England League and Cup Discussion

[casperj]

C.C.DeVille CCC Crestfallen Sidekicks
Batting - Top Order 12,403 14,009
Batting - Middle Order 10,915 11,651
Batting - Tail 8,232 5,525
Bowling - Seam 12,244 (30) 13,603 (30)
Bowling - Spin 10,867 (20) 14,345 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 15,048 16,745
Overall 221,581 238,954

Crestfallen Sidekicks won by 59 runs

Century by Luckmini stodd out in an otherwise poor batting performance.

Congrats to Ruff Royals on promotion.

[casperj]

Topmen Crestfallen Sidekicks
Batting - Top Order 13,990 14,404
Batting - Middle Order 11,395 11,538
Batting - Tail 4,801 5,408
Bowling - Seam 15,099 (16) 13,947 (12)
Bowling - Spin 14,146 (4) 14,740 (8)
Fielding/Keeping 17,637 17,047
Overall 243,396 242,458

Topmen won by 23 runs

Couldn't take the title race to the final day. My two WC summary finger spinners went for 10.75 an over on a sticky wicket, which left us too much to chase.

[wolfberries]

wolfberries Goondiwindi
Batting - Top Order 6,570 7,719
Batting - Middle Order 4,296 4,918
Batting - Tail 3,095 3,969
Bowling - Seam 7,115 (16) 7,635 (24)
Bowling - Spin 6,633 (24) 6,289 (16)
Fielding/Keeping 7,891 9,405
Overall 110,556 126,153

Result: wolfberries won by 2 wickets

I wasn't expecting a win today but once again my favourite upset pitch came good, and ensured we can't be relegated.

[Atko]

I take a break from the forums for a couple of weeks, and it all goes nuts. Well, probably a slight exaggeration, but last week's SOD saw us overturn a 47k ratings disadvantage to beat Relegation reprobates by 55 runs ; that's basically our first win of the season - meaningless, since we're going down to China Town (well, Div 2), but small mercies and all that.

And today, the stars aligned to produce the most unlikely, but perfect set of results in YOD. The latter end of the season saw three of us at the top of YOD 2.1 - my lot on 40 points with a weak NRR, then swinton sharks and Goondiwindi (both with strong NRRs) biting at our heels with 36 apiece. If we all finished on equal points, I'd be down in 3rd, so winning all games was the only guarantee, and additional to that we face swinton sharks in the final game. Nail-biting stuff in store!

Well, firstly, hats off to wolfie - and the imaginary crate of Dom Perignon is on its way to you, mate - whose motley crew gained a timely and magnificent win against Goondiwindi; one challenger neatly removed from the equation. Next, Camberwell Carrots pitched in with another "against the numbers" assist, taking down swinton sharks - the second domino falls. And finally, well, that segues into todays match -

The Raging Speed Horns vs Francis House
League Youth 2.1

Weather Windy
Pitch Crumbling

Result: The Raging Speed Horns won by 6 wickets

Match Ratings
The Raging Speed Horns Francis House
Batting - Top Order 6,611 5,765
Batting - Middle Order 7,119 4,362
Batting - Tail 4,846 2,267
Bowling - Seam 5,572 (16) 6,615 (24)
Bowling - Spin 7,663 (24) 4,342 (16)
Fielding/Keeping 9,631 7,116
Overall 132,484 97,187

- a straightforward game, but in the context of the situation, the cherry on the cake, because -

1 The Raging Speed Horns   44 +0.6187
2 swinton sharks       36 +1.0867
3 Goondiwindi        36 +0.9742
4 Camberwell Carrots     36 +0.3408

That's us promoted!

Going forward, the team is in reasonable shape. What's surprised me this season is how far you can go with spotty bowling. I've been running with a part-time bowler all season - McSpank (RM), average summary for the bulk of his tenure, reasonable the last two or three games. And, added to that, Dryad (LFS) reasonable summary, took over as a second PT bowler when we lost Delameter to seniors. Balancing it out, the full-time bowlers are strong, but as you can see from the ratings, our seam attack is a bit poo . I guess that, in YOD, at least, a strong batting lineup can take you a long way. We'll see how that philosophy pans out in Div 1 next season.

Anyhoo, enough rambling from me.

[casperj]

What's surprised me this season is how far you can go with spotty bowling. I've been running with a part-time bowler all season - McSpank (RM), average summary for the bulk of his tenure, reasonable the last two or three games. And, added to that, Dryad (LFS) reasonable summary, took over as a second PT bowler when we lost Delameter to seniors. Balancing it out, the full-time bowlers are strong, but as you can see from the ratings, our seam attack is a bit poo . I guess that, in YOD, at least, a strong batting lineup can take you a long way. We'll see how that philosophy pans out in Div 1 next season.

I've noticed, as part of the 'economy rate on poor bowlers' discussion that if all your bowlers are rubbish you go for big runs, but if only 1 of them is rubbish it seems to be very easy to 'hide' that bowler - the ME doesn't seem to distinguish the individual bowlers very well independent of the general strength of the whole attack. You can have one or two poor bowlers and they don't tend to get targetted, whereas sometimes in a strong attack, one good bowler can randomly get whacked around.

For youths I've been sometimes using an out-and-out batsmen to bowl a few overs to cover for a bowler with low endo, and not really noticed said batsmen getting too much tap.

[casperj]

H. Stringfellow (rfm) 7.3-1-25-4, C. Jeremy 4 (5b)
End of over 46 (2 runs) - Crestfallen Sidekicks(194-10) RR 4.22

Looks like, for not the first time this season, we are going to be losing to the side sitting bottom. My batting line up no match for their 33 year old 10k-waged FM

[casperj]

H. Stringfellow (rfm) 7.3-1-25-4, C. Jeremy 4 (5b)
End of over 46 (2 runs) - Crestfallen Sidekicks(194-10) RR 4.22

Looks like, for not the first time this season, we are going to be losing to the side sitting bottom. My batting line up no match for their 33 year old 10k-waged FM

The Spitfires Crestfallen Sidekicks
Batting - Top Order 12,359 13,394
Batting - Middle Order 10,050 11,025
Batting - Tail 4,726 4,864
Bowling - Seam 11,895 (40) 13,767 (40)
Bowling - Spin 11,895 (10) 14,697 (10)
Fielding/Keeping 14,541 16,583
Overall 206,919 231,788

Crestfallen Sidekicks won by 31 runs

Turned into a low scoring match. Their batsmen couldn't deal with our FMs either!. Secures second place for us, in advance of a 'dead rubber' match against Ruff Royals to close off the season.

[spark]

The big match this week was the senior T20 match against Ffoh.

We didn't bowl well on an even pitch and needed 184 for the win. Schmidt was great for his 86 but most of the other batters were poor and we never really looked like winning. That meant we missed our chance to go top after Egham also lost. Egham are playing the bottom placed team; I'm not completely without hope but it's looking like it's going to be tough to take the top spot.

Ruff Royals Ffoh
Batting - Top Order 15,152 14,408
Batting - Middle Order 12,803 12,312
Batting - Tail 4,900 5,200
Bowling - Seam 13,848 (12) 13,903 (12)
Bowling - Spin 14,604 (8) 14,388 (8)
Fielding/Keeping 18,119 18,114
Overall 251,634 247,309

In SOD, I largely picked a team who needed experience which meant I only really had 3 first team players although 1 of the others is likely to be a first team player next season. We got a very handy 226 on a crumbling pitch with Laurence the biggest contributer with 64. I didn't think we started off great with the ball but we got into our stride and eventually managed to bowl them out for 203 with Fattah taking 5-28 in a rare appearance for him.

Ruff Royals Danger Hotspurs
Batting - Top Order 12,689 13,850
Batting - Middle Order 11,087 11,111
Batting - Tail 5,280 5,330
Bowling - Seam 11,975 (30) 14,125 (20)
Bowling - Spin 13,304 (20) 14,467 (30)
Fielding/Keeping 16,134 17,024
Overall 221,886 238,560

[wolfberries]

wolfberries Relegation reprobates
Batting - Top Order 6,075 7,434
Batting - Middle Order 4,649 5,226
Batting - Tail 3,118 4,269
Bowling - Seam 7,115 (8) 7,053 (8)
Bowling - Spin 6,633 (12) 7,105 (12)
Fielding/Keeping 7,720 8,097
Overall 109,541 123,162

Result: Relegation reprobates won by 5 wickets

Expected loss today, we couldn't relegate so it was just a day for experience gains.
Another season in division 1, which is quite amazing considering our team.

[spark]

My commisserations go to montyh who, despite winning comfortably in the last game of the season, came 2nd in division 1 on NRR. They had +0.4614 whilst we got +0.5157.

I haven't done the maths but I suspect I should be inviting Bathaloner's Hendrie and Munn (and their manager Kev) over for a party as they eked out some late runs to take Bathaloner from 86-5 after about 15 overs to 140-5.

Pedagogs Ruff Royals
Batting - Top Order 13,929 15,607
Batting - Middle Order 13,965 13,311
Batting - Tail 6,682 5,105
Bowling - Seam 14,143 (20) 13,616 (16)
Bowling - Spin 0 (0) 15,359 (4)
Fielding/Keeping 17,922 18,429
Overall 256,108 256,104

Ruff Royals won by 7 wickets

I picked a young medium pace allrounder so I'm quite happy with those ratings. It was a green pitch so naturally my best bowler was the finger spinner who took 4-22. 48 for Bullock and 44 not out for Dennehy was the key to a good victory.

Champions!

[casperj]

Crestfallen Sidekicks gRhyllidae
Batting - Top Order 12,552 10,436
Batting - Middle Order 9,093 8,004
Batting - Tail 7,042 6,375
Bowling - Seam 12,325 (20) 11,120 (12)
Bowling - Spin 0 (0) 12,349 (8)
Fielding/Keeping 14,504 14,438
Overall 212,849 194,258

Crestfallen Sidekicks won by 6 wickets

End of season match with both teams playing substantially weakened teams.

Typcial bit of ME nonsense in our run chase. Was 102/2 needing a comfortable 46 from 7 overs, and for some reason play out the next 3 overs for 8 runs!! Ultimately only got home by getting a 2 off the final ball, despite having plenty of wickets in hand!

[wolfberries]

Zippys Rainbow Destroyers wolfberries
Batting - Top Order 5,073 6,674
Batting - Middle Order 4,292 4,011
Batting - Tail 2,761 3,112
Bowling - Seam 4,016 (24) 7,259 (16)
Bowling - Spin 5,969 (16) 6,694 (24)
Fielding/Keeping 5,594 7,796
Overall 86,511 110,067
Club Champion / Fantasy Points

Playing bottom today, couldn't relegate and couldn't get prize money. So basically just an experience gaining exercise.

Result: wolfberries won by 6 wickets

[Ffoh]

Lost the two key matches by 5 runs and 8 runs respectively, what could have been first place in div 1 becomes equal 4th. I suppose we've all been there

[wolfberries]

wolfberries Egham Town CC
Batting - Top Order 6,018 7,565
Batting - Middle Order 4,922 6,703
Batting - Tail 3,468 4,934
Bowling - Seam 7,126 (6) 7,011 (12)
Bowling - Spin 6,742 (14) 8,786 (8)
Fielding/Keeping 8,075 9,167
Overall 112,680 137,982

Result: Egham Town CC won by 9 wickets

Bowled out for 66, not a great start to the season

[casperj]

Daniel's XI Crestfallen Sidekicks
Batting - Top Order 13,748 13,252
Batting - Middle Order 11,136 11,537
Batting - Tail 5,314 5,352
Bowling - Seam 12,643 (8) 13,729 (12)
Bowling - Spin 14,486 (12) 14,409 (8)
Fielding/Keeping 15,883 16,812
Overall 231,874 235,660

Crestfallen Sidekicks won by 33 runs

Starting the season with an away win! A quickfire 64 from spin specialist Thorp made the difference on a dry track.