Karori Wildcats 198/7, A Hampshire 58 (30), H Cameron 46 (29)
The Lads XI 116/9 (17), D Rood 3-19, W Herbert 2-13
Some say revenge is a dish a best served cold. This one was served pretty warm and a bit windy.
The Lads decided they'd like some Wildcats batting as their first course. Hamo and Tomo headed out and sliced several through mid-wicket and covers. Tom brought his trade mark scoop to the party and nearly hit a square-leg six. He was then plum in front attempting a re-heat of the shot.
Will and Hamo mixed it up for the next 7 overs, layering on nine 4s and three 6s to take us to 87 after 8 overs. When Will's quick-fire 39 (19) ended, Alex arrived to plate up the main course. Alex got off the mark quickly and Hamo continued his flourishing strokeplay until getting caught one boundary from his 50. Crofty's 13 (10) came to a flaming finish with The Lads' best feilding effort, a direct-hit run out aiming at one stump. Tom Buchan had a brief takeaway innings and Danny joined Alex in the kitchen with us on 148 after 16. Alex then turned on the 6-gas burner to flare 25 runs (with three straight 6s) off the 17th over.
The last three overs were blurry like a 2am kebab: Alex was caught for a game-high 58 (30), Danny made 13 (12), Nando 12* (8), and Fairless notched-up another not-out with 1* (1). A team total of 198 was excellent, although oddly reminiscent of last match against the Lads.
The second course was a fry-up, with the Lads openers dispatching Nando down the ground and over square-leg in the first couple of overs. At the other end Fairless whipped it across them with tight lines and built early pressure. Tom Buchan made the first cut into The Lads' loin in the fifth over, his three dot balls inducing a big shot straight up - and Alex called it running in from near the mid-wicket boundary to make the catch in the middle of the pitch. Tom rightly didn't want a piece of it.
Two balls later Danny surprised the Lads captain (and previous centurion) with a bouncer, that he hooked to Tom West, to leave his innings well undercooked. Tom judged it on the mid-wicket boundary just perfectly. Buchan and Danny knew the recipe for success and delivered 6 overs with the right consistency. Danny snaffled another couple, and the Lads were floundering at 79/4 from 10 (plus one retired hurt).
The Wildcats then ordered up two spells as deadly as a pufferfish. Will operating from the city end bowled three overs for 13 and got two edges caught behind. And Crofty from the Fortress Memorial end used his offspin as bait to buy his first wicket for 10 runs, and then bowled a guy in the next over. The Lads were down to their last batsman with 106/8.
The dessert course was a classic, creme brulee of course, with a Fairless over providing the custardy base and Rupert the caramel on top. The match finished fittingly in the 17th, with Rupert firing one to crack open the stumps... what a sound!
Overall, it was one of the more enjoyable all-round team performances of the season, a cricketing degustation. Further enjoyment for the tasebuds followed, and the Pickle Jar preserved the Wildcats banter until the early evening.
Wildcats. It's a Way of Life.
