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Australia House - 14th September 2003
A controversial not out decision and a half-walk by the Aussies' top scorer condemned LNZCC to their second consecutive loss to Australia House at Harefield.
With the Aussies two down and the game in the balance, Kiwi skipper Shaun Perkinson turned to his kingpin left-arm spinner Richard Holden - a move that should have immediately born fruit. Holden (0-29) induced a thickish outside middle from the Aussie number four, which was duly held by Perkinson.
But, in a move that surprised none, the Aussie battler took three steps toward the pavilion before remembering his heritage and returning to the crease. The umpire, another true blue Aussie champion, declined to make an affirmative decision, leaving the batsman to destroy the Kiwi attack in his second turn at bat. It was a fine innings by the Aussie left-hander, who hit some of the bigger sixes seen this season on the way to a 75 that took the Aussies past LNZ's meagre total of 209.
Holden, Gordon Harcourt (0-29) and Philip Bartle (2-58) suffered the most, with Bartle's cries of dismay as his perfectly-decent deliveries disappeared over long-off providing much mirth. Not as much mirth, however, as his his somewhat optimistic LBW appeal from what looked, from fine-leg, to be a clear inside edge involving no pad whatsoever. Bartle turned to the umpire and demanded 'howzaaaat', followed by a rather high-pitched: 'yes, he's gone'. Neither the umpire, nor any of the Kiwi fielders, seemed to agree.
Bartle did get the last laugh though, picking up his second scalp when Holden plucked his second catch at mid-on. Steve Deane (1-30) took the only other wicket for the Kiwis - an affirmative LBW decision from an Aussie umpire that one can only assume was very out indeed. Bartle, having been moved by Perkinson out of the gully to mid-off, put down the only other chance created by the Kiwis from the first ball following his repositioning. Club statisticians, however, are debating whether the incident can in fact be considered a chance as the ball was struck straight at Bartle.
Earlier, the Kiwis had got off to a rollicking start after Perkinson took the brave move of sending out the seldom-seen-at-the-crease Deane (21) to open the innings with the more dependable Dan Lyall (40). Deane duly deposited the first ball of the match - a rank long-hop - over the mid-wicket fence for six. He was then dropped at second slip next ball before slapping two fours to end the over.
With Lyall getting into the action at the other end, the Kiwis raced to 40 from four overs before Deane was out skying a slog in the fifth. Sam Foley (22) then continued the blazing start with a brisk knock before he too slogged in the air with the score at 71.
All of the Kiwi middle order then made starts, but no more, with Peter Tippen (12), Perkinson (11), Kevin Marshall (11) and Gordon Harcourt (13) and getting out while the debutante, Dan Byrne (6) held up an end.
With the Kiwis teetering at 140/6, number nine Dave Morgan (31*) strode to the crease brandishing his new 'Internet Special' bat. Shrugging off the unhelpful comments made when he first proudly showed off his fine purchase (notably Perkinson's: 'but what do you need that for?'), Morgan set about ensuring the Kiwis at least batted out the remaining nine overs.
Ably assisted by
Bartle (5) and Holden (5*), Morgan punished the Aussies with a succession of
boundaries in the closing overs, including a magnificent 17 from the last.
Morgan's brave efforts gave the Kiwis hope, but they were never able to peg back
the Aussies and defeat came mercifully quickly. Scoreboard
LNZCC 208/9 (40 Overs) Aussie House 209/3 (33.4 Overs) AH win by 7 wickets Batting Runs Catches Stumpings
Steve Deane 21 Bowling O M R W
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