Kai Tak Vs SCC Vampires

Saturday 03rd February Kai Tak took on the SCC Vampires in what would turn out to be one of the harder games this season due to several changes in the Tak lineup. A beautiful sunny day and the venue PKVR 2, not one of the Taks favourite grounds.

New boy Darren Farr was given the new ball along with Scott Parker and both hit thier marks from ball one. Farr was very unlucky not to pick up a wicket with some very good length bowling, meanwhile Parker got into the act at the other end with 2 wickets in two balls removing batsmen 2 and 3. A change saw Symington bowl 4 overs and Odendaal 5 with the latter bagging a wicket caught at deep long on by Patidar. At the drinks break the Vampires were placed on 72 for 3 and the Tak had a lot of work to do. A quick chat followed whereby it was thought that we could get these guys out for a score of around 140 if we did things right. Farr and Odendaal continued after the break with no success taking the score to around 110 for 3 at the 23 over mark. Then it all started happening, Patidar and Ellis combined to put the brakes on in a big way. In the remaining 12 overs all seven wickets fell for only 50 runs, Ellis picking up 4 wickets and Patidar 3. Dirk Grobler took 2 fine catches in the deep, Farr took a catch along with Patidar, Fitzhardinge a classic stumping, an LBW and an Ellis caught and bowled.

We had restricted the Vampires to 162 all out and a very gettable target. Hawke was given the task of opening with Fitzhardinge and both seemed very comfortable but that wasn't to last with both being dismissed for 11 and 4 respectively. The Captains experiment was now put into action. Odendaal was given the chance to bat at 4 with Patidar and the orders were to be positive but play out as many overs as you can. The batting order needed beefing up and any overs used up seeing out the 2 opening bowlers, who were very good it has to be said, would be of enormous benefit to the rest of the lineup. Well it worked a treat, but sadly at the other end was where all the action was happening. Patidar out LBW for 15, Ellis bowled first ball , Bester caught superbly in the slips for 6 and now at drinks the Tak were in dangerous territory sitting at 85 for 5 with a hell of a lot to do.

After drinks Odendaal continued batting well dispatching the odd ball over the fence for the maximum and it was right after seeing off some 15 overs of the opening pair that he fell bowled 3rd ball of the first change bowler for a fantastic and much needed 30 runs. Neil Keating meanwhile at the other end in his first outing for the Tak was setting his stall and with Symington in tow kept scoring runs at a good pace, in Keatings case some thunderous fours and deft singles. The target was getting closer with a nervous Tak looking on from the boundary. Then unfortunately Symington was out and Farr replaced him. 2 new boys at the crease and 33 runs to get with the Tak on 130 for 7. Was it going to be one of those days? Absolutely not with Keating and Farr exceeding expectations with clever singles and not one risk taken. It was a fantastic stand, Farr getting in on the act with a lovely straight six to reduce the deficit to only 2 runs, and deservedly allowing Keating to smack the winning 4 first ball of the 31st over, Farr ending up on 12 not out and Keating a superb 54 not out, which is amazing as it was his first ever fifty in his life, what a time to do it!!

This also serves as a reminder for the Gap Rambler game at the HKCC on the 3rd March and the HUGE game on the 10th March against league leaders LSW Warriors.Emails concerning these games will be out soon. Priorities for selection will be based on firstly availability obviously and secondly performance and games played.