Pirates of the St Lawrence versus The Mad Dogs of Connecticut
Sunday 27 July 2008

(From The Mad Dogs’ Archives)

The need to make an early exit for the long drive home meant Sunday’s clash was a 20-overs-a-side affair. Skippers Harrison and Bell agreed the Dogs would bat first. With the order (almost) reversed, Bush and Allen opened, Bush blocking the first over before stuffing Allen on a non-existent attempt to retain the strike – Allen was run out without facing a ball.

Bush slogged a couple of leg-side 4s before trying to hit another, missing and being bowled for 10 off 19 balls by O’Driscoll. Kimberley then lost his off bail to an arm ball from left-arm spinner Loubser (0, 3 balls). Farricker lofted a catch to mid-on (4, 9 balls) and Harrison drove a high catch to long off that held up in the wind to be caught near the boundary (1, 4 balls). This left the Dogs on 38 for 5 after 8 overs, but, of course, with the frontline batting still to come.
Kojima and Moore added 34 in the next 5 overs, batting steadily, before Moore slapped a return catch to leg-spinner Bell (11, 11 balls, 1 x 4). Howden top-edged his first ball out to square leg to be caught by Fitzpatrick for 0. Then, on the hattrick delivery, Knight lunged forward, was beaten by a pearler from Bell, and Horne whipped the bails off, only for the square leg umpire to call ‘not out’. Knight admitted quietly that he was out.

Knight then started smashing the bowling around to all parts, particularly straight and to midwicket. He was ably supported by Kojima, who played a few big hits of his own, as 49 runs were added in the next 6 overs. Kojima was eventually caught off a lofted drive for a very useful 34 (31 balls, 1 x 6, 3 x 4). Knight fell a few runs later, bowled on the drive for 46 (22 balls, 3 x 6, 5 x 4) by medium pacer Bullivant.

Blomfield then emulated Howden by banging a catch off his first ball, before Allen was allowed to return at #12 (the hosts were batting 12). Steady Eddie Palmer struck a couple of 4s in the final over to end with 10 not out (12 balls, 2 x 4), with Allen 3 not out (7 balls). The final score was 144 for 10 off 20 overs.
In response, Horne and Bell added a quick-fire 36 for the first wicket, feeding off Bush while Knight kept it tight at the other end. Knight opened his spell with a maiden, before taking the wicket of Bell, who chipped a catch to Moore at mid-on on 11.

Howden and Moore then bowled economical spells. Howden bowled Horne with a beauty, and Moore rammed a quicker arm-ball through Loubser’s defenses.

With the Pirates’ early order now gone and the score 54 for 3 off 12 overs, Harrison rang the bowling changes. Kimberley took a wicket when Fitzpatrick was caught in multiple minds and eventually decided to miss the ball. Kojima took a lobbed return catch from Hogg, and then bowled O’Driscoll for a duck with a nice delivery. Farricker was brought into the attack, taking his third career wicket when Bullivant’s long innings at #3 ended with a high catch to long off, held by Kojima.
Allen was given a bowl, his first ever in adult cricket, but had much trouble hitting the cut strip in an over of 13 wides and 2 no balls that, bizarrely, included the wicket of Milot, who managed to slice a double bouncing wide to Howden at point. As time was advancing, and the target was being whittled away, an injury was called and the over was finished by the steadier, more accurate Farricker (not words written very often).

Harrison ended the Pirates’ innings by bowling Sanger and Parker with straight balls. The final total was 118 for 10 off 20 overs, leaving the Dogs winners by 26 runs.

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus The Mad Dogs of Connecticut
The Candy Fields, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Sunday 27 July 2008
Match type: Twenty20
Weather conditions: Hot and breezy
Toss won by: Negotiated
Result: Mad Dogs won by 26 runs

1st Innings The Mad Dogs of Connecticut

Bush b O’Driscoll 10
Allen run out (Milot) 0
Farricker c (not identified) b O’Driscoll 4
Kimberley b Loubser 0
Kojima c (not identified) b Bullivant 34
Harrison (c) c O’Driscoll b Parker 1
Moore c&b Bell 11
Howden ct Fitzpatrick b Bell 0
Knight b Bullivant 46
Palmer (wk) not out 10
Blomfield c (not identified) b O’Driscoll 0
Allen not out 3

Extras 25 (Byes 2, Leg byes 2, No balls 0, Wides 21)
Total 144 for 10 in 20 overs

FoW (1-5 Allen, 2-16 Bush, 3-19 Kimberley, 4-22 Farricker, 5-38 Harrison, 6-72 Moore, 7-72 Howden, 8-121 Kojima, 9-125 Knight, 10-127 Blomfield)

Bowling Figures:

Amrit Sanger 3 overs, 0 wickets, 29 runs, Econ. 9.67, SR –
Darren Bullivant 2 overs, 2 wickets, 14 runs, Econ. 7.00, SR 6.00
Tony O’Driscoll 3 overs, 3 wickets, 10 runs, Econ. 3.33, SR 6.00
Shaun Loubser 3 overs, 1 wicket, 21 runs, Econ. 7, SR 18.00
Anton Parker 2 overs, 1 wicket, 10 runs, Econ. 5.00, SR 12.00
Adrian Fitzpatrick 3 overs, 0 wickets, 35 runs, Econ. 11.67, SR –
Angus Bell 3 overs, 2 wickets, 16 runs, Econ. 5.33, SR 9.00
James Hogg 1 over, 0 wickets, 5 runs, Econ. 5.00, SR –

2nd Innings Pirates of the St Lawrence

Richard Horne (wk) b Howden 18 (1×4)
Angus Bell (c) ct Moore b Knight 11
Darren Bullivant c Kojima b Farricker 19 (2×4)
Shaun Loubser b Moore 5
James Hogg c & b Kojima 3
Adrian Fitzpatrick b Kimberley 9 (1×4)
Tony O’Driscoll b Kojima 4
Thiery Milot c Howden b Allen 8 (1×4)
Amrit Sanger b Harrison 6
Robert Savage not out 1
Anton Parker b Harrison 2

Extras 30 (Byes 3, Leg byes 1, No balls 5, Wides 21)
Total 118 for 10 in 20 overs

FoW (1-36 Bell, 2-40 Horne, 3-53 Loubser, 4-65 Hogg, 5-75 Fitzpatrick, 6-82 O’Driscoll, 7-83 Bullivant, 8-106 Milot, 9-116 Sanger, 10-118 Parker)