B-Grade Muddies fall short of outright win against Punjabi

Friday December 18 2014, 1:20pm

The Astute financial B Grade Muddies took first innings points and very nearly claimed another outright win against Mulgrave Punjabi at home on the weekend.

Resuming at 1-11, Punjabi needed another 185 runs to get claim 1sts innings points.

However, their chase didn’t start well with the possessed Deep Singh, playing against his fellow countrymen in another life, ripping through the batters with three early wickets.

Punjabi were now 4 down for about 30 runs, and fearing the stare of Deep, waiting for the batters to back down in his staring competition with them.

Benny V then joined in the action picking up two more wickets of his own to have the Punnies at 6 down for 60ish runs. With both Ben and Deep on 3 wickets each, they could have each had another couple wickets with multiple catches being put down.

Nathan King and Gary Postons then took up the attack. In a somewhat controversial decision, Buckets picked up a wicket, off what the batter though was a bump ball.

However, in conferring with the square leg umpire from the Punjabi team, the umpire decided it wasn’t a bump ball and gave the batter out.

From an Astute Muddies perspective it was clearly out.

The Astute Muddies was now looking at enforcing the follow on, trying to dismiss Punjabi for less than 96.

However, with more catches going down, the hopes were dashed. Kingy was bowling really well, and dismissed two of the batters, with a Randal Smith taking a sensational diving one-handed catch at slip.

At 9 down, Punjabi somehow managed to get of the 96 run mark, avoiding the follow-on, before Dan Harris then ran out Captain Harry Singh to close the Punjabi innings on 98.

Dan Harris and the returning Logan Marsh opened the batting in the search for quick runs.

Logan started well, hitting the cover off the ball in some classic square drives.

This didn’t last too long as Logan picked the wrong line and was bowled. In his return match for the Muddies, Sam Evans then took up strike, and it was clearly evident that he hadn’t been to training this year, as he was very late on the few balls he got to face.

Dan Harris kept the strike and the runs ticking over, taking the Muddies to 1 – 31 at Tea.

Seriously looking at a a declaration, Ben V was just unsure as to whether there was enough runs on the board to defend for the remaining two sessions.

Taking on the advice of Dan Harris, saying the batting wasn’t easy, Benny V then declared, setting Punjabi a target of 131 for the outright.

The Muddies started the innings in the worst way possible, with another catch going down 1st over in, taking the wind out of the Muddies sails.

Deep continued in devastating form, finding edges, taking wickets and restricting runs.

BV was unable to support Deep this time, bowling his worst spell of the season. Brining Gary on after just his three overs, Buckets then again picked up the break through.

Deep then picked up another wicket, and then another next ball to be on a hat-trick at the start of his next over.

For the first time this season, the hat-trick chance was converted, with Deep rattling the stumps again.

The possessed Indian claiming his first hat-trick for the Muddies.

The Muddies then put the pressure on and got another run out, pushing the Punjabi team to 6 down.

Taig took up the attack, setting up the batters with loopy off-spinners, who hit cleanly down the throat of the fielders, only to see the catches put down, with one going straight through Kingy’s hands smashing straight into his nose.

With game in the balance, both sides were feeling the pressure. With a discrepancy over the number of overs left, with the Muddies believing there was only one to go, Punnie Captain Harry Singh stormed the field followed by some team members.

With tempers flaring, a few choice words were said and the umpire and Benny V had to intervene to settle things down. The Punjabi team then continued to yell abuse, which was met by the Muddies fielders.

Benny V then had to swap the field around to ease the tension.

Ben V bowled the final over of the day, with Punjabi needing 17 for the win. With a few risky shots, Punjabi scored 10 off the over, falling eight short of a second innings outright, but also with the Muddies only needing another 4 wickets to take another outright.

With a large number of catches going down this match, the Astute Muddies didn’t deserve the outright.

A much needed improvement has to happen to maintain their first position on the leader. The next game is now a one-day affair against Atherton at Morrow Park on Sunday.