The Pacific squad rolled up at the delightful Broxbourne ground for the 'home' game against Black Rose of Highgate with everyone on time despite last minute changes in the transport arrangements due to Pete Hollman's illness.
The skipper, Jon Webley, won the toss and chose to bat on a beautiful early autumn day. Rademaker and the completely hungover Grigg opened and played some nice shots as we reached 30/0 easily enough. Then Rademaker was bowled by one that kept low when going well on 21.He was soon followed back to the hutch by Grigg, bowled after swishing wildly at the ball.
The skipper advised Sammy Purcell that they should see off the opening bowlers and promptly waltzed down the wicket and skewed a drive high to mid-on to be out for 4.
Sammy and Joe Bennett stabilized the innings and both scored impressive sixes to keep the scoreboard ticking despite some very tidy bowling by Black Rose. Joe Bennett was bowled for 13 off about 40 balls and Jon Brown was bowled for 2 soon after.
Sammy got to well composed 32 before perishing when trying to up the scoring rate (we were 94/6 after 30 overs). John Baglivi and James Smith added a few runs but James Smith was left high and dry on 9 with three overs left after both James Gleadow, suicidal attempt at a single, and Frank Baglivi, got a grubber, were both removed for second ball ducks. We were 125 all out and that looked too small on a decent pitch.
A decent tea lifted spirits and then a brief shower as the oppo started their innings livened the pitch up. John Baglivi tore in and picked up 3 for 29, including one to a smart catch by Sammy, as he bowled his overs straight through. James Gleadow supported him well, after a poor first over, and was unlucky not to get a wicket whilst keeping the scoring the down with 0 for 16 off 7 overs.
Shane Mundie replaced John and picked up an early wicket so that Black Rose were 62/4 off 20 overs at drinks and Pacific were well placed.
Braden Grigg was had inspired the team with his sledging of the oppo and fine fielding having recovered from the previous night's exertions. Frank Baglivi had demonstrated his impressive glovework by standing up to both opening bowlers.
Unfortunately the Rose's number five, Shah, decided to open up at this moment and James Smith, after three tidy overs, was despatched for 22 from one over. Shane Mundie and Jon Webley, replacing James, were relatively economic and unlucky as aerial shots fell into open space. However, Shah kept hitting sixes into the trees or the river as he scored 63 not out and steered Black Rose home to a comfortable victory by six wickets with plenty of overs to spare.
Ultimately Black Rose of Highgate deserved their victory and Pacific were left ruing a lack of depth to their batting and the failure of highly talented top three to fire. Sammy played a fine patient knock but lacked the necessary support to rebuild the innings sufficiently. The opening bowlers, especially John Baglivi, bowled really well but Black Rose only needed one player to fire and that duly happened.
Strike Bowler James Smith said "Their other good bat apart from Andre took a fancy to my bowling - went for 22 in an over and that killed the game with such a poor batting display. We should've left the top four in for forty overs cos they were terrible. Last week - 0.4 runs per over...this week 8 runs per over! thats cricket!" while Captain Jon Webley reflected sagely "Was a bit disspointing really we needed somewhere near 200 and none of the top order bar Sammy came off. There goes the 100% record!"
XI:- K Rademaker, B Grigg, J Webley*, S Purcell, J Bennett, J Brown, J Baglivi, J Smith, S Mundie, J Gleadow, & F Baglivi+.
