Lynn McConnell
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Champions Cup: Central Districts v Western Australia at Perth, 3 Apr 2001 Lynn McConnell |
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Central Districts innings:
Western Australia innings: Pre-game: |
The Western Warriors took a 108 run win, when wrapping up the CD innings in 32.2overs for 149 runs.
The end came quickly once the Warriors removed the top order and broke through captain Jacob Oram's defences.
After being blasted over wide long on for six runs and cover driven for four in the same over by Oram, Nicholson slipped a yorker through the tall New Zealanders defences to bowl him for 25 scored off 27 balls.
That left New Zealand 95/5 in the 22nd over and still 162 runs behind the Western Warriors and on the brink of a disappointing defeat.
Earlier, another significant blow was struck when opening batsman Jamie How hit out in Stuart Karppinen's last over only to be caught at deep mid off for 39 scored off 73 balls.
The last pair of recognised batsmen Mark Douglas and Glen Sulzberger added 22 runs before a poor run out saw Douglas depart for 13 when the score was 117/6.
Sulzberger hit the ball behind the wicket, set off for the run then turned back while Douglas realised too late the run wasn't on and when sent back he was well short of his ground.
Greg Todd had the misfortune to be undone by a poor leg before wicket decision awarded by umpire Bob Parry to spin bowler Marcus North bowling wide on the crease and around the wicket. He was out for one and CD were in more strife on 124/7.
There was no doubt about North's next wicket, Sulzberger out to a fine catch at wide mid off by Simon Katich for 20 off 21 balls and CD in all manner of strife at 131/8.
Some hard-hitting by the lower order narrowed the gap but that was all. Ewen Thompson revealed some lively technique while Andrew Schwass had time to hit a six before an attempted paddle to square leg caught the toe of his bat and lobbed straight up in the air to be taken by wicket-keeper Ryan Campbell.
The end came quickly when Brent Hefford couldn't put a full toss from Marcus Hogg past Murray Goodwin at mid off.
At the 15-over stage, CD were 58/3 with Jamie How 32 not out and Jacob Oram still to score.
CD got on the right side of the run rate in the first 10 overs but lost wickets in the process.
David Kelly was first to go when dragging a ball from fast man Brad Williams onto his wickets when he was five and the total 11.
Fellow opener Jamie How's elevation to the opening position continued apace as he handled the situation with aplomb not normally associated with a 21-year-old.
An early cover drive seemed to give him confidence while later in his innings he handled the pace of Williams when glancing him neatly for four runs and then responding later in the same over with an on driven boundary which took him to 22.
Craig Spearman played an all too typical innings when in a sequence of four balls faced, he hit Stuart Karppinen for two high over cover then off drove him for four.
Then changing ends to face Brad Williams he pulled him for four and then straight drove for two before he was then bowled by a yorker for 13 runs scored off 13 balls. That left CD 35/2.
How took more control and on 47 Ben Smith, who injured a hand while fielding and spent most of the Warriors innings in the dressing room, hit a wide ball to cover where Brad Hogg held the chance.
The 50 came up in the 13th over.
But old fashioned accuracy backed by good fielding restricted the Warriors to a solid diet of singles, and only one boundary was hit in the last 10 overs and that was a lucky glance to fine leg in the last over.
Symptomatic of the Warriors' problems in getting the ball away was the inability of international Justin Langer to take control of the innings. He was out for 60 off 63 balls, but was largely restricted to taking singles before being caught in the deep.
With five wickets in hand and five overs remaining, the Warriors could score on 22 runs.
It was an impressive bowling display and while the runs are on the board, CD gave themselves every chance of winning the game.
Peter Worthington scored a first up half century for the Warriors after surviving an early leg before wicket shout and was later given the benefit of the doubt with a very close call with a run out when it seemed he had his bat on the crease line as the bails were out of their grooves.
However, it wasn't too costly for CD as in the next over he was caught in the deep, at wide long on, by substitute fieldsman Gareth West from Glen Sulzberger's bowling for 54 scored off 63 balls.
It was a timely wicket as he and Justin Langer had added 95 runs in a fine fourth wicket stand which carried the side past 200 with 10 overs still remaining.
CD off spinner Glen Sulzberger had the batsmen in trouble and was unlucky not to pick up two leg before wicket decisions.
Langer worked hard throughout his innings using placement to great effect. When he scored his 50, off 52 balls, his innings included only three fours to that stage.
However, in the next over, he lost former Zimbabwe international Murray Goodwin when the batsman stepped outside off stump in an effort to lift a ball from Jacob Oram over wide mid on but he simply hit the ball to Sulzberger who made no mistake with the catch. Goodwin scored 10 and departed with the score 230/5.
Sulzberger finished with two for 38 from nine overs while Andrew Schwass again proved his wicket-taking ability, even if at cost, by taking two for 55.
It was a strong position especially with Australian international Justin Langer having just arrived at the crease to join new cap Peter Worthington.
Worthington was 12 not out and Langer eight not out.
Earlier, Brad Hogg was finally out at a stage when the Western Warriors were looking to up the scoring rate. He attempted to pull medium-fast bowler Andrew Schwass over square leg but the ball was a little slower than he bargained for and he skied a high ball to mid wicket where Craig Spearman went back to take the catch.
Hogg was out for 29 at which time the score was 89/2.
Meanwhile, North continued to prosper and he was especially severe on 18-year-old Greg Todd who couldn't find the right length under the conditions. His first ball whistled over mid wicket for six runs, and next ball North took a single to post his half century off 75 balls. He hit four fours and a six in the 50.
Todd's first over went for 14 runs.
Jacob Oram's medium pace bowling again proved highly effective in containing the Western Australian scoring. Using his height to good effect he conceded only 15 runs in his first six over spell.
When he finished he introduced off spinner Glen Sulzberger and he again maintained the pressure and in his third over struck a big blow when bowling North around his legs.
North attempted a sweep shot but failed to connect and with the ball turning he was unable to avoid being bowled and was out for 56 scored from 80 balls and Western Australia were 112/3.
Sulzberger's first three overs were outstanding as he had one wicket for three runs.
Marcus North was 32 not out and Brad Hogg was 14 not out.
Western Warriors won the toss and batted first in good conditions at the WACA ground. It is the last round robin game of the tournament with the final to be played tomorrow. CD needed to win today's game to qualify for the final.
Brent Hefford struck a good early blow for CD when having Ryan Campbell caught by second slip Jamie How for four runs.
Marcus North was in good early touch for the Warriors and was especially able to take advantage of the left-arm medium fast bowling of CD's Ewen Thompson and one lovely extra cover drive to the boundary highlighted the early part of his innings.
Brad Hogg was lucky to make his ground attempting a quick run from Hefford's bowling in the 10th over. He played the ball a few metres to his leg side and Hefford chased after the ball and flicked a backhand throw at the bowler's end stumps and Hogg had to dive for the line. The ball missed the stumps but Hogg would have been out of his ground.
Hogg was very much the silent partner during the early stages as North was the more attacking of the pair.
CD captain Jacob Oram was into the attack after 10 overs and relished the chance to put his 6ft 7in frame into his bowling and he managed to use the bounce to good effect to keep the batsmen alert to problems he could cause.
Perth's weather is again glorious and Western Warriors captain Justin Langer did the right thing by winning the toss and deciding to bat first on a pitch being used for the second day in succession.
CD must win the game to entertain any thoughts of making the final tomorrow, probably against Western Warriors.
The teams are: Western Australia: R J Campbell, G B Hogg, M J North, *JL Langer, MW Goodwin, SM Katich, ME Hussey, PC Worthington, MJ Nicholson, SJ Karppinen, BA Williams.
Central Districts: DP Kelly, JMH How, CM Spearman, BF Smith, *JDP Oram, +MW Douglas, GP Sulzberger, GR Todd, AM Schwass, EP Thompson, BE Hefford.
© CricInfo
Date-stamped : 04 Apr2001 - 06:25