England League and Cup Discussion

[casperj]

Looked like we might be on for a good total at 124-2 from 16overs, but a collapse means that we are probably a bit short for a humid/green against a good batting team.

E. Fagg (lf) 4-0-25-2, R. Kapur 1 (1b), C. Mansfield 3 (4b)
End of over 20 (5 runs) - Crestfallen Sidekicks(144-6) RR 7.20

We're pretty even until the final overs. As i expected, our collapse costs us and they got home with an over to spare.

Crestfallen Sidekicks Relegation reprobates
Batting - Top Order 13,072 14,280
Batting - Middle Order 12,159 11,145
Batting - Tail 5,055 5,224
Bowling - Seam 13,290 (20) 12,242 (20)
Bowling - Spin 0 (0) 0 (0)
Fielding/Keeping 16,100 16,668
Overall 230,843 228,592

Relegation reprobates won by 7 wickets

[Atko]

Dunbrody Academy London vs The Raging Speed Horns
League Youth 2.1

Weather Humid
Pitch Slow

Tough nut to crack. We're the weakest team in the league, and Dunbrody the strongest by a good 20k ratings points. We're still hanging on to top spot by our fingernails, but there's nowhere to hide today.

I've tried to simulate this game three times against my affiliate - who rate 10k above my main - and three times my affiliate stomped me - so a wing and a prayer it is.

We won the toss and went in to bat - thusfar -

End of over 6 (10 runs) - The Raging Speed Horns(49-1) RR 8.17

[Atko]

Okay, around about here -

End of over 28 (2 runs) - The Raging Speed Horns(172-3) RR 6.14

I started to suspect something wasn't quite right. Much as I'd love to claim tactical genius, a quick perusal of Dunbrody's team sheet suggests this ain't the 'A' Team. Dunno if he's getting some xp into some of the youngsters, or simply believes my mob are weak enough to take down with some second stringers (or both), but this is potentially a massive gift for us

[Atko]

End of over 40 (16 runs) - The Raging Speed Horns(300-5) RR 7.50

That's got to be the winning total. I've taken one of my spinners out of the attack and replaced him with a batsmean who bowls a bit of RM at average summary, Probably a better bet with the humid conditions. A challenge my team faces is that with four 16yos in the lineup, they tend to struggle week in week out, and consequently their form drops, further compounding problems. Currently I have three guys on average form, and two of 'em are bowlers (including the swap in and swap out!).

[spark]

D. Buck (rfm) 8-0-52-1, G. Brindley 18 (14b), K. Shiell 73 (47b)
End of over 40 (17 runs) - Egham Town CC(278-5) RR 6.95

I feel like making them bat first on an even pitch might have been a mistake. This is something of a crucial game too as we'll move back into the relegation zone should we lose.


B. Aaron (lfs) 5-0-29-1, H. Mitchell 64 (58b), D. Howe 18 (17b)
End of over 19 (1 run) - Ruff Royals(108-1). 171 runs required from 21 overs. RR 5.68 RRR 8.14

We've only lost one wicket but that run rate required seems unmanageable.

[spark]

G. Brindley (rws) 5-0-38-0, D. Howe 38 (37b), H. Mitchell 88 (80b)
End of over 26 (5 runs) - Ruff Royals(152-1). 127 runs required from 14 overs. RR 5.85 RRR 9.07

We need to start really going for it now. We should have already started doing that with 9 wickets in hand.

[Atko]

End of over 36 (3 runs) - Dunbrody Academy London(167-10). 134 runs required from 4 overs. RR 4.64 RRR 33.50

The Raging Speed Horns won by 133 runs

Disappointingly easy win in the end against an insanely weak lineup -

Match Ratings
Dunbrody Academy London The Raging Speed Horns
Batting - Top Order 5,990 7,288
Batting - Middle Order 3,646 4,870
Batting - Tail 3,441 3,351
Bowling - Seam 3,963 (16) 4,727 (24)
Bowling - Spin 4,603 (24) 7,588 (16)
Fielding/Keeping 5,403 7,780
Overall 86,816 111,383

Those Dunbrody ratings are 45k short of last weeks. I guess I'll just be grateful for the gifted 4 points. That will leave us still top on NRR from Oxhey Players, who beat the other top tied team today. My remaining matches are against the 8th, 7th, 5th and 3rd placed teams, so there's still a reasonable shot at promotion...

Pos  Team          Points    NRR
1  The Raging Speed Horns    28    +1.0593
2  Oxhey Players         28    +0.0985
3  SLBenfica           24    -0.0147
4  Dunbrody Academy London   20    -0.0299
5  St. Marks Hill Strollers     18    -0.1162

[spark]

I feel like making them bat first on an even pitch might have been a good idea.

Egham Town CC Ruff Royals
Batting - Top Order 7,438 8,085
Batting - Middle Order 7,196 5,592
Batting - Tail 3,953 3,758
Bowling - Seam 6,457 (24) 6,956 (32)
Bowling - Spin 6,517 (16) 7,245 (8)
Fielding/Keeping 9,561 8,496
Overall 131,484 126,543

Ruff Royals won by 5 wickets

Mitchell got his highest score in his final youth appearance with 125 from 99 balls. Howe was also excellent as he scored 88 from 70 balls.

Sadly, we're no further clear of the relegation places and we play the team leading the division by 12 points.

[Atko]

Entertaining the top team today -

The Raging Speed Horns vs Egham Town CC
League One Day 1.1

Weather Hot
Pitch Sticky

They're 4 points ahead of second and 12 points ahead of my mob in 3rd -

Pos    Team        Points    NRR
1    Egham Town CC      32   +1.5291
2    Inchigeela Angels     28   +0.3615
3    The Raging Speed Horns  20   +0.2907

Realistically, with 5 to play, the Angels are the only team with a solid chance of chasing 'em down.

Hmmm...Egham have won the toss and decided to bat...the game's afoot...

[Atko]

Well, we're in trouble -

End of over 25 (5 runs) - Egham Town CC(114-3) RR 4.56

That's far too much for far too little on a sticky.

We started well, knocking over two wickets in the first two overs, but it went south from there, with the oppo scoring at a disturbingly brisk pace.

We really need a collapse of sizable proportions, and quick...

[Atko]

End of over 44 (1 run) - Egham Town CC(188-10) RR 4.27

...managed to haul it back, but that's still 30 runs more than I'd like to be chasing on this track.

[casperj]

Crestfallen Sidekicks Papa Pneumatic
Batting - Top Order 11,859 11,494
Batting - Middle Order 13,297 7,806
Batting - Tail 6,296 3,947
Bowling - Seam 13,405 (20) 10,406 (50)
Bowling - Spin 13,218 (30) 0 (0)
Fielding/Keeping 16,413 12,300
Overall 235,220 177,975

Crestfallen Sidekicks won by 9 wickets
A. Wagenaar (rm) 3.4-0-32-0, B. Luckmini 47 (45b), J. Wambua 38 (36b)
End of over 15 (10 runs) - Crestfallen Sidekicks(91-1) RR 6.07

Huge win inside 15 overs. Not sure my opponent set his tactics - no spinners on a hot/crumbling! Big match next week should go a long way to deciding whether I can get promotion finally from Div 3.

[wolfberries]

Home wolfberries
Away Trevor Francis Tracksuit
Ground wolfberries CG
League One Day 1.1
Date 28 Jun 24 10:00
Crowd 12,516
Weather Hot
Pitch Sticky

Toss: Trevor Francis Tracksuit won the toss and elected to bowl.

M. Francis (rfm) 9.4-1-28-3, S. Garland 15 (26b)
End of over 49 (1 run) - wolfberries(174-10) RR 3.55

Surely another expected loss today, at least we set an OK total in the conditions.

[Atko]

Hmmm - this sticky ain't playin' like no sticky I know -

End of over 25 (2 runs) - The Raging Speed Horns(101-1). 88 runs required from 25 overs. RR 4.04 RRR 3.52

So far, so good ...

[Atko]

Solid win in the end -

Result: The Raging Speed Horns won by 6 wickets

Match Ratings
The Raging Speed Horns Egham Town CC
Batting - Top Order 15,022 15,024
Batting - Middle Order 10,915 12,321
Batting - Tail 4,412 5,319
Bowling - Seam 14,504 (30) 14,926 (20)
Bowling - Spin 15,044 (20) 13,858 (30)
Fielding/Keeping 18,482 17,736
Overall 246,032 249,977

Inchigeela Angels won their game too, so the top of the table now looks like this -

Pos    Team        Points    NRR
1    Egham Town CC      32   +1.3055
2    Inchigeela Angels     32   +0.4113
3    The Raging Speed Horns  24   +0.3221

Angels and Egham play eachother one more time this season. I'm still an outside shot here, but probably doubled my chances with that win today. I see my opponent next week - Pedagogs - don't carry any National players, which is a bummer, because I'll have three away on duty. Oh well ...