Match report for rebels cricket club

A Season Opener Shocker

Winning the toss turned out to be the highlight of Rebels new season day opener. Marty calling right, the boys padding up, chompin’ at the bit with the chance to stick it up the Ghandi School League Winners from last year.

The “tui’s” Robbie and Baldy strode to the middle confident they could hand out a batting lesson to the GMIS. The youthful, skillful Ghandi boys drawing first blood in the 5^th over, Baldy (13) run out by a direct hit. The next over producing the play of the day. Robbie (9) driving at a well-directed outswinger, snicking it low and hard to first slip. The Ghandi guy taking a superb grab ankle high. Rebels reeling. Marty looked good, one Buster Douglas type upper cut and a couple of text book drives heartening the Rebels fans who’d made the early morning drive to Karawaci. Suresh’s (0) stay in the middle terminated early by a yorker and Rebels were 3 for 30 off not a lot. Yogi joined Marty and they took Rebs to the first drinks’ break without further loss.

The drinks break full with conservations about Evan and how if he doesn’t turn up soon we’ll be short. Early after the restart Marty (26) slashed at a short one only to see it snapped up at gully. Big, bad Bruce walked on the centre stage. Yogi doing a sterling job holding up his end, Bruce punishing anything short or off line. From 4 for 40 Bruce and Yogi looked capable of building a decent total.

It all went pear-shaped with one of those most controversial of all decisions an LBW. Home team umpires had almost taken this most dastardly of dismissals out of the local game but neutral umpires, nah that’s a whole new can of worms. Bruce (34) failing to make contact with “the bat God gave him” and adjudged OUT. The spray from Bruce over the decision could turn into a tidal wave of suspension in the weeks to come – time will tell. Bruce’s main mistake: twiggin’ his calf muscle when turning for a second, rendering himself unable to open the bowling.

Rebels now well and truly in trouble, one short on the team sheet, and the top 5 run getters all out with just 90 on the score board. Yogi (13) the 6^th wicket to fall. Amar (3) clipped one to short midwicket, 7 down. Kookie (1) cleaned up by a straight one and Rebels were 120 with just one wicket left and 7 overs to go. Pito and Kapil only able to get Rebels to 133 in the 30^th over.

Not a great total but maybe defendable – so the Rebels think tank thought. Amar opening up with venom, producing some nasty bounce from a deteriorating Karawaci track. Unfortunately for Rebs the bounce only produced byes not wickets. One of the Ghandi openers too good, the other too lucky. Pito carted early and GMIS were skipping along at 10 an over. In what was a lackluster bowling and fielding performance Robbie produced the highlight with the unveiling of his much talked about out swinger. A true gem that just missed getting a wicket not once but twice. The Ghandi openers riding their luck, many airborne shots passing or falling just short of hungry Rebs fielders. The one chance that did carry to hand, spilled.

In the 15^th over the pain ended. Ghandi 134 for 0. Rebels defeated by 10 wickets.