Oh dear! A new lowest score for Grace’s on a day that will be long remembered by those present! It had all started so well.
Although it had been a bit wet, enough for some of the outfield to be brought in a little to make a short boundary at one end, our bowlers once again proved to be in good shape this season. Shofiq (1-21 off 5 overs) and Curtis (2-8 off 8 overs) started brightly. The pitch was no help to the batting side it must be said. Balls were popping up and in all honesty if their number four batsman and number six batsman had been out cheaply they themselves could have been looking at a score of under 50.
It was not the pitch that helped the first wicket however, rather a very risky run to Whitmore on the off side. It came in the fifth over, the score still on 0. Maybe that was the reason for the run, but their number two was run out for 0. Their number three then gave a catch to Whitmore at short cover who held the sharp chance off Shofiq’s bowling. Curtis bowled out his eight overs, and it was his best spell off the season. In his seventh over, the fourteenth over of the game, he teased out their other "frustrated" opener on 4, with a slow delivery which was skyed to Bielby at point. In his final over he got their number five caught at gully - another good low catch by Bielby.
Webley (45), their number four, had found his range with five 6s, but will be kicking himself for finding Whitmore in the deep square leg position off Newton-Sawyerr's first over. NS then took a catch off his own bowling to remove their number six Bird (24). Their number seven was bowled by Newton-Sawyerr. Comedy then occurred as the umpire had not actually seen the ball hit the stumps, as the batsman had stepped in front. The square leg umpire had also not seen the ball hit either. Fortunately the batsman knew he was out and walked. Curtis then ran out their number eight, before two wickets in two balls by Bielby, the first a catch at Gully by Curtis, the second a great catch behind the stumps by Stockinger, left Pacific on 113 all out. They thought they were "maybe twenty runs short", but it turned out to be plenty, as our batting line-up collapsed quicker than a deck of cards in a wind tunnel.
At one stage we were four runs on the board with seven wickets down. I have honestly never played in a game like it. Yes, the pitch was not very helpful - as proven by only three of their batsmen scoring more than 6 runs. But some of our dismissals were bad.
Several records were broken. Our lowest ever score; six people out without scoring; only 14 scoring shorts off the bat between eleven players. Stockinger (0) caught behind chasing a wide one (Gleadow’s only bad delivery - 3-13 off 8 overs). Henderson (1) caught short cover on a rising delivery. Mendis (1) bowled by Atkin (4-7 off 8 overs, with 7 maidens). Whitmore (0) ran out off his own call. Reed (0) bowled first ball. Fitzharris (0) caught at point. Curtis (0) caught short cover trying to play defensive to one that popped. Bielby and Shofiq did stay in. Bielby (3) eventually trapped LBW. Shofiq however hit 28 off 31 deliveries. Two 4s and Two 6s and he made it look easy. But he needed runs quickly and was caught at deep long on, quickly followed by Fawaz (0) bowled.
It was embarrassing, but sometimes these things happen. Oh well!