation in plonking the opposition in to bat, and I'm still perservering with the dry pitch.

The opposition have compiled 162-4 in their twenty overs, which I imagine is a good total (my knowledge of T20 is sketchy at best). I feel moderately confident we can chase it down but who knows?

Thus far -

End of over 4 (3 runs) - The Raging Speed Horns(28-1). 135 runs required from 16 overs. RR 7.00 RRR 8.44

Interestingly, they opened the bowling with an LFS, who took the one wicket in over 3...

[Atko]

Heheh - just enjoyed a quickfire 38 from 28 balls by my 16yo ordinary summary opener!

To be fair, he does have the opener talent, but that's still punching way above his weight!

[wolfberries]

Home wolfberries
Away Camberwell Carrots
Ground wolfberries CG
League Youth Twenty20 2.1
Date 19 Aug 24 10:00
Crowd 9,362
Weather Cloudy
Pitch Dry

Toss: wolfberries won the toss and elected to bowl.

It was going well at

M. Minagall (rfs) 3-0-29-0, J. Redgrave 20 (18b), B. Drummond 56 (42b)
End of over 17 (9 runs) - Camberwell Carrots(114-2) RR 6.71

but three overs latter they finished

A. McCloy (rws) 2-0-37-1, J. Redgrave 38 (25b), J. Locastro 23 (8b)
End of over 20 (18 runs) - Camberwell Carrots(167-3) RR 8.35

WTF

[Atko]

...It was going well at

M. Minagall (rfs) 3-0-29-0, J. Redgrave 20 (18b), B. Drummond 56 (42b)
End of over 17 (9 runs) - Camberwell Carrots(114-2) RR 6.71

but three overs latter they finished

A. McCloy (rws) 2-0-37-1, J. Redgrave 38 (25b), J. Locastro 23 (8b)
End of over 20 (18 runs) - Camberwell Carrots(167-3) RR 8.35

WTF

I wouldn't mind that level of acceleration - my mob have started doing that massive mid-innings slowdown, nurdling singles when a few overs ago they were smashing boundaries, and now the effing run rate is climbing alarmingly. I mean they're two set good batsmen with plenty more batting to come and they've just decided to eff around -

W. Hurn (lfs) 3-0-15-0, L. Loveless 11 (15b), C. Kentish 25 (27b)
End of over 13 (5 runs) - The Raging Speed Horns(84-2). 79 runs required from 7 overs. RR 6.46 RRR 11.29



Oh, and of course, there goes the star batsman

[wolfberries]

Oh, and of course, there goes the star batsman

G. Applebee (rfs) 2-0-11-1, E. Tucker 27 (27b), T. Woolf 3 (3b)
End of over 12 (6 runs) - wolfberries(83-2). 85 runs required from 8 overs. RR 6.92 RRR 10.62

Our opponent were 79 for 2 at the same stage, then...

G. Applebee (rfs) 3-0-14-3, T. Woolf 4 (4b), R. Jackowiak 0 (0b)
End of over 14 (3 runs) - wolfberries(90-6). 78 runs required from 6 overs. RR 6.43 RRR 13.00

Those three overs of chaos have meant our batsmen have had to overly attack to keep up with the RRR!