The 2nd ICC 2006 OD VB Series: Draft fixtures released...
- Thread starter Hamish
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Hamish
Club Cricketer
zub2005 said:
Sorry, I forgot all about it. Match reports back by popular demand!
Lancashire clinches low-scoring match after Asif heroics...
Lancashire and Warwickshire sprung everyone a surprise, their enthusiasm leading to a match that was played before it was even to be scheduled. Lancashire, reigning champions, were due to play Liecestershire, but Liecestershire have not been in contact with the world in the past week or so, for some unknown reason.
The curator had almost no time to get the pitch ready, as the two teams stormed in without any notice, and had to wait for the match officials to come to ground from the pub, the officials slightly stressed at not knowing about today's proceedings.
The pitch looked like an absolute nightmare, and Lancashire had to bat first (We never found out who actually won the toss). The place was set alight, mainly by Pakistani international Mohammad Asif, who had R Lee lbw for a golden duck on his 1st delivery of the match, then the next ball, he bowled Roberston to claim a chance at a hattrick, unfortunately not getting it. Asif verified that he is a freak of nature, unless Darrell Hair was right about the ball tampering.
Khan then bowled opening batsman, Mudie, for 7. Asif struck twice, yet again, bowling Griffith for 1 with an inswinger, and inducing an edge Bannister to Flintoff for just 12. Thornton and Davies plugged the flow of wickets with some sensible batting, Thornton not afraid to punish the bad balls, as he raced to 50. Davies played a slightly quiet innings, but scored an important 46, before Flintoff had him spooning to Asif at the boundary.
Thornton played to 76, witnessing the rest of the side collapse, and he finally was bowled by Shahid Afridi. Warwickshire were bowled out for 191 in 42.5 overs, but commentator Dean Jones assured us that it must be a par score on such a "terrorist" pitch.
Lancashire made a better looking start, but Opening batsman Scargill just could not get bat to ball, as he struggled to maintain a strike rate over 50, while his partner, Darren Lehmann, couldn't care less, as he scored at a run a ball.
It was the Indian youngster, Piyush Chawla, who bamboozled Scargill (19 off 43) to have him stumped, and claim the 1st wicket. Then Cockburn sizzled, bowling Afridi for 8 off 15 balls, then Beauchamp for 2, then took the prize wicket of Lehmann (50 off 49), when he attempted a cheeky but risky reverse paddle-sweep. Flintoff steadied the ship by taking the slog out of his repertoire temporarily, and he was aided by contributions from the lower order.
Flintoff scored 30, along with Martin (24) to add some respectability, before Ismail claimed both in succession, putting the match back on a knife's edge. Mudie (25no off 50balls) and Sales (20 off 45) risked increasing the required runrate and boring the crowd to inch Warwickshire closer. Thornton then struck Sales on the back pad for an lbw, and Savage did the same to new batsman at the crease, Khan (2), but Mudie steered Lancashire to victory with 2 wickets in hand and 1 over left.
Picture: A common sight, not only in domestic games but in Test matches as well, Asif celebrating a wicket, and he did it alot in this match. (Sorry, can't find any Lancashire pics of Asif)
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