One Tonne Dream 152/8, D Nicholls 3-37, P Fernando 2-20, B Cameron 2-17
Karori Wildcats 153/6, D Nicholls 49 (29), W Herbert 47 (23)
Always keen to entertain their growing fan-base, the Wildcats used all their tricks to turn this game into a thriller.
Winning the toss the Cats elected to bowl. Although Nando knew that Sukhin was unwell and not a starter, he hadn't bargained on Rupert's public-transport-related woes. We took the field with 9 players. Happily One Tonne Dream's opener was bowled middle stump from a Nando delivery at the start of the third. The very next ball his colleague also fell in a carbon copy dismissal. (As an aside it's fairly difficult to set a attacking field for Hattrick ball with only nine players).
The One Tonne Dream then mounted something of a comeback and had a large partnership that took them through to 109 runs at the end of the twelfth. Will bowled a very tight four overs during this patch and allowed the cats to stay in touch and not let OTD get away. This partnership was broken up by Dan Nicholls effecting a LBW. Ben Cameron then did a bit of the damage at the other end with his ornate array of spin bowling. Dan picked up two further wickets in the following over, and the OTD innings was shattered. Dan, Ben, and Tom Buchan put the cramps on at the tail end of the OTD innings and they finally mustered a reasonable, but not amazing, 152 for 8.
Teddy Westside and Tim got the cats off to a brisk start. Tim was unluckily dismissed in over 2 when he barrelled one down the ground. It looked to be going for six but he was unfortunate to have it caught by the only deep fielder. Dan and Tom then batted together for the next 6 overs and scored at a very brisk rate, getting us to 66 after 8.5. Dan applied his usual method and ice hockey hand-eye coordination and plundered 4 fours and a 2 sixes. When Tom was dismissed the Cats dropped the hammer and found another gear with Will playing elegantly to score at over 200%, with 6 fours and a six.
The Wildcats looked to be cruising to victory at 120 after 13.2 when Dan was caught the 49 on the boundary. $h1t then got real. Ring-in Ben Cameron stepped to the crease, but alas this lead to a tragic and staggering running mixup, which saw Will depart for 47 and bring Nando to the crease. Nando was struck in the pads several times and then Ben was caught on the boundary, which brought Crofty into the mix. Nando etched out a very scratchy 5 from 10 before being bowled. When asked later on he confirmed that the sky did look nice and blue while his middle stump fell.
This dismissal brought together Tom Buchan and Crofty, our last recognised batsmen, who needed to get 16 runs off the last three overs. With healthy style, immense skill, and cool heads, Croft and Buchan knocked off the runs with more than an over to spare. It was classic performance, featuring all the ups and downs that the Wildcats are renowned for producing.
Two wins from two sees the Cats sitting atop the table. #ItsAWayOfLife
PS. As Neil, Tom, and Dan were walking back to the car, there was a woman who had collapsed at the nearby bus stop. Neil's wife Lara (a doctor) got the call up and may have saved her life. It may also have just been a rolled ankle, but an ambulance had been called and she had been put in the recovery position. A strong WAG performance on debut.
