WAVE TELECOM GCA BOWL FINAL 2010
GRANT THORNTON CC VS INVESTEC COLOMBIANS CC
11 SEPTEMBER 2010
KGV
(Philip Smith bowls the first ball of the Wave Telcom GCA Bowl Final to Gary Perry at the KGV on Saturday)
A damp day welcomed the teams from Grant Thornton CC and Investec Colombians when they arrived at KGV for the Wave Telecom GCA Bowl Final and the scheduled 1.00pm start.
With the rain coming in still the standing GACUS umpires, Sean Whelan and Jeremy Sharratt were forced to delay the start and seek shelter with the two teams. Eventually a 1.45pm start was agreed and, with the rain ceasing play commenced with Grant Thornton winning the toss and electing to bat. Gary Perry the Grant Thornton captain who had made that call soon regretted it as his opposite number Philip Smith sent him back to the pavilion with the third ball of the day with one that nipped back. There then followed a 72 run partnership between Simon Geall and John Fleming both cashing in on the bad balls with Fleming particularly crashing anything short to the boundary but also mixing in some solid drives. The rain then returned and forced another delay which meant that the original 40 over game was shortened to 27 overs a side. The resumption of play saw Geall fall quickly for 25 off the bowling of young Felix Rice but Fleming found a new partner in Rod Sallis as he moved to his 50 in the 14th over. The pair added 31 runs for the third wicket but there then followed two quick wickets with the introduction of James Fox to the attack as 104 for 2 became 109 for 4. Chris Parrott then came to the wicket and struck 17 off 10 balls whilst both Dave Watson and Fox each had hat-trick balls as the innings came to a slightly chaotic end. During this Adam Smith took an amazing catch out at long on palming the ball up before grabbing it at the second attempt, a feat he nearly repeated a little later with another juggling catch. Finally Grant Thornton got up to 162 all out in 26.4 overs with the final dismissal of Liam Roffey and Kane De Carteret in successive balls by Matt Watson. James Fox with 4 for 23 and Matt and Dave Watson with 2 for 17 and 2 for 35 were the standout bowlers for Investec Colombians.
Investec Colombians began their chase with Matt and Dave Watson opening and the pair added 19 in good time before Dave was bowled by Paul Finn. Matt Watson was then joined by his captain Philip Smith and they put on 71 runs with Matt Watson puncturing the fielding ring with several classy front foot drives. Conditions by now had improved a little but the wicket continued to play slow and low and batting required due care. The introduction of John Fleming who had already had a good day with the bat saw him dismiss Smith LBW with a full delivery that Smith played around. Matt Watson then moved to his 50 pushing a 2 through the onside before falling a couple of balls later holing out to Chris Parrott off Gary Perry who had recently come into the attack. Pete Carey then skied a leading edge to be caught at mid-wicket and Investec Colombians were 95 for 4 and suddenly 162 looked a long way away. Adam Cox and Alec Bailey then began a rebuilding exercise as they put on 40 runs and looked like easing their side to victory. The target now looked in reach and with wickets in hand Investec Colombians were favourites but a steady fall of wickets denied them the momentum they needed. Soon it was 135 for 6 and 139 for 8 as Kane De Carteret and Gary Perry turned the screw. Panic also set in and the chase ended with two run outs emphasising that as Grant Thornton held their nerve and closed the game out. De Carteret ended with 3 for 42 and Gary Perry recorded figures of 3 for 31 meaning his day ended better than it had begun.
So Grant Thornton win their first Wave Telecom GCA Bowl Final and will collect their trophy and medals at the Barclays Wealth Annual Awards Presentation Evening on Friday 24th September at The Farmhouse. J Fleming was adjudged the Wave Telecom Man of the Match for his 66 with the bat and 1 for 38 with ball by the umpires.
click here for scorecard
(c) GCB 2010