2A Match Report

13th February vs Birkenhead City at Onepoto Basin

Winning the toss the ACSSC team elected to bat first, the side bolstered by John and Owen Barwood to ensure a full XI for the game. Following the batting issues already this year it was a different sight seeing the scoreboard advance to 76 in the 18th over before the first wicket, that of Lee Gornall, fell.

A lush outfield made boundaries difficult to come by so running between the wickets, not something the ACSSC batsmen like, became important. A batting collapse in the middle of the innings caused the momentum to be lost but Richard Hogg and Lawrence Stephens had an unbroken stand of 20 for the last wicket to carry the score through to a respectable 167/9. Campbell McKenzie with 53 the top batsman for the ACSSC team.

A brisk start saw the Birkenhead team through to 40 before the first wicket fell, a steady procession of wickets then continued to fall. The ACSSC team thought the game was in the bag when the 9th wicket fell with the score on 131, 37 still required for victory. The Birkenhead team had other ideas and with 4 over's to go only a further 12 runs were required.

ACSSC opening bowler Lee Gornall returned to the attack and after a couple of disputed wides produced a superb short ball which got the edge through to Mike Clegg for the final, and game winning, wicket. The ACSSC team won by 6 runs, the best bowler being Gareth Arnold with 5/36 from his ten overs. The unusual statistic from the game was that all ten of the Birkenhead batsmen were out caught.

MVP for the ACSSC team for the day was Gareth Arnold with 127 points, Campbell McKenzie second with 78 points and Lee Gornall third with 73 points.

Full scorecard