Scorecard

Greenies Ones' impressive start to the season gained further momentum on Sunday with a dramatic last wicket victory over By Rite at Smith Road Oval. 

Chasing a challenging target of 200 to win from a reduced 49 overs,  the game was in the balance as Hector joined Faisal in the middle with 6 still needed off 3 overs.  11 nerve-racking balls later, Hector played the shot of the day, gliding Keneil Irving through the vacant first slip area for the 2 runs that sealed the win and sent the massed ranks of Greenies supporters into raptures.

The day had started 7 long hours earlier when By Rite surprisingly chose to bat first having won the toss.  Ledge continued his fine start to the season when, with the first ball of the second over, he produced the perfect inswinger to send the left handed Edward's off stump cart wheeling out of the ground.  However, hopes of more early wickets faded as danger man Keneil together with Linton took By Rite to 56—1 from 15 overs on what everyone had realized by now was a very good batting wicket.

The first drinks break was to put the Greenies right back in the game, with Faisal having a hand in getting 3 quick wickets. Linton was first to go, run out at the non-striker's end when a powerful Keneil drive was deflected onto the stumps by some nifty footwork.  He then had Keneil caught behind and Bryant caught in the deep and when Hector then removed Ainsley Hall in the very next over, By Rite looked in trouble at 70-5 after 21.

Unfortunately Greenies were unable to force home their advantage as Benji Suberan and Conroy then put on 69 for the 6th wicket.  Suberan was to bat through the rest of the innings for a well put together 58 not out following on from his 38 last week against the Toos.  That together with a few lusty blows from the lower order meant that By Rite eventually finished on 199-8.

Whilst By Rite may not have the strength in depth or the variety of the Greenies attack, they have in Conroy and Tulloch, two bowlers who can blow away any side on their day.  Tommy's message was clear.  We weren't going to win the game in the first 15 overs but we could easily lose it and it was vital that we took the sting out of their opening onslaught and kept wickets in hand to launch a counter attack later in the game.

Whilst Smith and Rotsey both went cheaply, they at least managed to see off the first 8 overs of fast short-pitched bowling.  Ian was unlucky, getting a top edge to third man, as was Steve who saw one from Conroy nip back to take his off stump with no shot being played.  21-2 off 7 wasn't too bad but we couldn't afford to lose any more quick wickets... and we didn't, as Craig and Josh batted superbly to put on 73 for the third wicket and take us to 94-2.  Craig's been in great form this season and this was another very good knock.  Both he and Josh showed great shot selection and ran very well between the wickets. Josh was the first to go for 37, cruelly mistiming a long hop straight to Point when a deserved 50 looked on the cards.  Tommy then came to the crease and looked to inject some pace into the run chase scoring 12 off 16 including a huge six over mid wicket. This prompted our captain Tommy to decide that it would be a really good idea to see if he could become the first Greenie ever to hook the first ball received from Conroy over square leg for 6.  Unfortunately he didn't quite make it and fell about 50 yards short spooning a dolly to mid wicket.  The very next ball Craig was out LBW for 39 and at 123-5 from 30, with Conroy on a hat trick, the game was once again in the balance.

In previous years the Greenies may have struggled to get home from that position, but this year we genuinely bat all the way down and there's not another team on the island who have the luxury of being 5 down and still having batsman of the ability of Hoggy, Sean Neveling, Ledge, Sellars, Faisal and Hector to come.

Once Sean had confidently dealt with the hat-trick ball, he and Hoggy put on 22 to take us to 145-6. Hoggy and Ledge then put on another 33 to take us to 178-7 and within sight of the finishing line.  These were all classy knocks.  Both Sean (16) and Ledge (13) played really well and Hoggy showed that he revels in the pressure by calmly and confidently seeing off the last of Conroy and Tulloch without taking any unnecessary chances.  It was great to see the Greenies lower order thinking their way through the last few overs of a game without playing the sort of rash shots that have cost us so dear in the past.

Nerves were still jangling when Sellars came to the wicket with 22 needed off 5.  Having got himself off the mark with a single he then smashed one of the shots of the day to pull Edwards over mid wicket for 4.  He followed it up with another 4 and it looked as if we were home and hosed, but there was to be one more twist to this enthralling game as, in trying to finish it with another pull, he mistimed it and gave a simple catch to Tullock at mid wicket.

Enter Hector.  Been there, done that, bought the T-Shirt.  Close finish…..no sweat.  With a solid defence and some lovely glides through slips he and Faisal saw out the dangerous looking Keneil and brought the game home sending the crowd into Heineken Heaven…

It was a great game of cricket to play in and a great game to win.  The Greenies should gain a lot of confidence from the victories against Schools and By Rite, not just from results themselves, but also from the manner in which they were gained.  To win two close games, one batting first and the other batting second shows that this team has character to go with it's undoubted talent.  It's still early days and there will be harder matches to come, but we've put down a marker and the bottom line is that we are 2 for 2, playing with confidence and gagging for the next game against Police in 3 weeks' time.

In true Greenies style we worked our way through all the beers in no time at all and Josh, Cat and Dickie were all called upon to provide more supplies.  The supporters and WAGs were fantastic and it was great to see so many people down to see such a thrilling game.  Carey provided a weird tasting fine bottle and kept the crowd entertained with his weekly struggle to down a Heineken in one without throwing up.  Needless to say he failed in spectacular fashion! 

It was also good to see one of the Greenies favourite sons back on island, as Big Red made a brief appearance before leaving early due to having work the next day.  He won't be playing cricket this year and is definitely not coming on the Brac Tour so it was rather special that he made an effort to at least come down for a couple.  As he left to tuck himself into bed, celebrations continued at Stingers with the Ones and the Ladies talking cricket tactics long into the night………….Happy days.

MOTM – Josh 10-0-32-0 & 38. To be fair it could have been any one of 6 or 7 players.

POTD – Ledge's first ball

COTD – Should have been Tommy for his shot against Conroy, but somehow it went to Carey for turning up late as 12th man and not being in full Greenies kit for the entire game in contravention of section 17 of the CICA rules.

GOTD – Tex for going horse riding the day before.