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Game II of Season 2009/10
Saturday 19th December 2009
Conditions: Overcast, Still & Humid
Toss: Hutt Valley (elected to bat)
Result: Hutt Valley won by 147 Runs
Man of the Match: Luke Williams
Saturday 19th December 2009
Conditions: Overcast, Still & Humid
Toss: Hutt Valley (elected to bat)
Result: Hutt Valley won by 147 Runs
Man of the Match: Luke Williams
"In the afternoon game, the result was even more one-sided. This time it was Williams that Porirua had no answers to. By the time it was their turn to bat, one could already sense Porirua's fight had left them."
As aforementioned in the match report for Game I, the 2009/10 Haywards Shield was shortened to multiple single innings games played on a single day. This game, then, was played in the afternoon of December 19th, after Game I was played in the morning. That game had resulted in a comprehensive win to the Hutt Valley. The toss went the Hutt Valley's way, who decided to bat first again. To bring the series to a third and deciding game, Porirua would need to bowl with more venom and energy - not an easy task after consuming a sumptuous feast of steak, sausages, salad, cheese and crackers and beer just a few minutes earlier. In fact, Lees still had a stubby nursed in his hand when he returned to the Rosebowl.
Bowling and fielding require athletic prowess. Batting, less-so. And whether this made a difference to the teams or not, Porirua emerged from lunch looking and performing lazily and sluggishly, while the Hutt openers looked ready begin the second course - hoping to gorge themselves on runs.
In the first bowling round of four overs alone, the Hutt scored 65 runs. Massive. 18 runs from McHugh, 21 runs from Rose, 24 runs from Spencer - only Lees provided any real economy. Williams was taking full toll of anything sent his way: you could hear the echoes of the commentary from Shane Warne Cricket: "That wasn't a bad ball, it was just a super shot!".
McHugh continued. A loud appeal for caught-behind was denied Porirua, with Shukul swearing that the ball hit the ground before edging board. Being gentlemen, Porirua were prepared to take the Hutt captain's word.
"Getting frustrated?"asked Kachwalla to Rose. The answer was swift and absolute, Kachwalla suckered into giving away an edge, to be dismissed by Rose for the second time that day in this fashion. The other Kachwalla brother almost immediately undone by Rose too, an extremely sharp chance for caught-and-bowled brought about a committed dive, but was just out of reach.
"Catches win matches", so the saying goes. Lees got Williams to sky one to fine leg, in reach of McHugh, who got to the flight of the ball and managed to wrap both hands around it, but it popped out. In fairness, the gradient of the ground was uneven, with McHugh running downhill while also looking skyward - but it was a sign of things to come.
Meanwhile, Williams continued to smash the bowlers everywhere, although at times he was living a semi-charmed kinda life. From Rose, he edged one right over the top of the backboard. A terrible misfield at long-on from Lees added to Porirua's woes. Williams decided to make hay while the sun shined, and wasted no time in making his second Haywards Shield ton, scoring with power and panache.
Spencer was going for plenty of runs, but did manage to remove Shamiz Kachwalla with a caught behind - showing he could roll with the punches and keep fighting for a wicket. Later in the over, Spencer was denied a second wicket as McHugh put down Johnson with a straightforward chance.
With all the missed chances, and the Hutt scoring so quickly, Rose was looking summarily brassed off by proceedings. Matters were not helped by McHugh dropping ANOTHER catch, this time absolutely straight down his throat. To add considerable insult to injury, Williams punished Porirua by hitting Rose for three huge sixes, the last of which resulted in the match-ball getting stuck in a tree, which in the end could not be recovered. After McHugh fumbled about in the tree for a while, the game continued with a different ball.
McHugh was brought on to redeem his three dropped catches, and try to blast out Johnson, which he did caught behind for 8. Then Lees brought the Hutt innings to an end by enticing Williams into his umpteenth attempted smash of the day, but got under this one just a little too much, and allowed Lees to run forward and collect the return catch at short extra cover, calling a loud "MINE!" to leave the other fielders in no doubt. Williams, though, had reached 132 before being undone.
Once again, the Hutt Valley had batted with aplomb, led by an accomplished batsman who converted on a good start, and ably supported by those around him. With 189 to win, Porirua were facing a similar target to last time, and were always going to be up against it. Out strode Lees and Rose to face the music.
Rose saw off Shukul Kachwalla's first over with a fair degree of assurance, and it laid the platform for Lees to score a couple of excellent boundaries from the bowling of Williams, and for Rose to hit to his favourite zone in the square/fine-leg region against Shamiz. Porirua had made a good start at 19-0.
The Hutt captain asked Johnson to concentrate on bowling full enough, and look to straighten. And in his first delivery, he laid it on like peanut butter. Lees didn't waste any time nailing his colours to the mast, looking to arrogantly smack the 4th-choice bowler right from the get-go - but Johnson hit the mark and the wickets and saw the first Porirua wicket tumble. Shakespeare's Othello had a fatal flaw - jealousy. If Lees has one, it might be hubris.
Spencer came in, and with a flourishing four hit his first runs of the day - but they would also turn out to be the last. After Rose scored a glorious, scintillating single off the bowling of Shukul Kachwalla straight back over the bowlers head, Spencer played a good defensive stroke - one which Rose called through for a run. You can guess what happened: Rose had just run out his second partner of the day; Spencer beaten to the other end by a simple piece of fielding by Shamiz. Confusion in the running-between-the-wickets is costly and unnecessary, and Rose must have found it hard to look his team-mates in the eye after being the cause for their downfall.
Rose and McHugh were again together at the crease. McHugh played out a defensive over off the bowling of Williams, but then lost his partner to one of the peculiarities of Haywards Shield. Rose edged a full-blooded pull shot into the auto-wickie board, which stuck in a gap, on the white line (which as the rules clearly state, is out).
With everyone else out, McHugh toiled on alone, trying to salvage some respectability. His previous high score was exactly 50, and he would have to more than triple that if Porirua were to send the series to a third game. He hit a big six off the bowling of Johnson which wowed the crowd, and played a couple of nice shots which earned him two's. Rose came into umpire, amid the Bronx cheers that he would probably manage to run out McHugh as well, even when not batting! Shamiz Kachwalla came in to bowl his third over, knowing that one ball could end it all. He proceeded to bowl four wides! His first legitimate ball was a chance for a wicket, skied to short extra cover - incredibly he assumed that Shukul would get there, even though Shamiz as the bowler was much closer, and could have taken a fairly regulation catch. In the end, it didn't matter a hill of beans, as the next ball brought things to an end as the ball sharply cut into McHugh, past his bat, and knocked his stumps over. It caused wild cheers in the Hutt camp, but the Porirua faithful must have vomited a little in their mouths as they realised that they had just been crushed by 147 runs. The difference between the Hutt Valley and Porirua all day was the Hutt looked to score QUICKLY. Porirua actually didn't bat much less total overs, but scored a hell of a lot less runs.
For scoring the Haywards Shield's 3rd-highest ever total, Williams clearly deserved the man-of-the-match award. Wife Nicole Williams, in the crowd, must have been tickled pink to see her man on top yet again.
Williams and Johnson returned that night to a heroes' welcome courtesy of the awaiting jubilant throngs clogging the streets of Petone and Hutt City. There, they were showered with confetti, given the keys to the city, and that night could have had their pick of any of the young ladies of Wainuiomata or Naenae. The Kachwalla brothers, however, made their way along with the whole of the Porirua team to the sacred and infamous McHugh bach in Waikanae to celebrate in their own way in neutral territory - a night of Rockband II, absinthe, reminiscing over the famous ambulance incident, and lording it over the blue-and-golds - men who now have gone two years without tasting victory on their home ground.
But you can be sure that like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Porirua will return stronger - we have seen the pendulum of dominance shift at the most unexpected times before.
Until the next time the grand old game returns to the Rosebowl, all that needs to be said is thus: Long live the Hutt Valley. Long live Porirua. Long live the Haywards Shield. Long live cricket.
Bowling and fielding require athletic prowess. Batting, less-so. And whether this made a difference to the teams or not, Porirua emerged from lunch looking and performing lazily and sluggishly, while the Hutt openers looked ready begin the second course - hoping to gorge themselves on runs.
In the first bowling round of four overs alone, the Hutt scored 65 runs. Massive. 18 runs from McHugh, 21 runs from Rose, 24 runs from Spencer - only Lees provided any real economy. Williams was taking full toll of anything sent his way: you could hear the echoes of the commentary from Shane Warne Cricket: "That wasn't a bad ball, it was just a super shot!".
McHugh continued. A loud appeal for caught-behind was denied Porirua, with Shukul swearing that the ball hit the ground before edging board. Being gentlemen, Porirua were prepared to take the Hutt captain's word.
"Getting frustrated?"asked Kachwalla to Rose. The answer was swift and absolute, Kachwalla suckered into giving away an edge, to be dismissed by Rose for the second time that day in this fashion. The other Kachwalla brother almost immediately undone by Rose too, an extremely sharp chance for caught-and-bowled brought about a committed dive, but was just out of reach.
"Catches win matches", so the saying goes. Lees got Williams to sky one to fine leg, in reach of McHugh, who got to the flight of the ball and managed to wrap both hands around it, but it popped out. In fairness, the gradient of the ground was uneven, with McHugh running downhill while also looking skyward - but it was a sign of things to come.
Meanwhile, Williams continued to smash the bowlers everywhere, although at times he was living a semi-charmed kinda life. From Rose, he edged one right over the top of the backboard. A terrible misfield at long-on from Lees added to Porirua's woes. Williams decided to make hay while the sun shined, and wasted no time in making his second Haywards Shield ton, scoring with power and panache.
Spencer was going for plenty of runs, but did manage to remove Shamiz Kachwalla with a caught behind - showing he could roll with the punches and keep fighting for a wicket. Later in the over, Spencer was denied a second wicket as McHugh put down Johnson with a straightforward chance.
With all the missed chances, and the Hutt scoring so quickly, Rose was looking summarily brassed off by proceedings. Matters were not helped by McHugh dropping ANOTHER catch, this time absolutely straight down his throat. To add considerable insult to injury, Williams punished Porirua by hitting Rose for three huge sixes, the last of which resulted in the match-ball getting stuck in a tree, which in the end could not be recovered. After McHugh fumbled about in the tree for a while, the game continued with a different ball.
McHugh was brought on to redeem his three dropped catches, and try to blast out Johnson, which he did caught behind for 8. Then Lees brought the Hutt innings to an end by enticing Williams into his umpteenth attempted smash of the day, but got under this one just a little too much, and allowed Lees to run forward and collect the return catch at short extra cover, calling a loud "MINE!" to leave the other fielders in no doubt. Williams, though, had reached 132 before being undone.
Once again, the Hutt Valley had batted with aplomb, led by an accomplished batsman who converted on a good start, and ably supported by those around him. With 189 to win, Porirua were facing a similar target to last time, and were always going to be up against it. Out strode Lees and Rose to face the music.
Rose saw off Shukul Kachwalla's first over with a fair degree of assurance, and it laid the platform for Lees to score a couple of excellent boundaries from the bowling of Williams, and for Rose to hit to his favourite zone in the square/fine-leg region against Shamiz. Porirua had made a good start at 19-0.
The Hutt captain asked Johnson to concentrate on bowling full enough, and look to straighten. And in his first delivery, he laid it on like peanut butter. Lees didn't waste any time nailing his colours to the mast, looking to arrogantly smack the 4th-choice bowler right from the get-go - but Johnson hit the mark and the wickets and saw the first Porirua wicket tumble. Shakespeare's Othello had a fatal flaw - jealousy. If Lees has one, it might be hubris.
Spencer came in, and with a flourishing four hit his first runs of the day - but they would also turn out to be the last. After Rose scored a glorious, scintillating single off the bowling of Shukul Kachwalla straight back over the bowlers head, Spencer played a good defensive stroke - one which Rose called through for a run. You can guess what happened: Rose had just run out his second partner of the day; Spencer beaten to the other end by a simple piece of fielding by Shamiz. Confusion in the running-between-the-wickets is costly and unnecessary, and Rose must have found it hard to look his team-mates in the eye after being the cause for their downfall.
Rose and McHugh were again together at the crease. McHugh played out a defensive over off the bowling of Williams, but then lost his partner to one of the peculiarities of Haywards Shield. Rose edged a full-blooded pull shot into the auto-wickie board, which stuck in a gap, on the white line (which as the rules clearly state, is out).
With everyone else out, McHugh toiled on alone, trying to salvage some respectability. His previous high score was exactly 50, and he would have to more than triple that if Porirua were to send the series to a third game. He hit a big six off the bowling of Johnson which wowed the crowd, and played a couple of nice shots which earned him two's. Rose came into umpire, amid the Bronx cheers that he would probably manage to run out McHugh as well, even when not batting! Shamiz Kachwalla came in to bowl his third over, knowing that one ball could end it all. He proceeded to bowl four wides! His first legitimate ball was a chance for a wicket, skied to short extra cover - incredibly he assumed that Shukul would get there, even though Shamiz as the bowler was much closer, and could have taken a fairly regulation catch. In the end, it didn't matter a hill of beans, as the next ball brought things to an end as the ball sharply cut into McHugh, past his bat, and knocked his stumps over. It caused wild cheers in the Hutt camp, but the Porirua faithful must have vomited a little in their mouths as they realised that they had just been crushed by 147 runs. The difference between the Hutt Valley and Porirua all day was the Hutt looked to score QUICKLY. Porirua actually didn't bat much less total overs, but scored a hell of a lot less runs.
For scoring the Haywards Shield's 3rd-highest ever total, Williams clearly deserved the man-of-the-match award. Wife Nicole Williams, in the crowd, must have been tickled pink to see her man on top yet again.
Williams and Johnson returned that night to a heroes' welcome courtesy of the awaiting jubilant throngs clogging the streets of Petone and Hutt City. There, they were showered with confetti, given the keys to the city, and that night could have had their pick of any of the young ladies of Wainuiomata or Naenae. The Kachwalla brothers, however, made their way along with the whole of the Porirua team to the sacred and infamous McHugh bach in Waikanae to celebrate in their own way in neutral territory - a night of Rockband II, absinthe, reminiscing over the famous ambulance incident, and lording it over the blue-and-golds - men who now have gone two years without tasting victory on their home ground.
But you can be sure that like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Porirua will return stronger - we have seen the pendulum of dominance shift at the most unexpected times before.
Until the next time the grand old game returns to the Rosebowl, all that needs to be said is thus: Long live the Hutt Valley. Long live Porirua. Long live the Haywards Shield. Long live cricket.
