England League and Cup Discussion

[Atko]

I needn't have worried, the boys kept up with the pace, bringing it home with a couple of overs to spare -

J. Lampard (rm) 6.4-1-31-1, R. McSpank 27 (21b), E. Krom 10 (5b)
End of over 38 (7 runs) - The Raging Speed Horns(180-5) RR 4.74

Result : The Raging Speed Horns won by 5 wickets

Match Ratings
The Raging Speed Horns Sledgingshire
Batting - Top Order 6,179 7,611
Batting - Middle Order 6,409 5,522
Batting - Tail 4,106 4,701
Bowling - Seam 6,469 (12) 7,317 (16)
Bowling - Spin 7,477 (28) 6,532 (24)
Fielding/Keeping 8,818 9,274
Overall 125,001 128,692

Pleasing that our ratings have hit 125k, and with no promotions to seniors for nearly a "year", we're in good shape going forward (I wonder if we might even nick the title )

[spark]

Ruff Royals won by 147 runs

Ruff Royals Zippys Rainbow Destroyers
Batting - Top Order 7,525 4,828
Batting - Middle Order 5,632 4,190
Batting - Tail 3,911 3,453
Bowling - Seam 6,645 (32) 6,485 (24)
Bowling - Spin 9,270 (8) 4,443 (16)
Fielding/Keeping 8,869 6,868
Overall 126,824 95,380

We went from what I thought was going to be an embarrassing defeat to a massive victory. Reynolds had the game of his life and followed up his 81 not out with 5-20 as we bowled them out for 97. He just took the player of the match award with 270 points to the next highest of 124!

We're up to 2nd place but 8 points behind the leaders, Snakey's Kent Stars, so we're essentially playing for prize money now. I suppose we probably need 1 more win to make pretty much certain our survival in the division.

[spark]

R. Mahatapa (rws) 9-1-43-1, M. Schmidt 132 (110b), I. Dennehy 32 (35b)
End of over 37 (2 runs) - Ruff Royals(240-3) RR 6.49

Schmidt seems to have really taken to his opener slot this season. I need him to continue as I'd like 300+ maybe even 320+ on this dry pitch; it has looked very good for batting.

[spark]

C. McKinney (lfm) 10-0-80-0, I. Dennehy 95 (73b), O. Delap 32 (23b)
End of over 50 (15 runs) - Ruff Royals(361-5) RR 7.22

A very good total but it's humid conditions so you never know if it can be chased. I'd be disappointed if it was. Schmidt was great with 157 from 127 balls for a new personal best. He was abley supported by Dennehy with 95 not out from 73 balls and Bullock with 60.

[spark]

Ruff Royals won by 180 runs

Ruff Royals Bedfordshire Jats
Batting - Top Order 15,059 13,182
Batting - Middle Order 12,044 8,914
Batting - Tail 5,052 3,721
Bowling - Seam 13,760 (20) 12,515 (30)
Bowling - Spin 13,784 (30) 11,288 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 18,083 14,909
Overall 246,692 204,401

A big win with a big ratings advantage. Patterson took 6-30 but it was the batters who really put us in a great position.

The title race is back on after Goondiwindi were beaten by Snakey's Kent Stars. We're still 4 points behind but we've still got a chance. At the same time we're only 8 points clear of the relegation zone.

[casperj]

Bathaloner Crestfallen Sidekicks
Batting - Top Order 13,990 14,481
Batting - Middle Order 12,201 12,807
Batting - Tail 8,394 6,825
Bowling - Seam 12,836 (40) 13,823 (30)
Bowling - Spin 13,939 (10) 14,353 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 16,931 16,848
Overall 246,027 250,352

Bathaloner won by 62 runs

First time we;ve rated 250k+, but a heavy loss. After a good start bowling, failed to take enough wickets in the second half of the innings, taking only 1/160 once the 4th wicket fell. Left our batsmen too many to get.

[Atko]

The Raging Speed Horns vs Ffoh
League One Day 1.1

Weather Humid
Pitch Sticky

Result: The Raging Speed Horns won by 5 wickets

Match Ratings
The Raging Speed Horns Ffoh
Batting - Top Order 15,319 14,110
Batting - Middle Order 11,097 13,186
Batting - Tail 4,629 5,074
Bowling - Seam 15,458 (30) 13,405 (30)
Bowling - Spin 15,268 (20) 14,828 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 18,815 17,667
Overall 252,910 247,285

Missed the game today due to family commitments. Skimming through the commentary (as I do on such occasions), I figured we'd blown it in allowing Ffoh to get 200+ on a humid/sticky (the most dangerous combo IMHO). I think when I set the team sheet for this match earlier in the week, the weather was forecast as sunny, so I stuck with my (ratings wise) strongest lineup, including two finger spinners; I suspect, in hindsight, that Saxon (RF) would have replaced one of them if I'd been paying attention to the weather. The spinners did prove expensive although picked up 5 wickets, so six of one etc.

In the end, it didn't matter, as my batsmen actually did a good job this week, chasing down the target of 206 with 5 wickets and 4 overs to spare. That win keeps us top by 4 points from Egham Town (who we will play in a couple of weeks time).

[wolfberries]

Gully Boys CC wolfberries
Batting - Top Order 13,108 14,129
Batting - Middle Order 10,306 11,734
Batting - Tail 5,151 4,682
Bowling - Seam 14,526 (30) 13,131 (40)
Bowling - Spin 13,026 (20) 13,780 (10)
Fielding/Keeping 16,271 17,577
Overall 227,553 236,539

Result: wolfberries won by 7 wickets

Top by 4 points now, not sure I want promotion though!

[Atko]

Sledgingshire vs The Raging Speed Horns
League Youth Twenty20 2.2

Weather Hot
Pitch Uneven

Result: The Raging Speed Horns won by 6 wickets

Match Ratings
Sledgingshire The Raging Speed Horns
Batting - Top Order 7,435 6,122
Batting - Middle Order 5,731 6,367
Batting - Tail 4,252 4,142
Bowling - Seam 7,454 (8) 6,698 (6)
Bowling - Spin 6,532 (12) 7,603 (14)
Fielding/Keeping 9,304 8,897
Overall 127,839 125,737

Another Monday, another Micky Mouse Match for the kiddies. We won, I guess because their superior top order didn't fire. It was rather exciting though, as my mob scrabbled to a target of 157 with 2 off the last ball (a wicket having fallen the previous delivery!). Glad I wasn't watching in real time! The win keeps us in 4th spot with an 8 point cushion to the next team - so I guess we're safe and due a bit of prize money this season.

[Atko]

....The win keeps us in 4th spot with an 8 point cushion to the next team - so I guess we're safe and due a bit of prize money this season.

...I really should pay attention to detail - we're sitting 4 points off three teams who are equal top on 28 points - so actually, we've got a reasonable shot at the title!

[spark]

Indian Avengers Ruff Royals
Batting - Top Order 7,941 7,864
Batting - Middle Order 6,168 5,183
Batting - Tail 3,819 3,931
Bowling - Seam 7,909 (12) 8,298 (8)
Bowling - Spin 7,090 (8) 6,805 (12)
Fielding/Keeping 9,168 8,876
Overall 133,308 127,623

Ruff Royals won by 3 wickets

It was a really close game which we finally managed to win on the last ball as we scrambled the 2 runs we needed for victory. Macrow hit 45, Foot scored 40 and Fuls got 37.

That puts us 8 points clear at the top and closer to what would be a slightly unexpected title win.

[wolfberries]

Camberwell Carrots wolfberries
Batting - Top Order 7,366 7,764
Batting - Middle Order 5,416 5,423
Batting - Tail 4,613 2,988
Bowling - Seam 6,307 (12) 7,219 (6)
Bowling - Spin 6,765 (8) 7,223 (14)
Fielding/Keeping 8,816 9,165
Overall 123,870 125,316

Result: wolfberries won by 4 wickets

Hot and uneven conditions and we chased down 191 to win, wasn't expecting that to be honest.
Especially as an amazing innings by spinners Reinders took us over the line when we needed 44 from 3 overs.

End of over 20 (17 runs) - wolfberries(193-6) RR 9.65
E. Reinders 28 (9b), L. Bloomfield 30 (17b), H. O'Shea (rfm) 3.4-0-43-0

[spark]

J. Westerveld (rfs) 4-0-35-2, G. Willoughby 10 (8b), P. van Rauenstein 0 (7b)
End of over 20 (7 runs) - Ffoh(140-8) RR 7.00

Putting them in to bat appears to have been a mistake on a sticky pitch. They were going at over 8 an over at one point so in the end we did well to bring that down to 7 after they got off to a very good start.

We're going to need some top class batting.

[Atko]

The Raging Speed Horns vs marks marvels
League Twenty20 3.3

Weather Hot
Pitch Sticky

Home match today to marks marvels, who share top spot with Goondiwindi on 32 points. Having read the riot act to my motley crew last week, and vowing not to bail them out by introducing 1st XI players to the team, I could at least forgive them if they struggled in this one.

Things got off to a shaky start with the loss of the toss, and being inserted in to bat . My mob struggled desperately with two of our star bats falling for 1 and 0 as we teetered at 16 for 3 off the first two overs. Cometh the hour, cometh the man (or is it the other way round? ), and Bozelli came to the crease determined to calm things down and anchor the innings. This he did brilliantly, scoring 60 off 54 balls and only falling in the 19th over, by which time, we had compiled a fighting 121-9. At this point I wouldn't have been too annoyed if we lost, finally I was seeing a proper effort - yeah, wickets fell, but the bat was being swung and the board kept ticking over, And after that start...!

So, the oppo came out to bat, and it has to be said they were slow but methodical, which isn't always an effective approach on a sticky. At the ten over point, marks marvels were 45-3, needing 77 to win. It was at this point that I'd have bet a few quid on my mob, and so it came to pass. The run rate stayed deflated, and as pressure built, wickets fell away. The game ended more with a sigh than a bang as, needing 30 off the last two overs, the oppo nurdled 15 runs for no loss (I'd have been livid! ) to result in -

End of over 20 (8 runs) - marks marvels(107-7). 15 runs required from 0 overs. RR 5.35 RRR 0.00
T. Marsden 32 (26b), M. Irving 7 (6b), S. Spang (lm) 4-0-28-1

Result : The Raging Speed Horns won by 14 runs

Match Ratings
The Raging Speed Horns marks marvels
Batting - Top Order 9,869 13,368
Batting - Middle Order 9,884 9,628
Batting - Tail 6,224 4,623
Bowling - Seam 11,466 (16) 11,891 (8)
Bowling - Spin 11,451 (4) 12,475 (12)
Fielding/Keeping 15,529 13,647
Overall 201,590 208,005

This win lifts us clear of the drop zone, with a nice NRR to cushion us -

                      Pts  NRR
6  The Raging Speed Horns         12  -0.4338
7  Vivi                   8  -1.4539
8  The Middle Stump Lubricators       8  -1.9545

Not cast iron by any means, and we play top team Goondiwindi next week , but I reckon we'll stay up...

[spark]

Ffoh won by 25 runs

Ffoh Ruff Royals
Batting - Top Order 14,014 14,843
Batting - Middle Order 12,669 12,087
Batting - Tail 5,059 5,021
Bowling - Seam 13,496 (12) 13,760 (8)
Bowling - Spin 14,861 (8) 13,616 (12)
Fielding/Keeping 17,656 17,909
Overall 245,090 244,884

A poor start to both the batting and the bowling cost us here. Combs' 3-12 was the highlight for our bowlers and 51 for Schmidt was the highlight for the batters.

We're now 8 points off the top so the title is now pretty much out of the question and we're 12 points clear of relegation. It might be time to start picking a team mostly for the experience.