STUMPS

B4 Round 11 v Long Reef (Tania 2)
Result: Manly Breakers lost by 1 wicket
Players Player: Tony Brown
Toss: MBCC

Toyota....

In round 2, Long Reef and Breakers fought out a close game in fading light. This time, is was a close finish again; Reefers winning, and one dropped catch plus a drop-off in our fielding standard costing us the game.

Played at Tania Park, where the sea breeze was a welcome change from the couldrons of the previous week, MBCC skipper Mark Hill won the toss and decided to bat. Hilly's pre-match speech was just what we needed, emphasing a total of 200 if possible. And, after a disagreement over which pitch was actually ground 2, MBCC openers Jeff Monin and Pat Ryan walked out to start our chase.

It wasn't the start we wanted. Normally either Jeff or Pat would get us away to a good start, and both were in good touch. This week, Jeff unluckily chopped a ball on, and next over, Pat was given out caught behind after the ball flicked his pad.

At 2 for not many it was time to consilidate, and team leaders Matt Fisher and Mark Hill carried the score to 30, when Hilly was dismissed. Tony Ball joined Matt, who had batted well before falling for an invaluable 30, out of the 46 runs we'd scored to that point.

Bally was fresh of two recent 50s, and started out like he meant business. The boundaries at Tania are short, and AB collected two 6's (and no cars), before being clean bowled for 16.

Cometh the hour... Jimmy Johnston, batting against his favourite opponent (results wise) was joined by Tony Brown. They pulled the innings back around, hitting and running well. Jimmy's fall for 20 was the start of a slump; wickets began to fall again and Tony's dismissal for his MBCC best 27 signally the end. We failed to bat out the 35 overs, adding a few handy runs but scoring 137. Which, if we bowled well, could be enough.

MBCC needed the win to get our semi-final hopes up. The wind had picked up when we went into the field. Crack opening bowlers Jeff Monin and Pat Ryan, once again, got us away to the prefect start. Jeff bowled with marvellous control into the wind. Pat, fired up by what he saw as an umpiring mistake when he batted, was a menace. The top of the Reefers order was gone, and none of the batsmen were keen to get down the strikers end, including #3 Shields, who anchored the innings as his team mates departed.

Mark Hill, Col Henderson and Matt Fisher backed up the good work, and the Reefers were 6-for and staring defeat in the face. Mills, opening bolwer, joined Shields after Rog Moore had picked up a good catch to get rid of Avery, a century maker the last time these teams met. Unfortunately, he promply missed Mills with a similar catch, and the game started to turn.

MBCC's fielding fell away, with a few noticable exceptions, and Reefers were back in the game as their batting stabilisied. Once again, the equation became run a ball towards the end. Tony Brown, possibly the best in the field, took another vital catch, and Matt Fisher achieved that rarest of cricket occurances this season, an LBW. (We give, as the saying goes, but rarely this season have we received). Jeff Monin returned with the ball, 6 runs needed, and once again got the breakthrough.

The last over, bowled by Col Henderson, saw Reefers needing 2 runs, MBCC that last precious wicket. First ball, an overthrow to tie. Next ball, Rog Moore missed it between his legs, and a run was gifted. The next ball was nicked, again, for 4, and the game was lost. Mils, the best bowler for the Reefers, had ridden his luck and scored 53 not out to lead his side to victory.

Captain Mark Hill and his team were disappointed - our fielding had slipped for a few overs and we'd let them back in to an exciting, well contested match. Semi finals are still there and we'll improve.

A number of players did well in the Players Player - Jimmy Johnston, Pat Ryan. Tony Brown, a popular member of the side, got the award this week, and well deserved it was too.

And now, back to two day cricket...