England League and Cup Discussion

[wolfberries]

wolfberries Camberwell Carrots
Batting - Top Order 7,456 7,180
Batting - Middle Order 4,875 5,377
Batting - Tail 3,016 3,991
Bowling - Seam 7,582 (6) 6,374 (8)
Bowling - Spin 6,872 (14) 5,673 (12)
Fielding/Keeping 8,712 7,932
Overall 119,939 115,763

When your opponents end up 167 for 3 after being 79 for 2 and you end up 138ao after being 83 - 2 at the same point, one of the reasons why I hate T20

[Atko]

36 run loss - absolutely seething - I didn't mind the beating, the oppo are a better team, it was the manner in which it played out that was ridiculous. At the end we still had four batsmen sitting in the shed. My mob should have been hitting boundaries (as they were earlier on) or getting out in the process.

End of over 20 (10 runs) - The Raging Speed Horns(126-5). 37 runs required from 0 overs. RR 6.30 RRR 0.00

Match Ratings
The Raging Speed Horns Sledgingshire
Batting - Top Order 5,691 7,472
Batting - Middle Order 5,784 5,155
Batting - Tail 3,940 4,161
Bowling - Seam 5,999 (6) 6,994 (8)
Bowling - Spin 6,838 (14) 5,996 (12)
Fielding/Keeping 7,969 9,014
Overall 114,564 122,012

[Atko]

...one of the reasons why I hate T20

Yep, this.

[spark]

I thought we had done reasonably well to restrict them to this on an uneven pitch.

D. Buck (rfm) 4-0-25-2, B. Amadoru 1 (1b), R. Gajanayake 33 (32b)
End of over 20 (7 runs) - Indian Avengers(113-8) RR 5.65

It turns out that I was very wrong. The main damage was done by one of their three medium pacers who took out my two best batters in the same over. We only got as close as we did because one of my bowlers managed to get to 24, which turned out to be our top score.

Indian Avengers won by 31 runs

Ruff Royals Indian Avengers
Batting - Top Order 6,958 7,493
Batting - Middle Order 4,973 6,220
Batting - Tail 3,727 2,962
Bowling - Seam 7,534 (16) 7,432 (16)
Bowling - Spin 8,200 (4) 9,301 (4)
Fielding/Keeping 8,498 8,764
Overall 122,737 129,059

[Atko]

marks marvels vs The Raging Speed Horns
League Twenty20 3.3

Weather Windy
Pitch Crumbling

And verily I say unto thee, we got our arses kicked -

Result: marks marvels won by 8 wickets

Match Ratings
marks marvels The Raging Speed Horns
Batting - Top Order 12,054 10,932
Batting - Middle Order 9,090 8,111
Batting - Tail 3,483 5,652
Bowling - Seam 11,344 (8) 10,653 (16)
Bowling - Spin 12,272 (12) 11,228 (4)
Fielding/Keeping 12,976 14,645
Overall 193,462 190,907

[spark]

I've decided to take a bit of a look at the delights of an even pitch this season. Judging by today I may quickly abandon that experiment.

Ffoh won by 15 runs

Ruff Royals Ffoh
Batting - Top Order 14,142 14,582
Batting - Middle Order 11,745 13,176
Batting - Tail 4,774 4,724
Bowling - Seam 12,884 (8) 13,511 (12)
Bowling - Spin 13,043 (12) 14,394 (8)
Fielding/Keeping 17,292 17,762
Overall 234,644 247,812

I think we were a bit lucky that we didn't lose by a sizeable amount. We were behind on the ratings so I won't be too hasty to dismiss the merits of an even pitch (if I find out what they are!).

We bowled first but were always struggling to keep the run rate down. We did take a couple of early wickets but we didn't get enough to slow them down and they really went to town in the last few overs.

Needing 191 to win, we were soon three wickets down and behind the run rate required. We did then get a good partnership going but it was much too slow. Nonetheless, Schmidt did well to get 58 and Dennehy to get 74.

Our first senior T20 loss of the season but the only surprise is that it has taken this long for it to arrive.

[Atko]

The Raging Speed Horns vs Leyland Lions
League Youth 2.1

Weather Cloudy
Pitch Dry

Entertaining the Lions today. I think we both will be rating about the same, so it should be an interesting matchup.

The oppo have won the toss and inserted us to bat, the buggers

It's less than stellar so far -

A. Lee (rm) 5-0-17-1, M. Straphmurta 1 (4b), E. Krom 17 (17b)
End of over 33 (6 runs) - The Raging Speed Horns(139-6) RR 4.21

Unless we compile the mother of all last minute slogs, this is going to be way under par

[Atko]

...

End of over 33 (6 runs) - The Raging Speed Horns(139-6) RR 4.21

Unless we compile the mother of all last minute slogs, this is going to be way under par

Pfft -

End of over 40 (7 runs) - The Raging Speed Horns(200-7) RR 5.00

Better than a poke in they eye, but about 40 runs short of a defendable total for my motley crew

[spark]

Ruff Royals Relegation reprobates
Batting - Top Order 6,887 8,569
Batting - Middle Order 5,505 6,023
Batting - Tail 3,867 4,264
Bowling - Seam 7,594 (32) 6,745 (32)
Bowling - Spin 8,309 (8) 8,643 (8)
Fielding/Keeping 8,640 8,901
Overall 125,779 133,488

Ruff Royals won by 15 runs

I thought we were going to be up against it today so I moved some of my better batsmen lower down the order in the hope that they could benefit after the initial onslaught from their bowlers on an uneven pitch. One of the lesser batters who I opened with hit 89 not out and another one got 40 so my better batters were little used. We still only got a fairly modest 185.

We kept it tight with the ball and Pithey and Reynolds gradually picked off the wickets. Pithey ended with 5-28 and Reynolds a respectable 2-28.

[Atko]

Another day, another loss. Usual story - lose toss, put in to bat, don't score enough, easy chase for opposition, rinse and repeat.

Leyland Lions won by 6 wickets

Match Ratings
The Raging Speed Horns Leyland Lions
Batting - Top Order 5,868 6,646
Batting - Middle Order 5,957 5,754
Batting - Tail 4,007 4,378
Bowling - Seam 6,079 (12) 6,631 (32)
Bowling - Spin 6,913 (28) 5,346 (8)
Fielding/Keeping 8,049 7,092
Overall 116,786 115,884

My two accomplished summary wristies - left and right (variation, eh, kids? ) do Fanny Adams week in, week out. Today, they got nothing between them. Sod it, I'll try out Sparky's (or was it casper?) suggestion of using a crumbler - these tame losses are getting tedious. I'd love to go back to sticky, but my only strength at the moment is spin, though you'd never suspect it based on performance.

I'll get on the blower to me groundsman...

[Atko]

The Raging Speed Horns vs Pedagogs
League One Day 1.1

Weather Cloudy
Pitch Sticky

Big match day is here, and we're playing Pedagogs, who, although it's early days, have yet to post their first win. We won the toss and put them in to bat -

End of over 13 (6 runs) - Pedagogs(48-4) RR 3.69

Good start with that man Speed (LF) in the action again, removing both openers in his first over. I'd really like to press this home, but I suspect there will be a protracted and attritional recovery ...

[Atko]

....

End of over 13 (6 runs) - Pedagogs(48-4) RR 3.69

Good start with that man Speed (LF) in the action again, removing both openers in his first over. I'd really like to press this home, but I suspect there will be a protracted and attritional recovery ...

Pedagogs did make a fist of it; particularly irritating was their wagging tail, that took them from 85-7 to 142 all out.

Still, it was an eminently reachable target for my mob on their bread and butter pitch, and they chased it down with 15 overs to spare. No scares on the way either, with wickets falling at 39, 123 and 135. Another win that puts us top with a 4 point gap and a healthy NRR. Speaking of wins, this now gives us an unbeaten streak of 9 league matches on the bounce - could this be our "year"?

Anyway, the numbers -

Result: The Raging Speed Horns won by 7 wickets

Match Ratings
The Raging Speed Horns Pedagogs
Batting - Top Order 15,034 14,142
Batting - Middle Order 10,816 11,978
Batting - Tail 4,502 5,602
Bowling - Seam 14,946 (30) 13,542 (40)
Bowling - Spin 14,986 (20) 14,231 (10)
Fielding/Keeping 18,483 17,208
Overall 247,170 241,315

[spark]

Ruff Royals won by 10 runs

Ruff Royals Snakey's Kent Stars
Batting - Top Order 14,373 13,440
Batting - Middle Order 11,699 12,882
Batting - Tail 4,763 6,371
Bowling - Seam 13,043 (20) 12,927 (30)
Bowling - Spin 13,168 (30) 13,200 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 17,291 16,477
Overall 236,041 239,016

It was never comfortable for us but we managed to get over the winning line which is all that matters.

Schmidt continues to show that I should have been playing him as an opener for all his career as he hits a magnificent 96. It wasn't easy but we made our way to a creditable 244 on a dry pitch.

Fast bowler Combs got us off to an excellent start with the ball and soon had three of the four wickets he was to take (4-35). The spinners struggled to pick up wickets while Turich and Baird were looking like making it a hundred run partnership until Zondeki, who hadn't been bowling well, broke the partnership three runs short of that milestone. Zondeki drew confidence from that an soon had the key man Turich heading back to the pavilion for 70. There were some drops along the way but we were able to eventually pick up the last wickets to bowl them out for 234.

We're joint top of the league so far and it's been a better start to the season than I was expecting.

[casperj]

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,.

As predicted last week, 20k rating advantage was not enough to get us even close to a win. Again our bowlers were toothless on a favourable wicket and left our batsmen too many to get. Going to have to look at a change of tactics to try and turn this round.

The Spitfires Crestfallen Sidekicks
Batting - Top Order 12,712 11,619
Batting - Middle Order 9,949 13,109
Batting - Tail 5,107 7,534
Bowling - Seam 12,272 (40) 12,682 (40)
Bowling - Spin 12,363 (10) 13,812 (10)
Fielding/Keeping 15,492 16,113
Overall 213,894 234,400

The Spitfires won by 40 runs

[Atko]

The Raging Speed Horns vs The Hybrid Dolphins
Cup Matt Krevs Memorial Cup

Weather Cloudy
Pitch Sticky

Full house at The Horn today rakes us in a nice bit of bunce as we entertain The Hybrid Dolphins. These guys usually rate circa 200k, so I've gone with a 6:5 ratio 1st XI to 2nd XI split. Might be cutting it fine, but I really need to keep cranking the xp for the youngsters, whilst not over fatiguing the older guys, who have a league title to go for. Well, we've won the toss, and put the oppo in to bat; the game's afoot...

Addendum : Ah, a quick run through my opponent's card reveals a rather young lineup - I think he's conceded while throwing in an xp boost for his youngsters.