This Conference inspired reinstatement on an old fixture did not go to plan. A chilling wind swept over a soggy outfield as the players arrived. The toss was lost and Pacific were made to field.
Adelaide's openers made a flying start as the bowlers struggled with the run ups due to the damp (the wicket was dry). Nuggsy was dispatched from the attack after seven full tosses in an over. Hess was unlucky with an edge missed and a plum LBW appeal against Chandler not being given but did get a wicket thanks to a good catch by Mullins at deep mid-wicket. There followed a strange spell where Nuggsy returned to keep one end tight by bowling at a stodgy number 3 (eventually caught superbly low at gully by Hollman) whilst at the other end Chandler pinged sixes off the other bowlers. Chandler demonstrated great power in hitting sixteen sixes and the only chance he gave was on 120 when Nuggsy, off Aroon, dropped him at cow corner. Ellwood should have been given stumped off Gleadow. Mullins and an underused Webley, who kept the first 30 overs, claimed wickets at the end. Mullins bowled an opponent who attempted to switch hit first ball - prompting comments as to a lack of respect from our side and much ribbing of said batsmen by the oppo.
A very nice tea was slowly munched whilst watching Ngog score a screamer for Liverpool.
After Hollman hit nine off the first over Pacific's innings suffered a calamitous start. Bennett was bowled for 0. Hollman was run out by Webley attempting a second. How Hollman was out when he was in his ground when Webley joined him at the same end was a point of controversy if of theoretical benefit to the team. Webley, Richards and then Chasseaud all perished to over ambitious attempts to increase the run rate.
Tempany and Rademaker rebuilt the innings with a quick scoring 80 partnership that kept Pacific in the hunt. Rademaker looked particularly good pulling and cutting before being run out by the skip. Tempany avoided a third duck in a row with a straight six but struggled a little early on before progressing powerfully to 43. Once the skip followed Hess back to the pavilion the game was effectively over. Aroon and Mullins took advantage of aggressive fields and batted sensibly to add 72 for the ninth wicket (surprisingly not a record). Both registered bests for the club. Nuggsy's successful reverse sweep for a single in the last over prompted much mirth for both sides. Disappointingly Pacific's umpiring adopted an eye for an eye approach to decision making but the oppo did set the tone.
By James Gleadow
