Bashers Social Sixes Lumberjack, 2 March

Bashers Social Sixes 98 vs Hot Dogs 50

Bat 1: Shitshoes (19) & Hollywood (22) – 41 runs
Bat 2: Long Dong (13) & Satchel (20) – 33 runs
Bat 3: Swoop (10) & Sick Note (14) – 24 runs

The last afternoon of the regular indoor season saw the Bashers arrive in time, even early enough for Sick Note to wander down from the bar drinking a pint. Shitshoes won the toss and chose to bat first, and opened up with Hollywood. The runs came with easily, and the partnership clocked over 40, with only a good catch and a runout keeping the runs down. Then the real star of the match, Satchel, came in to bat with Long Dong. Satchel danced down the wicket, like his almost-namesake, and dispatched the bowling to the back net effortlessly. Swoop and Sick Note batted out the final partnership, and put together a solid effort that threatened to push the total over 100, but a couple of runouts at the end meant the final Bashers score was 98.

Bowl 1: Satchel (1/8 off 1 over), Swoop (2/11 off 2), & Sick Note (0/14 off 1) – 33 runs
Bowl 2: Hollywood (1/3 off 1), Satchel (1/4 off 1), Sick Note (3/-4 off 1), & Shitshoes (4/-9 off 1) – -6 runs
Bowl 3: Long Dong (3/3 off 2), Shitshoes (1/6 off 1), & Hollywood (0/14 off 1) – 23 runs

Satchel led the way in the field, getting a run out off his own bowling in the first over. Swoop managed to sneak the ball through the Hot Dogs drive to claim a fine bowled. The Hot Dogs were still in the match at the end of the first partnership, but the game turned in the second partnership. Satchel led the way with two direct hits in close succession, before Sick Note claimed three wickets in his over! Shitshoes then pulled one out of the bag by taking 4 wickets – three with the help of Hollywood behind the stumps (two catches and a stumping) and also taking a sharp return catch – on his way to a 5-fer. The Hot Dogs fought back in the final partnership but never got close as Long Dong came up with his best bowling effort of the season to claim three wickets, and give the Bashers a 48 run win in the first match.

MVP – Shitshoes

Bashers Social Sixes 90 vs Hot Dogs 74

Bat 1: Shitshoes (9) & Hollywood (37) – 46 runs
Bat 2: Long Dong (14) & Satchel (23) – 37 runs
Bat 3: Swoop (3) & Sick Note (4) – 7 runs

It was a repeat matchup in the second game, and Hollywood dominated the first partnership, with the top Bashers score of the season so far of 37. The position of short mid-on was in such constant danger that Shitshoes moved across and ran on the off-side of the pitch. Satchel continued to impress with the bat, as he put on another solid partnership with Long Dong. However, the wheels came off in the Swoop – Sick Note partnership. Swoop was bowled off the first ball, then runout a few balls later. When Sick Note was caught off consecutive deliveries, the panic set in and the batsmen tried to survive rather than score. Still altogether the Bashers put on 90, which was still a solid effort.

Bowl 1: Long Dong (0/9 off 1), Shitshoes (1/6 off 1), Swoop (0/9 off 1), & Sick Note (1/3 off 1) – 27 runs
Bowl 2: Satchel (1/4 off 1), Hollywood (3/2 off 2), & Swoop (0/9 off 1) – 15 runs
Bowl 3: Satchel (1/3 off 1), Sick Note (1/4 off 1), Shitshoes (0/7 off 1), & Long Dong (0/18 off 1) – 32 runs

The bowling was good, but the fielding was lackluster (with the exception of Satchel). It could be argued that Long Dong fielded well, but only off his own bowling, while numerous miss-fields and dropped catches boosted the Hot Dogs scoring rate. Hollywood proved to be the difference – picking up three wickets during the second partnership, and keeping the runs down. The Hot Dogs had a good final partnership, but ended up 12 runs short.

MVP – Hollywood

All in all a good end to the regular season, that cemented the Bashers Social Sixes in the top spot in the league table and set us up for a semi-final against the NCA Academy next Sunday.