MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

How do You Know Your Team is Bottom of the Log?

By

www.MyPE.co.za: Quite simple really – when the talk in the media centre turns to the ‘good old days’.

Who remembers: The wooden benches at the Duckpond Pavilion, Capacity crowds for domestic competitions, Beer in sealed tins, Portable fires, Skottels, Sunshine, Slagging the fielders, Heckling the batsmen, Not having to call in sick to watch the game, Using the ring pull from beer tins to shoot the rear ends sticking out the wooden benches, Fighting to get your (normal size) bat signed, Batsmen with balls, Bowlers with fire, Fighting to get a spot to play on the field during tea and lunch, Capacity crowds?

And all that was for the long form of the game.

Then along came TV, Computers, Day night games and now Pro20 which have decimated the crowds watching the longer form of the game. We have literally run away from the slow cricket movement in preference to the shorter form of the game – what a pity.

The Warriors are presently going through the motions with the Dolphins at Axxess St Georges. Being at the bottom of the points table is certainly no way to be motivated.

The Warriors won the toss and elected to bat first, ending the day on 287 all out after 82.3 overs with the best batting figures from below middle order batsman Nicky Boje on 59 not out.

Before the end of the days play the Dolphins had faced 10 overs and left the pitch on 13 runs for the loss of two wickets.

The day’s excitement came from KR Smuts (45) who smashed a ball to Square Leg off of the bowling of Imran Tahir that poleaxed the man at Square Leg.

Also deserving mention is Imran Tahir who took six wickets for 134.

The second day saw the Dolphins place themselves solidly on the pitch and embark on a slow and steady run rate that never semmed to waver from 2.5 an over the whole day – a lot like watching paint dry as the Warriors played a safe game against safe batting.

Young Warriors quick bowler, Birch took the bulk of the Dolphins Wickets: DP Conway lbw, M Shezi lbw, I Khan lbw and had the best figures of 3 for 58 after 22 overs.

Best Dolphins batting figures were from AM Amla with 76. Amla finally went down off of the bowling of Kreusch in the 72nd over.

A hot pedestrian day came to an end after 107 runs with the Dolphins closing out on 259 for the loss of 7.

Now I know why entrance is free. Maybe we will see you to-morrow.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.