 Fourth Grade report vs St. George
Day 1
Well you wouldn’t have read about it, certainly nobody predicted it, but it was sunny and warm. So warm in fact that a few of the players were remarking to me exactly what they where thinking if I lost the toss.
(The game gets underway with our bos read for action)
No two guesses as to what happened next……I lost the toss, for I believe the 6th time this year (out of 8), but as I have been telling the lads so far this year consistency is the key.
The Saints decided that they would have first use of what was a pretty good wicket, however the outfield was a little slower than one is used to at Killara because of the amount of rain that we have had over the past weeks.
 We set about our task well by bowling good lines and building pressure but weren’t rewarded until the 22 over when their opening batsman missed a full straight one from, lbw, to the tall offie Blake. 1-67.
(Shenal Siriwardhane opens the bowling aginst Saints)
A few overs later and the same result this time from the bowling of Ahmed. 2-80 off 31. Ahmed (3-37 off 19 with 6 maidens) and Blake (3-55 off 17 with 3 maidens) bowled superbly in the middle of the innings, tying the batsman down and occasionally taking the ever crucial wickets. In fact it should be noted that every bowler toiled away superbly in limiting the Saints to 9-263 off 80.3 overs, on what was a good batting track, with a very short boundary on one side, and a very warm day.
It would be remiss of me not to add that Sherman, (2-60 off 18) bowling the 80th and what should have been the last ball of the day, was smashed over the short boundary for a massive six. The ball has then rolled under two locked gates, anyway the umpires decided that there was still time for them to get into position for one more over (even though the ball was not in the field of play). The Saints at this stage were 8-262. So with much confusion from everyone we started the 81st over and Shenal took his first and only wicket of the match (1-55 off 12.3). Now the umpires decided it would be stumps.
 Day 2
The Saints captain declared upon getting to the ground as there was rain in the air. So the task was simple and we set about in usual fashion this season losing Mitch for 5 when the score was 10. Las (46) and Sherman (29) then took it upon themselves to resurrect the innings and put us in a good position. We lost Sherman in the 12th over when the score was 69 and then Las in the 17th when the score was 95.
(Anthony Sherman shows the short way to the boundary)
What we needed now was for Marvell and Hicks (the clubs second and not so famous overseas player) to put a partnership together, and they didn’t disappoint. They took the score to 177 when Marvell (32) was adjudged lbw. We didn’t think it was out as the ball went down to fine leg (which would suggest it was going down leg) and the batsmen were just completing the run.
Anyway Cubbage (0) then came and went, lbw, but no doubt about this he was plumb. 4-182 in the 46th. Blake joined Hicks and was starting to score smoothly until we hit the first rain interruption. 30 odd minutes was lost. The instructions to the batsmen were simple, increase the run rate without anything too stupid.
 Well Blake (16) perished as he was cleaned up by the perfect yorker just as it started to rain for the second time. This was funny because we received word from chairman of selectors ( Hickman) that there was plenty of blue sky coming our way.
(Guy Hicks during his 87)
Another 30 odd minutes later and we resumed with Hicks and Soper at the crease. Hicks soon departed for a well made 87. 7-240 still 23 runs adrift. The skipper Ahmed (11*) then joined Soper (20*) and the runs were knocked off………….or so we thought. We came off at 6.15pm, sat down, relaxed a little and then sung the song in full voice. We then found out that the scores were in fact tied, so 25 minutes later we were back on the field to score one run. It came after 6 balls with Ahmed, for the second time in the day and the game, hitting the winning run.
A special thank you to the Falk brothers and to Jim Cattlin and Paul Stephenson for helping with tea and covers in what was at times a very frustrating day. Also thanks to the Saints players for help with covers and for not leaving the ground and taking the field after we all thought the game was over.
Iqbal | 
