MORE WOE AT MORETON

01/06/03: The OLCC extended their losing streak to four matches as they lost by two wickets in a tense finish at Moreton.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, the OLCC were bowled out for 155, the highlight of which was an entertaining partnership of 55 between John Acland-Hood (49) and Charles Allan (36).

Moreton's reply was in the balance after Dayalan Doraisamy took two wickets in two balls to leave them 74-5, but a stand of 58 wrested the initiative back and despite some late scalps for the OL bowlers the home side crossed the finishing line with five balls and two wickets to spare.

The recent hot weather appeared to have had an effect on the pitch, which appeared cracked when skipper Richard Newell Price won the toss and elected to bat.

There was soon some extra bounce for Thomas, bowling down the Moreton slope, and he quickly dug one in which opener Jonny Shingles could not evade and umpire Geoff Samuels had little option but to give him out caught behind.

And Shingles was joined back in the pavilion by opening partner David Bibby an over later when he attempted his much-favoured pull shot but mistimed it up in the air to mid-wicket, where Clarke's catch gave Thomas his second wicket.

The erratic bounce of the pitch to continued to cause problems but Dayalan Doraisamy, after a watchful start to his innings, produced three glorious boundaries - an expansive cover drive followed by two booming shots back past the bowler.

Yet the pitch once again had the final say as another fine Thomas delivery reared up and caught the splice of Doraisamy's bat, giving the bowler an agonisingly easy return catch to leave the visitors on 33-3.

That became 38-4 just two overs later when Jason Thomas, after a succession of furious slashes outside off stump, was castled by a ball that kept low and made it four for namesake Thomas.

Enter Charles Allan, who had up to that point been extremely vocal in his support from the sidelines and who now needed to contribute out in the middle. He did not disappoint, taking an over to get used to the conditions before unleashing a succession of boundaries, including one six that initially looked to be a catch until the fielder spilt it over the line.

At the other end John Acland-Hood was curbing his aggressive tendency to play the 'anchor role' - "At least I think that's what he said," said Geoff Samuels - but still took the opportunity to work the ball to leg for runs.

"He's hitting the ball off his legs just like he's scooping ice cream," declared an impressed President, whose turn to bat finally came around when Allan picked out a fielder who this time made no mistake and took a good catch, completing Thomas' five-wicket haul.

It was a tense moment for Graham Carter, with the pressure on after back-to-back ducks this season, but after 14 balls he was off the mark and providing good support to Acland-Hood, who moved up a gear as he closed in on a second half-century of the season.

But it was not to be this time as, having made 49, he crashed a short ball from MacDonald straight into the waiting hands of Clarke. His disappointment, made visible by an angry thrash of the bat upon departure, was compounded when the scoreboard revealed his one-run deficiency.

At 130-6 and with 40 minutes to go until the tea interval, hopes remained high of a total somewhere near 200 but Thomas, keen to get in on the action after his earlier duck and now umpiring at the top end, set to work with his right index finger.

After some considerable thought he terminated John Crosfield's brief sojurn at the crease, and with the score on 145 he sent back Carter for seven then triggered an astonished Geoff Samuels for a duck. Young MacDonald, the recipient of all three lbw decisions, could hardly believe his luck.

Nick Wood and captain Newell Price then set about repairing some of the damage but only got as far as 155 when Wood's sweetly-timed pick-up shot over square leg only ended up in the hands of deep square leg, and the innings was over.

Early inroads into the Moreton innings were vital for the OLs, and Samuels obliged instantly by opening up with a wicket maiden, Thomas taking a straightforward catch at extra cover to send Harrison on his way.

Samuels, slowly closing in on 100 wickets for the club, clearly had his tail up and it was yet another trademark swinging delivery that ended Hessey's stubborn resistance.

The bald man's quest for more wickets ended after nine overs but Doraisamy in the meantime was proving to be an inspired selection of opening bowler, charging up the hill for what would eventually be a marathon 14-over spell.

He was unlucky not to take a wicket with his fourth ball - Gibbs slicing a drive over the slips for four - but that was the only run he conceded until the last ball of his sixth over, which Southgate dispatched for a towering six.

Undeterred, Doraisamy came back the following over to pin Gibbs lbw and the pressure continued to build until Moreton skipper Clarke crashed three sixes in five balls off Newell Price, who had come on from the top end to replace Samuels.

But by now Doraisamy was in full flow and removed danger man Clarke then produced a beauty to bowl Thomas the very next ball. With the field all in around the bat, he was unlucky to see his hat-trick ball just evade Samuels at leg slip.

The last 20 overs were reached with Moreton needing four an over for victory. Southgate continued to lead the charge while MacDonald aimed to keep the bowlers out. However Southgate was soon only able to find ones and twos rather than fours and the pressure continued to build.

MacDonald was the first to crack but Samuels, moving to his right at mid-on, spilt his attempt to clear the infield. Fortunately though MacDonald was on his way the following over with no addition to the total of 128.

It was a fine piece of fielding from Carter that left Southgate marooned as he headed to the non-striker's end, the President diving full length then returning the ball to wicket-keeper Allan, who removed the bails only to see Southgate, who by now was past his half-century, sending his junior partner back to the pavilion even though he did not appear to have left his crease.

But again the damage was not too great, as Southgate's desperate heave during Newell Price's following over ended up in the hands of Bibby at deep point, who took a fine catch while ensuring there was no chance of stepping over the boundary, to give the bowler his 200th wicket for the OLCC.

With three overs to go, Moreton were 132-7 and any of the four results appeared possible. But Taboada flashed three consecutive Shingles deliveries for four on the leg side and although he was caught by Newell Price attempting a fourth, Miles completed the job for the home side with five balls to spare.

Links: