A match like this only comes in one in every two or three
seasons. Tonight we needed to win this game. Basically if we lost tonight
then it showed that our winning streak was for nothing. Thanks to
Tim's last over we were able to walk past another win... or crawl past to
use a more accurate description, towards the teams 2nd ever win against this
side. The Boomers were always going to be a challenge as they were the only
team to beat us way back in Round 1. Despite the fact that we have kicked
their butts since that round I personally knew that this round was going to
be a big test to our sides ability.Blackout were sent in to bat first
which was just what we needed to set the pace. Apart from a handle of silly
wickets with the first pair they managed a come back and notched up a total
of 21. Not their best effort but good enough to build on. New comer to the
side, Darren, was sent out to bat next with yours truly. Darren was soon to
prove that he was no beginner at our game by registering a respectable 11
runs. This was hindered by a run out triggered by a bad call from me. Next
time we'd be more switched on with our calls!
Pete and Paul knew that with a tally of 40 on the board on the ninth over
we needed a solid effort to have something to defend. So with just the one
run out against their total they scored a gutsy 29 runs. The highest
partnership on the night for Blackout. So determined was Pete that when he
was annoyed with his own game he went to "punch his bat" and in
turn caused his bat to clock him above his eye. This caused a cut to appear
on his face and later swelled up. Only one of the Blackout actually saw this
moment of stupidity which was a good thing as Pete apparently looked up
immediately after he had done it to make sure no one noticed! Col didn't let
the incident escape him though!
The two "senior" members (senior in rank that is... I think)
then took to the nets and experienced the efficiency of the oppositions
fielding having 2 run outs recorded in their innings. Apart from these run
outs their stint in the crease went by without incident.
It was a feeling of a challenge approaching going through the minds of
Blackout when we took to the field for the bowling session. The challenge
was made that bit harder by some good batting that had us waiting till Rob's
over (third over) for a wicket. Their first pair were able to take out the
skin and lay down the gauntlet to us.
It was their 2nd pair that gave us hope, however, with one of them
constantly popping catches that had spectator wondering if he had been paid
to give them to me. I took 2 off these easy sitters from Dave's bowling to
help Dave's bowling figures that bit more! It was this weak link that made
us choose Troy from the Boomers to bat again.
Their third pair gave us grief with only the single wicket coming our way
and that was enough to not only let the Boomers take out the skin but put
the Blackout on the back foot along with it. Rob the courageous gathered us
around and with little doubt in his eye stated that we were still in this.
We were playing for more then just the win. We had our finals hopes on the
line as this was a dressed rehearsal.
In comes the last pair with lollipop hitter Troy being our draw card. It
was looking ordinary till the 15th over when Big Pete took to the bowling
line up. He managed to bowl them out twice and was unlucky to not have a
third wicket in that same over as a result of a missed opportunity with a
catch going begging my way in the pit. But we were forgetting about our last
bowler, Tim. Defending 85 with the Boomers on 89, Tim had the task of not
only shutting down the attack but turning it on it's head. Restricting them
to only 2 runs with three balls remaining Tim managed to get a thick bottom
edge which Pete clung on to. That fired up the team beyond belief. A dot
ball followed which was unlucky not to collect the stumps. But the team held
it's breath for the last ball. 86-85 and nothing short of a wicket would do.
In came Tim with a screamer, the ball of the season, to take out the top of
middle stump! The team all went up in the air with disbelief and celebrated
the escape from the jaws of defeat!
