Pacific put their faltering start to the season behind them with a comprehensive win over local rivals Washington. A fine fielding performance backed-up an impressive bowling effort - restricting Washington to 132 in this 40 over encounter. When the South African opening pair of Shaun Cochrane and Guy Wiehahn took them halfway to their total without loss - victory was assured – and Pacific eased home with 4 overs and 6 wickets to spare.
Washington 132 All Out (39.4 overs) D Gluckman 31, L Yates 3-28, N Wilkinson 2-23, D Gratton 2-27
Pacific 133-4 (36 overs) G Wiehahn 52, S Cochrane 37, J Gurney 2-26
Home skipper Pete Demetri opted for a 40 over format to ensure a result between these two long-standing Islington rivals. Opting to bat first – Demetri himself was the first Washington batsman to miss judge the pitch – lobbing an easy return catch to his rival skipper Nigel Wilkinson in the third over. With a damp pitch and windy overcast conditions – wides were for some time the main source of runs as Wilkinson and Darryl Roberts gave little else away.
It was Roberts who made the next breakthrough – comprehensively bowling Dave Walker. He then combined with Wilkinson – claiming a brilliant one-handed catch at short fine let to send an unlucky Matt Cragoe back to the pavilion for a patient 13.
When Steve Brown was trapped in front by Doug Gratton with one that kept low – Washington needed something special from danger man Paul Irons and experienced Dave Gluckman. They started to put together a useful stand in contrasting styles – Irons punishing anything short with ferocious cut shots. However he lacked the patience to take a look at spinner Leon Yates and spooned an easy catch to cover in the compact Ozzie’s first over – departing for 20. Irishman John Roche tried to take the attack to the spinner – smashing a couple of boundaries before being well held at mid-wicket by Mike Alexander for 11.
Richard Minion and Justin Gurney have often provided valuable runs in these fixtures over the years – but this time each was to fall cheaply – Minion to a beautiful googly from Gratton and Gurney to the economical Alexander. Throughout this carnage – only Dave Gluckman played the type of sensible innings the situation demanded. Picking off any loose balls and otherwise providing a stout defence – the veteran eventually became Yates’ third victim as time dictated he tried to hit out – his well crafted 31 had held the Washington innings together. With Terry Tidey falling to Miles Picknett’s left arm spin in the final over – a total of 132 meant that an early breakthrough was vital for Washington to have any chance.
South African duo of Guy Wiehahn and Shaun Cochrane ensured that the impressive Minion and Tidey did not get the wicket they wanted. Cochrane was the more aggressive of the pair – pulling and cutting anything short – while Wiehahn was crafting an impressive innings of his own – relying on the front foot and placement to keep the score ticking over.
They had taken Pacific halfway to their target before Paul Irons benefited from one that kept low to bowl Cochrane for 37. Miles Picknett joined Wiehahn to ensure that there was no dramatic collapse – calmly adding 35 together before he hit a return catch to Aussie leg spinner Gurney. With Craig Jones falling to Gurney for a duck – the lack of a recognised fifth bowler meant that Washington skipper Demetri was forced to turn to his own occasional leg spin and the rarely used off breaks of Matt Cragoe to complete the bowling at that crucial time.
Wiehahn completed the only fifty of the match before falling for 52 with the winning post in sight - to a well taken one-handed catch by Minion off Cragoe. However burley wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Marshall tucked into the generous bowling being served up to smash an unbeaten 15 to see Pacific home.
“We fielded well to back up a good bowling effort – and Guy and Shaun made sure they never got back into it.†said an obviously delighted Wilkinson afterwards. “More importantly the game was played in a competitive but good spirit – which is a testament to their new skipper Pete Demetri – who I’m sure will want revenge in the reverse fixture in September!†he added
XI: Mike Alexander, Peter Hollman, Craig Jones, Tim Marshall+, Doug Gratton, Darryl Roberts, Guy Wiehahn, Nigel Wilkinson*, Leon Yates, Shaun Cochrane & Miles Picknett.
