Southgate vs. MTSSC
May 11th 2019
MTSCC Won by 8 runs
Coming off of back to back 2’s pre-season wins, the Southgate boys were out and about early at the Post Office Sports Ground to kick off the 2019 season. Due to a passing shower during the pre-game warm up the first ball was bowled shortly after 12:30.
Winning the toss with looming clouds threatening the day, Jeremy Dangerfield decided to have a bowl on the very soft and sticky wicket. Pranay Rathod and Firooz Ahmed was the tandem that lead the charge and set the tone for the first 15 overs. Bowling excellent channels Firooz’s 9 overs on the trot for 1-32 didn’t do him justice. Ricky Uppal coming on first change did not deviate from the plan bowling a very tight line, despite a few strategic full toss’s for dots. The bowling highlight reel and arguably Southgate’s best leg spinner Ed Harvey stole the show. Ed spun webs around the MTSCC middle order with a tremendous stat line of 9 overs 3 maidens 3 wickets and 22 runs.
MTSCC however was very patient on their home ground with very selective slogs in the last 10 overs. Despite Shaun Dass and James Murray each picking up 2 wickets during the death, it didn’t do much to slow down MTSCC who finished on 184-9.
James Murray and Declan O’Leary started the second innings for the gate. James continued his immaculate form, selectively dropping them in between fielders and the occasional one towering over the boundary rope for a few maximums. With an opening partnership of over 100 Southgate appeared to be well on their way to their first win of the 2019 season. James finished on 76 falling to an ‘assisted’ LBW which was the start to an unfortunate trend.
Shaun Dass and Waqas Khan didn’t put a dent into the score card, but Scott Ellis (12) brought Southgate back in the driver seat for a few overs. When Scott fell to an LBW, Ali Lynch on this occasion appeared to be in a battle against himself putting his second ball straight to mid-off. A captains innings was required at this point and Jeremy did exactly that. Jez approached the crease and made hitting over cover look easy. However, running hard between the wickets with a heavy outfield was a task that even experience could not overcome.
Pranay was given by another ‘assisted’ wicket, a run out decision that dropped jaws in the pavilion.
The equation boiled down to 17 runs in 2 overs. Declan on strike started perfectly, pounding the medium pacer back for back to back 4’s and taking a single. The Southgate tail however couldn’t support an amazing innings by Declan O’Leary leaving him stranded on 64* and Southgate falling 8 runs short.