Bashers Pleasure vs Dynamite Devils-May 20 2012-Bashers came second-Just!

Firstly, a huge apology for such a late match report-no excuses, except when we lose I have less motivation to record the details of the day.

Anyway, as I remember nothing happened on the bus of note and we got to the ground in good time charged up and ready to go under cloud covered skies. Mal’s buzz cut still looked good and Sinbad failed to show, giving Mal’s Ozzie sound producer mate his first Bashers Cap. I think Tiny and Long Dong played a very funny prank by telling us that it was raining at the ground and that all hell would break loose as we crossed over to the “Dark Side”.

The Korean lost the toss and we were inserted in to bat. He went in with Omega and they scratched around in a fairly undistinguished way against a tight attack of medium pace seam bowling and were soon facing a modicum of scoreboard pressure. After they went, Growler and A Trois got to work and moved things along well. Growler had a big crowd of supporters and rose to the occasion, delighting us with some well executed straight drives and a couple of cover drives proving his ability to rely on a repertoire of strokes to compile his innings. At the other end, pinch-hitter A Trois showed us that if your hand-eye co-ordination is good enough, it does not matter how obviously you signal the leg-side hoik if the ball ends up in the nullah each time over the boundary fence. His 69 not out was a terrific knock and with Growler also going well, a big score threatened.

There followed a mini collapse against the “spin bowlers”. Bugs is claiming Growler’s wicket as he pointed out to the others that he had watched the guy in the nets who got him out first ball and that he was “pretty ordinary”. Tank came in late and struck a magnificent 20 including 2 classic sixes. Both balls (pies) were directed in to the baseball ark of which Tank is so fond and as is increasingly the case, his execution was picture perfect.

Our final score left Dynamite chasing 188 for victory. With a strong bowling line-up, morale was high in the Bashers camp as Bugs and Swoop took the new ball. They both kept it tight with Bugs achieving an early breakthrough to keep the game even and Swoop leg cutting, off cutting and dibbly-dobblying with cunning abandon.

Our left-handed nemesis from last season then starting opening up as we continued to feed him full length balls on middle stump or shorter balls on middle and leg. He has 2 shots. One is the pull off his legs and the other is forward defense. He plays them both extremely well and he was ably supported by the junior cast members as they raced along in pursuit of the total. It was all over with plenty of balls in hand and we did at least get our man finally-run out! His average against Bashers Pleasure is currently 195.

Tiny and Growler both looked pretty solid, Long Dong was evergreen and spin demon Badabing promoted to number one spinner in the absence of Sinbad, finally got someone to hold on to a catch, his seventh opportunity of the season at last being held. Tank looked super-quick and relatively on target and all in all, the Korean must be salivating at the opportunity the bowling unit offers in the second half of the campaign.