Round 1 Saturday Cup - Kai Tak vs. HKU

11th March 2006 - HKU

Kai Tak 154 all out (32.1 overs)

HKU 155 for 2 (16.4 overs)

 

Round 1 of the Cup with lots to play for being defending champions, season 04/05. Good start, win the toss and bat with 10 men (9 actually, as Zerv was tardy with his punctuality) Mohs and Carl open up looking to continue the good partnership they have been beginning to form over the past few matches. Left and right combination keeps the score ticking along, keeping the Butt at bay and generally things looking good. 40 odd on the board and Carl departs playing on for 21. In steps Williams looking solid from the outset, Partnerships boys are the order of the day - keep it going. Mohs can't resist and has to break the shackles skiing one off the typically two paced HKU pitch. 2 down and Ellis arrives - plays out 5 accurate dot balls then loses his head and is knocked over. Just when we needed a skippers knock - poor effort! Nick strides in and looks straight and correct from ball one. A nice partnership develops and although the run rate is below par, we have wickets in hand at drinks. Build the platform boys for the last 10 over assault. Accurate HKU bowling sees runs hard to come by and wickets start to fall again with Chris out for a well made 30. Nick holds up his end responsibly but sees a steady stream of dismissals at the other until we are all out for not nearly enough - 154. Well done Zerv for a quick fire 15 and Nick finishing on 26.

Although knowing we didn't have enough, there is some cause for optimism having defended 170 odd on this ground during the league. One proviso - Butt Hussain has to be removed cheaply. With 10 men we march out concerned, but still optimistic. Nice tight opening over from Williams, Chris funds the leading edge of Butts bat only to see the ball drop harmlessly to ground, bang in between himself and Zerv. Although no one said it - most of us knew the luck was going to be with him today, and so it proved. Over the ensuing overs he belts poor Mohs out of the attack and then goes to work on Nick. You ended up with crap figures mate, courtesy of Hussain but apart from that one over where the wides came back, you looked ok! In between smashing several massive sixes into the tennis courts, the 'one man band' manages to run out his opening partner Sabine, and refuses singles to his other batting partners in order to hog the strike. Anyway we are soon put out of our misery just before drinks, with Chris chiming in and claiming a deserved wicket, bowling their number 3 first ball with about 20 left to get.

A very dispiriting loss, all in all. We have had luck getting Butt early during our last 2 encounters - he was due to fire against us and today was the day. In any case we let ourselves down with the batting and needed 200+ to at least put some pressure on our opponents.

One positive were our new shirts - well done Chris Williams, they look great, and are nice and cool to play in as well.

All is not lost boys, stay positive and get our heads down in the next couple of matches and we'll have our hands on the Plate!

 

Dave

 

Go the Tak!!