Saturday Cup - Qualifying Match : Monday, 28th March 2005

Saracens v. HKCC Taverners at KCC
Result: Saracens won by 173 runs

At KCC (played 28.03.05): Saracens 273-4 (N Shroff 102) beat HKCC Taverners 100 by 173 runs

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Rescheduled Matches - Saturday, 12th March 2005

Crusaders v. HKU at HKU
Result: Washed out

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Saracens v. LSW Warriors at KCC
Result: Washed out

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Round 24 - Saturday, 5th March 2005

Tartars v. CCC at KCC
Result: Tartars won by 9 runs

At KCC: Tartars 236-5 (G Jardine 45, Afzaal Haider 95, Azam 33) beat CCC 227-3 (H Vera 121*, Ahmed Mukhtar 45) by 9 runs

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Crusaders v. Gap Rambers at PKVR
Result: Crusaders won by 6 wkt

Busy Bs Keep Cruisedarers Buzzing

Crusaders (234-4) beat Gap Ramblers (233-8) by six wickets

Professor David Arthur's Crusaders stayed on target for a top six finish with an ultimately comfortable victory over a weakened Gap Ramblers side in a game played in the old-fashioned way. In other words, with (generally) proper umpiring decisions, good humour and plenty of dropped catches.

Opening for the Gap side, Peter Winchcombe and Dili Jayasekera rolled back the years with a 100-plus stand, being particularly severe on Todd Johnsen ("Actually, Hyph, I bowled pretty well"), while big Adrian Baker proved so hard to score off at the other end that two of his six overs were maidens. Just when acceleration was the order of the day, the openers rather ran out of steam. While 275 would have proved very difficult to chase down, 233 was an altogether easier proposition, as evinced by the fact that full-time stand-in skipper Damian Kelleher felt comfortable enough to promote Hyphen to Number 3 in the Crusaders' reply.

But back to the first innings. Having been overlooked for the Sunday Cup squad despite scoring more than 1,500 runs between them this season, Kelleher and Anthony Barnet were at their meanest (if not their leanest) with the ball. Damo's combination of long hops and full tosses proved too much for the top order, which he scythed through taking 4-44 from his six overs. Lady Luck was not on Barney's side, but the voluble Australian made light of drops by Dazzler "Clavicle" Collins and Hyphen to capture 2-63 from his 10 overs.

Neither of these two came on first change, though, as that honour was reserved for fellow Antipodean Travis Pittman, with his first bowl for several years. Poetic - almost Hadleean - as the approach and action was, the end product was a mite disappointing. Providing great variation, especially in terms of line, Trav kept the batsmen in two minds in his first three overs, but as he settled into a rhythm, so did the batsmen, the predictability of the delivery being matched by the predictability of the outcome.

The Holmes and Sutcliffe of the Crusaders, Barnet and Kelleher, opened the innings once again. Once again, though, they were parted early, this time Killer falling in the first over to Wade, who finished with 3-86. After a strokeless start, the Hyphenator smacked three fours in a row off the luckless Wade, with one trademark slice over gully being sandwiched by two mistimed outside edges which went straight back past the startled bowler.

A misty-eyed Brewster replaced Hyphen at the crease and the Veteran rolled back the years with a stylish 50, keeping pace with the Barnacle. When Brewbags played across a straight one, Crusaders' answer to Fred Flintoff strode to the crease. A little over half an hour later, the match had been won with more than two overs to spare, as Beefy Baker launched an assault on the bowling that took him to 46 off just 25 balls. In the meantime, Barney just failed to celebrate his recent nomination as opposing teams favourite Crusader with another century, falling for 94.

At PKVR1: Crusaders 234-4 (A Barnet 94, R Brewster 50, A Baker 46*; A Wade 10-0-86-3) beat Gap Ramblers 233-8 (D Jayasekera 64, P Winchcomb 75; D Kelleher 6-0-44-4) by 6 wkts

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