Article
Heavy rain decides Cup Match outcome
Posted: 2010-08-01
Somerset 220-8
St. George’s 223
Usually when Cup Match ends in a draw the captains come under intense scrutiny in the days that follow…be it the captain of the challengers who many would argue wasn’t aggresive enough or the champions’ skipper who was seen as too overcautious and too quick to settle for a draw.
Not the case on Thursday and Friday when only the equivalent of a day’s cricket was allowed after heavy rain on both days ruined the chance of a victory at Somerset, leaving both teams and thousands of spectators to settle for a draw, the fourth consecutive deadlock and the first one influenced by the weather since 2007 at Wellington Oval..
Somerset’s performance, more specifically that of seam bowler Malachi Jones, on the second morning set the stage for an eagerly anticipated second innings as Somerset relished the prospect of scoring quickly and setting St. George’s a challenging run case with a mid-afternoon declaration. In Kwame tucker, chris Douglas, Stephen Outerbridge, Deunte Darrell, Janeiro Tucker, Jacobi Robinson and Malachi Jones, Somerset possessed plenty of fast-scoring batsmen.
But the expected exciting finish never materialised. Just after St. George’s were dismissed for 223, a lead of just three runs, and Somerset were about to start their second innings, the skies opened up and flooded the field and kept the players in the pavilion for hours before play was eventually abandoned at just before 4 p.m..
Starting their overnight score on 134-3, St. George’s were pegged back when Jones claimed three quick wickets (two in his first over and another in his second) to ensure that St. George’s did not build a big first innings lead. At 153-6 OJ Pitcher was still there but watching partners depart at a rapid rate. He was finally out at 191-7 after leading the resistence with a team high 63 from 13 fours. The St. David’s batsman, returning to the team after a two-year absence because of school commitments overseas, came to the crease at 5.35 the previous evening and finally departed 72 minutes into the second morning when he edged a Jones delivery and gave Janeiro Tucker a catch at slip. In all he batted for 191 minutes and faced 141 balls.
Jones claimed the key wickets of Jason Anderson, delyone borden, Lionel Cann and then OJ Pitcher (two lbw and two caught by Janeiro Tucker) on his watch to figures of four for 51 from 13 overs. Dwayne Leverock, who won the Safe Hands Award for his catch that ended the St. George’s innings and then announced his retirement from Cup Match, had figures of two for 52 from 15 overs, both wickets coming on the first day. Captain Jacobi Robinson supported Jones on the second day to take two for 55 off 10.5 overs.
Also contributing to the St. George’s total were openers Chris Foggo (33) and debutant captain captain Oronde Bascome (23) while colt Mishael Paynter added 28 at number three and Rodney Trott 20 in the tailend.
Another individual award also went to Somerset as teenager Deunte Darrell was voted MVP in only his second Cup Match after batting Somerset out of early trouble with his team high 72 which came off 93 balls. Malachi Jones, no doubt another contender for MVP, chipped in with an enterprising 57 which came off 44 balls and included three fours and four sixes.
Justin Pitcher, the main strike bowler for St. George’s in only his second Cup Match because of the injury to Stefan Kelly, responded with wickets in his third and fifth overs to remove openers Kwame Tucker and Chris Douglas for 11 apiece. In the end, though, Pitcher was expensive in his 12 overs, going for 75 runs for the two wickets. Rodney Trott was the main wicket-taker, finishing with three for 44 off 12 overs while OJ Pitcher had two for 26.
Draws have dominated the match in the last 10 years when there have been just four victories, two for Somerset in 2000 and 2002 and two for St. George’s in 2005, 06.
In the 40 matches played since turf wickets were introduced in 1971 there have been 26 draws and 14 victories.
Day one
St. George’s won the toss, sent Somerset to bat.
Lunch: Somerset 127-5 from 25 overs (D.Darrell 55, J.Robinson 11)
Match resumed at at 2.51 following rain delay
Somerset declared at 4.03 at 220-8 at Malachi Jones’ dismissal for 57.
St. George’s started their innings at 4.18.
Tea: St. George’s 35-0 after six overs
Close of play: St. George’s 134-3 (38 overs) (OJ Pitcher 34, J.Anderson 6).
Day 2
St. George’s dismissed at 11.26 for 223, a lead of three runs.
Rain came minutes later just prior to start of Somerset’s innings. No futher play possible.
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