England League and Cup Discussion

[spark]

D. Rocha (lm) 8-0-40-3, D. Temple 1 (1b), R. Draper 0 (0b)
End of over 35 (4 runs) - Ffoh(185-8). 50 runs required from 5 overs. RR 5.29 RRR 10.00

Yavatakar was run out on 99, and then there was a double wicket over for Fattah, which was immediately followed by a double wicket over for Rocha.

[spark]

Q. Fattah (rfs) 7-0-31-2, D. Temple 13 (10b), R. Draper 12 (9b)
End of over 38 (10 runs) - Ffoh(212-8). 23 runs required from 2 overs. RR 5.58 RRR 11.50

We need these last couple of wickets. They're looking worryingly good at the moment.

[spark]

A couple of run outs finish the game off for us. Ruff Royals won by 13 runs.

Ruff Royals Ffoh
Batting - Top Order 6,878 8,430
Batting - Middle Order 6,747 5,990
Batting - Tail 3,729 3,867
Bowling - Seam 7,294 (24) 5,698 (24)
Bowling - Spin 7,905 (16) 7,829 (16)
Fielding/Keeping 9,529 8,719
Overall 131,969 128,193

Good ratings compared to last week. We're out of the relegation zone but we didn't really help our inferior net run rate.

[Atko]

League Youth 2.1
Leyland Lions vs The Raging Speed Horns
Weather Hot
Pitch Uneven
Leyland Lions won by 39 runs

Top of the table clash goes south for us. Big opportunity to seize the number one spot flushed down the toilet
Lions posted a challenging 229-7 off their 40 overs, and although our batsmen were comfortable enough chasing, they never kept up with the rate, finishing on a lackluster 190-7. The game just drifted away in a rather disappointing manner. The ratings tell the tale, and it was one of their top order batsmen that cracked the century that more or less sealed it; I suspect our relative weakness compared to the other teams means a Top 3 spot is our best hope now.

Match Ratings
Leyland Lions The Raging Speed Horns
Batting - Top Order 8,136 6,704
Batting - Middle Order 5,917 6,087
Batting - Tail 3,398 3,392
Bowling - Seam 7,175 (32) 5,937 (24)
Bowling - Spin 7,768 (8) 6,048 (16)
Fielding/Keeping 8,443 7,372
Overall 128,207 113,362

[spark]

I was happy enough to bat first but no-one could stick around.

D. Diablo (rm) 7.1-0-22-3, D. Combs 2 (1b)
End of over 32 (maiden) - Ruff Royals(85-10) RR 2.66

A terrible score and there's no chance that we're going to bowl well enough to defend this.

D. Combs (lf) 5-0-12-1, H. Charlton 1 (2b), J. Shalidor 9 (20b)
End of over 9 (2 runs) - The Raging Speed Horns(28-1). 58 runs required from 41 overs. RR 3.11 RRR 1.41

I said this was going to be an easy game but, in my defence, I didn't say it was going to be an easy game for me.

[Atko]

Yeah I popped my head in this morning to see you were 46-2 with House and Dickerson starting to smack it about. Had to go out at that point, just missing all the fireworks

[casperj]

A typically weak batting peformance from my team, with no one able to hang around long enough to make a telling contribution. Not sure what the par score is on a humid/even, but suspect this isn't enough. Despite the conditions not favouring spinners, opponents two mediocre finger spinners took 83/7, including removing both my Spin Specialists!! Only got past 200 because the two rabbits I have batting 10 and 11 somehow managed to put on 32 for the last wicket.

N. Suren (rm) 9.1-0-55-1, W. van Schoonhoven 14 (20b)
End of over 49 (maiden) - Crestfallen Sidekicks(225-10) RR 4.59

[spark]

The Raging Speed Horns won by 8 wickets

The Raging Speed Horns Ruff Royals
Batting - Top Order 14,611 14,022
Batting - Middle Order 11,040 12,402
Batting - Tail 4,552 5,087
Bowling - Seam 14,643 (30) 14,786 (30)
Bowling - Spin 15,051 (20) 13,676 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 18,673 17,557
Overall 246,311 245,341

I know we're still only 4 points of the leaders but I think this result will probably put us out of the title race (+ I've got 3 players on international duty next week). Considering only one of my players has spectacular fielding and the rest are exceptional (world class wicketkeeper too), I'm disappointed with those fielding/keeping ratings but I guess that's a sign that my players just don't have enough power? No triggers for my accumulator either which is sad.

Congrats on the win, Atko. You seem to do well from having a sticky pitch. I can certainly see the promotion race going to the last day with you and Dave.

[Atko]

The Raging Speed Horns won by 8 wickets

The Raging Speed Horns Ruff Royals
Batting - Top Order 14,611 14,022
Batting - Middle Order 11,040 12,402
Batting - Tail 4,552 5,087
Bowling - Seam 14,643 (30) 14,786 (30)
Bowling - Spin 15,051 (20) 13,676 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 18,673 17,557
Overall 246,311 245,341

I know we're still only 4 points of the leaders but I think this result will probably put us out of the title race (+ I've got 3 players on international duty next week). Considering only one of my players has spectacular fielding and the rest are exceptional (world class wicketkeeper too), I'm disappointed with those fielding/keeping ratings but I guess that's a sign that my players just don't have enough power? No triggers for my accumulator either which is sad.

Congrats on the win, Atko. You seem to do well from having a sticky pitch. I can certainly see the promotion race going to the last day with you and Dave.

Thanks fella, but I wouldn't count yourself out yet. In fact I'm relying on you to spank Dave for me when you meet him on the final day of the season . I just can't beat the bugger - he's thrashed me three times in our meetings - but you seem to have his measure (in fact we've got a real rock/paper/scissors vibe going on between the three of us )

Interesting regarding the fielding. We have identical stats (disregarding sublevels). Cruse just plopped to spectacular fielding, but the rest are exceptional with a world class keeper. The devil's somewhere in the detail I suppose.

Yeah, I'll be missing my two best players next week on tour duty - Speed, who's turning into a great LF, and Labyrinth, who blows hot and cold but has the seam specialist talent (my favourite). As luck would have it, we're playing the bottom club at home, so there should be no scares.

This league's gonna go to the wire. I wish you luck (but not too much ).

[spark]

Yeah, I'll be missing my two best players next week on tour duty - Speed, who's turning into a great LF, and Labyrinth, who blows hot and cold but has the seam specialist talent (my favourite). As luck would have it, we're playing the bottom club at home, so there should be no scares.

This league's gonna go to the wire. I wish you luck (but not too much ).

My problem with the missing players is that I'll be playing Snakey who, I think, doesn't lose anyone. That means I'll probably be at least 20k behind on ratings which is not ideal.

[eagles123]

Thought 130 might be chaseable even in sticky/humid, especially when we were 54/2 with our two best bats still to come ... nah, all out for like 75 or something!! Pretty bad loss, and keeps right in the relegation mix! Home to champions elect Egham Town CC next week and gonna throw all caution to the wind with a flat pitch, hope our two WC summary boundary hitters have a decent day!!

[casperj]

Penn CCC Crestfallen Sidekicks
Batting - Top Order 12,864 12,351
Batting - Middle Order 9,501 10,773
Batting - Tail 4,621 5,710
Bowling - Seam 11,936 (30) 12,192 (30)
Bowling - Spin 13,008 (20) 14,049 (20)
Fielding/Keeping 14,314 15,835
Overall 208,096 221,807

Penn CCC won by 4 wickets

Another significant defeat despite better ratings.

[spark]

Ruff Royals won by 3 wickets

Ruff Royals South Hill Slammers
Batting - Top Order 7,827 6,912
Batting - Middle Order 5,521 5,529
Batting - Tail 3,628 4,862
Bowling - Seam 7,294 (12) 7,597 (16)
Bowling - Spin 7,812 (8) 8,275 (4)
Fielding/Keeping 9,599 9,983
Overall 130,584 132,968

A very close game and we perhaps got a little lucky. The bowling wasn't great and meant we had to reach 164 to win on an uneven pitch. Marwat was great for his 57 from 38 balls. Foot was the big surprise with 42 from 29 balls. Reynolds smashed his first ball for 6 to win the game for us with 3 balls to spare.

We're still just clinging on to topspot.

[wolfberries]

wolfberries Knight Watchmen
Batting - Top Order 7,526 6,779
Batting - Middle Order 4,762 5,255
Batting - Tail 3,523 4,164
Bowling - Seam 5,083 (12) 7,207 (12)
Bowling - Spin 6,368 (8) 6,158 (8)
Fielding/Keeping 9,585 7,713
Overall 116,462 117,707

Result: Knight Watchmen won by 42 runs

Another hammering today, our bowlers just weren't good enough to restrict our opponents, and our batsmen were never going to chase 185 in hot and slow conditions.

[spark]

J. Westerveld (rfs) 2.3-0-23-2, F. Maxtable-Spooge 9 (4b)
End of over 18 (7 runs) - Knockout Heroes(99-10) RR 5.50

It's difficult conditions to bat in with it being a crumbling pitch but, with 3 players away on international duty, I'm happy with the bowling effort. I must heap praise on Patterson who took three wickets for 11 runs in his 4 overs and there was also a run out when he was bowling too.