Karori Wildcats 169/8, R Whiting 44 (60), D Nicholls 25* (8), T Buchan 22 (11)
Easts Indies 143/8, T Buchan 3-13 (4), R Whiting 2-9 (2), K Thomson 2-31 (4)
Scorching heat, Wild cats, a few Wags, and Nicholls' bat. Lots of things came together to make the game great. But this was no relaxing day in the sun.
We choose to bat, and it started pretty well. Rhys and Vaughan faced some very tight Easts bowling and made it to 34 from 5 overs. When Vaughan left for 12 (9), Alex got 9 (6), and Jamie 1 (7), we were 50/3 off 7 and the temperature was rising in the dressing room.
With a continued barrage of tight bowling, Rhys was holding the fort from one end and Kurt 8 (12) then Bobby 4 (2) tried to accelerate the rate. Bobby's departure brought Tom to the crease with the Wildcats uncomfortable at 78/5 in the 14th. Tom dropped the hammer immediately with a 6 and a few 4s, with him and Rhys taking us to 94 after 15 overs, then to 127/6 in the 18th when Easts finally broke Rhys's opening stand of 44 (60). Nando joined Tom and reached the boundary a few times to get 15 (5). In the meantime Tom had notched up a brisk 22 (11) and we were 145 with an over to go.
Having turned down an offer as pitch-hitter for the Perth Scorchers, Dan Nicholls took care of the last over, The scoresheet for those balls reads 6, 6, 6, ., 4, 2 (a total of 24), enabling the Wildcats to present a very respectable and (hopefully) defendable 169.
The Easts weren't interested in being beaten at home. But Tom Buchan had a plan of his own. With his classic unplayable left-arm swingers he struck early in the 2nd over (caught behind by a Hampshire-snatch) followed by another 2 catches in the following overs. Fantastic opening figures of 3-13 were a just reward and on a day when Tom contributed heaps with both bat and ball.
Unfortunately Easts other opener was blasting at the other end and was looking to take the game away. That was until Bobby turned the screws with excellent channels to restrict him to singles and 2s. Bobby was unlucky not to get two wickets, having created two catching chances in consecutive balls. At least four chances went down throughout the innings, so it was no vintage fielding performance. But, as a former Wildcats captain once said, 'Catches (are not necessarily required to) Win Matches'. Too true.
Kurt's well-pitched missiles tied up their middle order, until he clean bowled the Easts opener on 50. Easts needed 70 from 7 overs. Kurt then bowled their captain and exposed a very spirited lower order. With a few lusty blows, Easts reduced the deficit to 36 with 3 overs remaining, and their #5 brought up his 50 as well.
Vaughan and Rhys then delivered an incredibly miserly final three overs. Easts got 10 runs and lost three wickets, falling 27 runs short of the target in the process. The Wildcats advanced on to GasWorks parched and having earned a drink or two....
Wildcats. It's a Way of Life.
