England League and Cup Discussion

[spark]

J. Westerveld (rfs) 4-0-26-2, H. Suriyaarachchi 44 (28b), M. Tanvir 0 (0b)
End of over 20 (4 runs) - Pedagogs(123-5) RR 6.15

I think we'll struggle to chase this considering the conditions. I really didn't want to be chasing more than 120; I see us getting 110 at best.

[spark]

M. Lehmann (lws) 1-0-3-1, I. Dennehy 14 (9b), C. Dickerson 2 (2b)
End of over 6 (3 runs) - Ruff Royals(40-4). 84 runs required from 14 overs. RR 6.67 RRR 6.00

This means we've got no chance.

K. Sharman (rfs) 1-1-0-0, I. Dennehy 18 (21b), C. Dickerson 8 (14b)
End of over 10 (maiden) - Ruff Royals(52-4). 72 runs required from 10 overs. RR 5.20 RRR 7.20

Run rate required is out of control.

[wolfberries]

Run rate required is out of control.

Especially in those conditions, fingers crossed though.

[spark]

Pedagogs Ruff Royals
Batting - Top Order 14,227 14,771
Batting - Middle Order 13,252 11,993
Batting - Tail 7,168 5,148
Bowling - Seam 14,072 (8) 15,009 (12)
Bowling - Spin 13,432 (12) 13,797 (8)
Fielding/Keeping 17,114 17,668
Overall 251,207 248,124

Pedagogs won by 32 runs

I think the blame can be shared around for this one. The bowlers didn't pick up enough wickets and some of them were too expensive. The batsmen then didn't fire with only two making it into double figures. Perhaps the main difference were was that there lower waged fast bowler took 6-23 whereas my higher waged one only took 1-28.

Congratulations to Pedagogs on promotion.

Only winning one of the first 4 games was the main problem for us. I was hoping to get promotion back to division 1 for at least one of the senior sides but I'll have to wait at least one more season.

This doesn't do the finances any favours! On the plus side, I should still be more or less the same financially as I was prior to the change to a single academy but at deluxe instead.

[wolfberries]

All Leeds Aren't We wolfberries
Batting - Top Order 13,820 13,218
Batting - Middle Order 12,143 11,642
Batting - Tail 6,258 4,387
Bowling - Seam 13,762 (20) 12,938 (16)
Bowling - Spin 0 (0) 16,356 (4)
Fielding/Keeping 17,171 17,459
Overall 242,952 233,086

Result: wolfberries won by 5 wickets

Yesterday's win ensured we avoided relegation, only on NRR but still it was enough.

[spark]

Home Ruff Royals
Away Oxhey Players
Ground Ruff Royals CG
League Youth 1.1
Date 11 Apr 24 10:00
Crowd 10,070
Weather Windy
Pitch Uneven

I've picked a strong side in the hope of a strong finish. I didn't really think we could get 2nd place but I wanted to at least maintain my postion and maybe push to a positive net run rate.

J. Matema (lm) 8-0-40-2, K. Galindo 124 (116b), D. Howe 94 (118b)
End of over 40 (6 runs) - Ruff Royals(222-2) RR 5.55

We lost 2 wickets in the first 3 overs but then we were great. A shame that Howe couldn't quite make a century but Galindo made his first for the club and one which he'll struggle to surpass.

[Atko]

Vivi vs The Raging Speed Horns
League Youth 2.1

Weather Windy
Pitch Uneven

The Raging Speed Horns won by 6 wickets

Bit of a nothing match today. We were locked into 5th spot regardless of result. Still, a nice little win to close a season of two starkly contrasting halves -

1st 7 games - win 6, lose 1
Last 7 games win 2, lose 5

- very much a transitional season with a golden generation of youths promoting to seniors. Fingers crossed we can tread water next season.

Oh yes, the ratings this week -

Match Ratings
Vivi The Raging Speed Horns
Batting - Top Order 8,829 7,007
Batting - Middle Order 6,038 6,351
Batting - Tail 3,620 3,438
Bowling - Seam 6,503 (40) 6,243 (24)
Bowling - Spin 0 (0) 6,388 (16)
Fielding/Keeping 7,375 7,722
Overall 124,972 118,421

[spark]

Ruff Royals won by 45 runs

Ruff Royals Oxhey Players
Batting - Top Order 7,163 6,330
Batting - Middle Order 7,106 6,572
Batting - Tail 3,811 3,340
Bowling - Seam 7,675 (24) 6,555 (24)
Bowling - Spin 8,326 (16) 6,452 (16)
Fielding/Keeping 10,013 6,106
Overall 138,225 112,519

I think we needed to bowl them out for about 150ish to get into the positive net run rate but we never really looked like doing that (and I doubt I did that calculation right anyway). We finish 4th which is a little disappointing really as we've been one of the best rating teams all season.

Fattah finished with 3-25 in his last youth game for the club and Rocha 3-27 in what could be his last game for us too as I'm thinking of taking a risk and selling him.

Congratulations to Ffoh for clinching the title.

[Atko]

Relegation reprobates vs The Raging Speed Horns
League One Day 2.1

Weather Overcast
Pitch Hard

End of over 38 (6 runs) - Relegation reprobates(197-6) RR 5.18

This for the title (and a bit of dependency on Sparky and the davatron's game )

At 115-5 I was hoping to polish them off for a sub-200 total, but Turich and McCoombe stuck around for far too long.

Oh, hello, as I type -

End of over 40 (1 run) - Relegation reprobates(199-9) RR 4.97

One to get

EDIT : There it is - all out for 202. Should be a doddle

[spark]

W. Shahanah (rfs) 10-1-37-1, J. Westerveld 5 (13b), D. Combs 0 (3b)
End of over 50 (1 run) - Ruff Royals(182-8) RR 3.64

We had to fight hard but we got to a decent 182-8 on a crumbling pitch. Dennehy out in the last over for 74 which is one of his best innings for the club especially considering the opposition.

We're going to need to bowl well though. It doesn't look like this game is going to matter anyway. We're not catching their run rate so won't sneak into 2nd and Atko's team are strolling to victory so the title is sewn up.

[spark]

Danger Hotspurs Ruff Royals
Batting - Top Order 14,755 14,318
Batting - Middle Order 11,469 12,592
Batting - Tail 5,308 4,829
Bowling - Seam 14,835 (20) 13,496 (30)
Bowling - Spin 15,472 (30) 13,958 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 17,884 17,488
Overall 250,563 243,000

Ruff Royals won by 36 runs

A result that meant nothing but it was nice to win nonetheless. Combs had his best performance so far with 7-30 and Dennehy's 74 from 80 balls was superb.

Congratulations to Atko and The Raging Speed Horns and good luck next season.

[Atko]

...
Congratulations to Atko and The Raging Speed Horns and good luck next season.

Cheers sparky - nice win for you against the numbers too. In fact, your wins against dave gave me the leg up I needed. It was funny though, he couldn't beat you, I couldn't beat him and you couldn't beat me - as I mentioned earlier this season - we had a real rock/paper/scissors vibe going on

Anyway, eight wicket win in the end with the openers doing the bulk of the work and Max Speed with four top order wickets to round off a spectacular season, grabbing all League Champion titles - MotM awards, Fantasy Points and 3-2-1 cumulatives and bagging 36 wickets at 11 a-piece. What a guy.

Anyway, I'll be joining forces with wolfie as new kids on the block next season. The anticipation is palpable

[casperj]

Crestfallen Sidekicks Hay Spitfires
Batting - Top Order 11,447 12,237
Batting - Middle Order 12,901 10,779
Batting - Tail 7,620 5,929
Bowling - Seam 12,895 (30) 10,841 (30)
Bowling - Spin 14,497 (20) 12,136 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 16,425 13,668
Overall 237,211 207,655

Crestfallen Sidekicks won by 77 runs

Snatch second place on NRR, which is handy from a finances perspective, but it'll be another season in Division 3 for us next season.

[Atko]

On a slightly related note, and of course, not being one to miss the opportunity to toot my own horn, my mob just won the English League Cup Season 2. I mention this for three reasons -

1. To thank eagles123 for running the comp - you're a gentleman of the first order, sir.
2. We didn't have a seperate thread this season, and it would have been sacriligeous to let it pass without mention (which is really reason 1b, but that would start to get confusing).
3. I got to play against a couple of tier 1 sides, so that was useful in allaying any concerns I might have harbored over being up there next season.

Anyway, I faced this seasons tier 1 champions in the final, and -

The Raging Speed Horns vs Egham Town CC
Cup English League Cup Season 2

Weather Windy
Pitch Dry

The Raging Speed Horns won by 93 runs

Match Ratings
The Raging Speed Horns Egham Town CC
Batting - Top Order 15,125 14,602
Batting - Middle Order 11,169 13,723
Batting - Tail 4,729 6,612
Bowling - Seam 15,316 (30) 15,341 (20)
Bowling - Spin 15,655 (20) 14,143 (30)
Fielding/Keeping 19,179 18,214
Overall 254,163 260,895

Here endeth the toot

[spark]

I don't rate my chances of promotion in OD 2.1. I've only had a quick glance so I could be wrong but it looks a much stronger league than 2.2.

T20 leagues look a bit more balanced and I'm possibly in the marginally easier one although South Yorkshire look really good (purely going on wages) so it's not going to be easy either.