Scorecard

Another excellent performance from Greenies Too has propelled them into the finals of the Twenty20 knockout cup, where they will clash with West Bay for the honour of picking up the first silverware of the season. 

With rain still coming down at the allotted start time of 12pm and both teams struggling to put on the covers in blustery conditions, the chances of play were looking very slim.  However, with luck on our side and a favourable wind, a herbed up groundsman peeled back the covers allowing up to start up an hour late, with the fixture reduced to 15 overs a side.  Needless to say the toss was critical with a damp outfield and a soft wicket.  Needless to say we lost it.  Needless to say we were sent out to bat.

With openers Steve Smith and Tex going out to build us a start, the Brac team also offered up some help, giving us 7 extras in the first over.  Carrying on from last week, Smith and Tex put the Brac attack to the sword, making a mockery of the pitch conditions and rattling off a quick fire 50 partnership in 4 overs.  With Tex departing after an expansive pull that was caught on the square leg boundary, Alex Porter made his season debut at number three, promptly dispatching an enormous 6 over extra cover.  Unfortunately Smith, Gordon and Alex all fell thereafter in quick succession, leaving us 73-4 with 7 overs to go.

With the power hitters back in the pavilion, tip and run became the order of the day.  Dave Rajaratnam did his best to wear down his partner Dogga Dean until harshly given out LBW, and Dickie Thomas took over the mantle.  Eventually Dogga had enough and sent his skipper back on a quick single, resulting in the first run out of the day.  A decision that would come back to haunt him in the post match fine session.  With less than two overs to go, Faisal Ahmed came to the party, smacking a useful six runs, and Sam Dawson, with one ball to face, picked up 3 runs to long on, leaving us 120/7.  Pretty useful given the conditions, but possibly 10 runs short of where we would have liked to be.

With no Troskie or McGrath to spearhead the bowling attack, options were somewhat limited.  Fortunately Sam Dawson was available for his first game of the season and opened up with a great spell, conceding only 18 off his 3 overs.  At the other end, Dickie put the ball down well enough, but found the bad balls being punished.  Batting was steady rather than spectacular, with the Brac batsmen milking ones and twos rather than 4s and 6s, but they kept themselves well in contention with a good first wicket partnership of 68 off 10 overs. 

Gordon and Dogga did a great job in keeping the opposition behind the eight ball, knowing that one big over could swing the result the wrong way.  However the bowler of the day had to be Faisal, who was extracting huge turn to bamboozle the batsmen, and on occasion the wicketkeeper, and making them swing and miss more often than connect.  With one over remaining, Brac needed 12 runs with Faisal bowing.  The batsman failed to connect with the first two balls, and the game was pretty much up.  With a wicket the next ball, Faisal had sealed up a memorable victory, and booked passage into the final.

Man of the Match - Faisal

Play of the Day -
COTD - A Dean