J’ville Young Guns 137/7, K Thomson 2-14 (3), D Croft 2-27 (3)
Karori Wildcats 141/8, A Hampshire 43 (19), O Gascoigne 21 (24)
Last ball: 1 run needed, 1 ball left, 1 wicket remaining.
How did we get here? Read on.
Waitangi weekend hit the squad hard this year. With players away for all sorts of reasons (weddings, stock car events, work in Whangamata) the Wildcats dug deep to wrangle a total of 9.5 players (Scott made an appearance with a very injured hammy). But this one was much closer than it needed to be. It really brought back memories from the same fixture last year.
Sending J’ville into bat on the weirdly-shaped Churton Park Reserve, the Wildcats bowled and fielded their hearts out. Tom grabbed the first wicket, when Kurt used all 7 feet of his height to snatch one on the square leg boundary. Kurt followed up with a bowled and LBW a few overs later. The Young Guns were 46-3 after 7.3.
Crofty and Alex bowled the middle-to-late overs and picked up some key wickets. One of those was a stumping by ring-in Ollie off Crofty’s flighted flippers. J’ville managed to run a four on one occasion, with Rupert haring to the fine lag boundary, siding into a muddy-ditch, getting covered in mud, Rhys throwing it in, an overthrow, and us nearly getting a direct hit run out. Then Tom and Nando came back at the end with a tight over each, and J’ville made it to 137-7.
Our run chase started nicely: Tom Buchan was playing freely, and Ollie was feeling leather on willow for the first time in 12 months. They took us through to 34 before Johnsonville’s best bowler moved one off the seam to remove Tom for 12 (14) after 4.4. This brought Rhys into the mix with J’ville continuing to bowl good areas. Two overs later Ollie was bowled by the same guy for 21 (24), including three 4s and a 6.
Our major partnership was Rhys and Alex. These guys occupied for 7 overs and really frustrated the Young Guns. Their usual ‘chat’ had begun. Alex was his brutal best, smashing three massive 6s and four 4s. He plundered 23 runs off the 12th over. With us cruising at 102/2 after 12 it was the perfect time for Crofty to drop some comprehensive commentators’ curse. The exact quote was ‘One more over from Alex and we’re there’.
Then. Stuff. Got. Real. And wheels fell off. Axles fell off. The entire chassis of the Wildcats was dragging on the ground.
J’ville bowed two tight overs and we scored only 4 runs. Then, first ball of the 15th Alex was caught at cover (off one of J’ville’s worst balls of the day). This brought in Kurt, who had a brief partnership with Rhys. Rhys was caught in the 16th for 11 (34). Kurt and Crofty’s consolidation ended when Crofty was bowled in the 18th over. The Wildcats were battling at 113-5 after 17.2. The equation was 25 needed off 16 balls.
With Kurt’s steady hand and Nando swinging for the hills and connecting with two 6s, the ‘Cats arrived in the final over needing 7 to win.
That Stuff Got Even Realler. Like more real.
Final over: Nando faced a wide then was caught at short mid wicket (16 from 9). 6 needed from 5, and (effectively) 3 wickets in hand. Pete Hewitt got a quick single. 5 needed from 4. Kurt flicked a (probable) no-ball full toss to the square leg boundary… their fielder attempted a catch with his foot over the boundary, he dropped it, picked it up, threw it in… Then World War Three broke out. The Gentleman’s Game became less gentle. J’ville expanded their colourful vocabulary. Our captain took the field. End result: The umpires call of ‘4’ stood. 1 needed from 3.
Kurt smashed it to mid-on, Pete charged down the pitch, to be run out at the non-strikers. 1 needed from two ballls.
Then Kurt got caught to a high chance (9 from 12). 1 needed from one ball. Injured Scott on strike to face his first ball. Rupert backing up at the other end.
The conclusion: J’ville bowled another (probable) no-ball full toss, Scott swivelled to dispatch it to the fine leg boundary. Game over. The Great Escape was complete.
Wildcats. It’s a bumpy ride, but it’s a way of life.
The Manhattan below shows the time when things got a bit sketchy for the ‘Cats run chase. (Our bars in blue):
