Match 4-CWOB v The Cook Islands After their close loss to the PNG Team at Tanuma the team returned to a sunny but windswept Sano number 2 oval for their much anticipated clash against the effervescent Cook Island girls. Under skipper for the match Chelsea Moscript CWOB again batted first and as Sophia Field and True Campbell strode to the crease there was undoubtedly some quiet optimism in the CWOB camp following an improved showing in the mornings match. Sophia and True soon demonstrated that the optimism was well founded laying the foundation for a good score with a 42 run opening partnership before Sophia was run out in a selfless act for 17 very well compiled runs (strike rate 70.83) and True followed shortly thereafter for 15(SR 55.56) in an innings that included some fine stroke play and deft placement . Rachel Brown made a quick fire six and Tegan Lourens unfortunately knocked over by a beauty for one and all of a sudden within the space of a few overs the complexion of the match had changed with CWOB now 4/75. At this point Lauren McLean fresh from her player of the match performance in the morning joined Alice Johnston who had begun rebuilding the innings and these two steadied the ship with a mixture of aggression,good running between the wickets and an ability to pierce the field with some beautiful stroke play. Alice was eventually dismissed for an excellent knock of 27 off 39 balls (SR 69,23)and Lauren a quick fire 21 off 20 balls (SR 105) to take CWOBs total to 6/116 -their highest score of the tournament thus far. BUT would it be sufficient to draw their first victory on Japanese soil. Well the the way the Cookies openers went about their business despite some steady bowling from Holly Forsyth and Georgie North ,it appeared the match could be in for an early finish-both Holly and Georgie were a little unlucky not to secure early wickets but credit to the batsmen Kaukura and Matapo who knew they had to take their chances early if they were to have any hope of victory. Kaukura blasted her way to 21 off 17 balls with three boundaries and a six and Matapo a rapid fire 15 off eighteen balls with two boundaries before Georgie North despatched them both back to the pavillion and pull CWOB back into the game. At this point there was one of the best runouts you could witness in any level of cricket when Rachel Brown delivered a simply magnifiicent return from the boundary into the waiting gloves of keeper Grace Lee to dismiss the number three batsman Mangi and Borderswere playing with great confidence. However Cook Islands skipper George was not going down without a fight as she dispatched balls to all parts of the ground belting 3 boundaries on her way to 21 before the indefatigable Rachel Brown knocked her over with a beauty! However there were still more twists and turns to come as the lower order for the Cook Islands hung in there and whittled away at the target and despite wickets being taken by Alice Johnston and Chelsea Moscript the game still hung in the balance as coming into the last over the Cook Islands required 8 runs to win Who was to bowl the last over ?- skipper Moscript threw the ball to left armer True Campbell amid great tension on and off the field as CWOB supporters paced the boundary and even the umpires had been feeling the pressure with some unusual decisions as the match was coming to a dramatic conclusion! With everyone in the field on their toes,field placings checked and double checked by the skipper, the final over began! With runs taken off the early balls True then bowled some prescious dot balls showing great control under enormous pressure and with a catch secured on the fourth ball the pressure returned to the Cookies;however CWOB kept their composure and with a runout on the last ball of the innings CWOB had secure victory by 4 runs! This was a wonderful game of cricket played in great spirit and a credit to both teams. As well known sports commentator Bruce McAvaney would say this was SPECIAL!
Posted on: Fri, 09 May 2014 09:13:00 +0000
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