Lapwings – Page 2

A BBL Double Header

Brief accounts of todays BBL matches and two photo galleries.

Greetings from a chilly King’s Lynn (officially the outside temperature is just into positive figures right now, which is a rarity this last week). This morning there were two Big Bash League games. The early game saw Perth Scorchers in action against Sydney Sixers and the later game saw Adelaide Strikers face Brisbane Heat.

SIXERS v SCORCHERS

The Perth Scorchers won the toss and put Sydney Sixers in. At first this move looked like working well – at the end of their four over opening Power Play the Sixers were 19-1. However, the Sixers would compensate for their slow start with a vengeance. By the end of the 10th over Sixers had recovered to 80-2. The Sydney innings was ignited by their Power Surge, which they took for overs 13 and 14 of the innings. They belted those two overs for 35 in total without losing a wicket. They topped 150 off the last ball of the 16th over. Even then Scorchers might have had a chance in the chase, but the last four overs were absolute carnage – 70 runs in total came off them. Sixers thus ended up with 220 to defend. The chief architect of their huge total was Steve Smith, who had been dropped early in his innings, scoring 121 off 64 balls. Moises Henriques scored 46 off 28 balls, and Ben Dwarshuis gave the total a final push into the stratosphere with 23 not out off seven balls at the end. The worst sufferer among the Scorchers bowlers was Andrew Tye, 4-0-62-0.

Scorchers were never in the hunt, and even a seventh wicket stand of 76 between Ashton Turner and Matthew Spoors only reduced the margin of defeat. In the end there were only 16 runs in it. Sean Abbott took 4-43.

PHOTO GALLERY ONE

I am splitting today’s gallery because it is very large…

STRIKERS v HEAT

Heat won the toss, and just as Scorchers had earlier on they opted to bowl first. In their case there was never even a moment of doubt as to just how appallingly that decision had backfired – by the end of their four over opening Power Play the Strikers were 62-0. The field dropping back did not massively slow them,, the opening stand reaching 121 in 8.5 overs before Chris Lynn fell for 47 off 20 balls. Matthew Short continued to blaze away, ultimately scoring 109 off 54 balls. Alex Ross contributed 44 not out off 19 balls, and D’Arcy Short 16* off 10 balls. Strikers had 251-5 from their 20 overs, the second highest total in the history of the BBL. Heat, batting second, under floodlights and with their opponents bowling and fielding in less hot conditions then they themselves had endured earlier fared well in normal terms, but such was the magnitude of the challenge that they never looked remotely capable of surmounting it. A collapse from 146-3 to 158-9 merely underlined the hopelessness of the position in which they had put themselves. The last pair raised that score by 37, though the target had long since become a distant dream, and midway through the 19th over the asking rate went beyond six per ball. D’Arcy Short had 4-15 from three overs of left arm wrist spin and also held two catches in the field, but it was the other Short, Matthew, who was named Player of the Match for his ton and some clever captaincy. Strikers had won by 56 runs, and moved off the bottom of the table. Heat are now in serious trouble, hitting poor form at the wrong time, and probably about to be deprived of Colin Munro due to injury – he batted well down the order today for that reason, while Strikers, for all that are firmly in the last chance saloon even after this win look better placed to grab a qualifying spot, as they are finding form at the right time of the season. It seems to me, following from afar, that too many BBL skippers who win the toss put their opponents in without thought, and today the policy resulted in two losses, both in games that realistically speaking were settled by the end of the first 20 overs.

PHOTO GALLERY TWO

This picture was taken from west of the Great Ouse – yesterday morning was a West Norfolk Autism Group committee meeting in our office space which is just west of the river.

This was my first picture of yesterday’s second walk.

These last six pictures starting with this one are from today.

BBL Update

A look at the current situation in the BBL and a photo gallery.

The 2024-5 edition of the Big Bash League is now approaching the business end. Every franchise has played at least seven of their 10 group games, with two, Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars having played eight. This post looks at the state of play in the tournament.

DOWN THE TABLE

Hobart Hurricanes obliterated Sydney Thunder earlier today in a match that I only caught the start of due to having an important meeting to attend this morning, and they now have 11 points from seven games, and barring a complete collapse in what is left of the tournament they will feature in the knockouts.

Sydney Sixers have nine points from seven games, and they too are highly likely to be involved in the knockouts.

Sydney Thunder have nine points from eight games. They lost Daniel Sams and Cameron Bancroft to freak injuries resulting from a collision in the field, and the loss of the former has left them absolutely hamstrung in the Power Surge overs. Mohammad Hasnain and George Garton, signed as replacement bowlers, have both proved not to be up to the task, and Wes Agar, who has also been tried in this phase has likewise failed. This means that although one win from their two remaining games would probably be enough their qualification has to be considered as being in jeopardy. The extent of their problems bowling wise is illustrated by todays events – they had a respectable total of 164 to defend, and Hurricanes won with 3.1 overs to spare.

Brisbane Heat have seven points from seven games. They probably need two wins from their last three to qualify, but with Max Bryant coming to the fore with the bat this season I rate their chances of achieving that above those of the Thunder even winning one more game.

Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Renegades are each on six points from seven games, a position from which two wins might be enough, but more likely they would need to win all three of their remaining games.

Melbourne Stars have six points from eight games. However, they started with five straight losses and have won their next three. If they can win their last two that might just sneak them qualification, and they would then be going into the knockouts with tremendous recent form to bolster their chances.

Adelaide Strikers have four points from seven games. They can afford no further slip ups of any sort, but not even they can be officially ruled out as yet.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

Australia Secure Border-Gavaskar Trophy

A look back at the final stages of the contest for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and a photo gallery.

Early this morning UK time, midway through the afternoon session of day three in Sydney, Australia completed a six-wicket win over India which gave them a 3-1 series victory with one match drawn, and for the first time in a decade possession of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This post looks at the developments of days two and three of the final match.

DAY TWO

Day two started well for India but in the end left them poorly placed. They secured a small first innings lead, dismissing Australia for 181. Their own second innings however was a poor show with the shining exception of Rishabh Pant. Pant, justly criticized for his two dismissals in the previous match at the MCG, played a magnificent knock on a pitch that always helped the bowlers. He scored 61 off 33 balls, hitting some gorgeous shots. In the circumstances, with wickets falling regularly it was the right way to approach things, and it was an unforgettable display. Even with these pyrotechnics India were still 141-6 at the close of day two, 145 runs ahead overall, and with Bumrah in hospital for scans on an injury.

DAY THREE AND WRAP UP

Ravindra Jadeja was out early, and the tail offered little further resistance. Cummins claimed two of the last four wickets and Boland the other two, his fifth and sixth of the innings and ninth and tenth of the match. Australia lost four wickets en route to victory, but Travis Head and Beau Webster, who had an excellent test debut, scoring 57 and 39 not out, as well as bowling 13 overs for 29 in the first Indian innings and taking 1-24 from four overs in the second, saw through such danger as there was, putting on an unbeaten 58 for the fifth wicket to take Australia over the winning line. Crucially for Australia, although he had batted Jasprit Bumrah did not bowl – their task would have been exponentially tougher had he been able to do so.

Scott Boland’s match haul of 10-76 (4-31 and 6-45) saw him named Player of the Match, while Jasprit Bumrah’s 32 wickets across the five matches saw him named Player of the Series. India came into this match still with a chance to retain the BGT, and that was almost solely due to Bumrah. Without him the only question at the SCG would likely have been whether or not the Aussies could make it 5-0. Full scorecard here.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

Australia Start Well in Sydney

A look at day one of the fifth and final test match in the Austyralia v India series and a photo gallery.

The fifth and final test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy series between Australia and India is underway in Sydney. This post looks at the events of day one.

THE PRELIMINARIES

India were captained by Jasprit Bumrah as Rohit Sharma had been ‘rested’. Prasidh Krishna was a like for like replacement for Akash Deep further down the order. For Australia Mitchell Marsh made way for Beau Webster to make his test debut. Webster is principally a batter, but does have a first-class six-for, taken earlier this season, to his name. Bumrah won the toss and elected to bat first.

INDIA UNABLE TO GET GOING

India needed to bat well, and sadly did not do so. The Australians did bowl well, especially Scott Boland. Mitchell Starc, whose fitness was uncertain coming into this match, took three wickets with his pace, but even he was second fiddle to Boland, who emerged with 4-31. Cummins had two wickets, Lyon one, and Webster on the first day of his test career was economical, sending down 13 overs for 29 runs. India mustered 185 from 72.2 overs in the end. Australia’s openers, Konstas and Khawaja, seemed to be surviving a mini-session of batting with little difficulty, much to the relief of Lyon, padded up to go in as nightwatch if needed, when karma struck. Konstas and Khawaja indulged in some time wasting to ensure there was no possibility of an extra over being sneaked in by India before stumps were drawn, words were exchanged between Konstas and some of the Indian fielders, Khawaja intervened to defuse the situation, and then the remaining delivery could finally be bowled. Karma, using Jasprit Bumrah’s arm as its agent now punished the Aussie openers – that sole remaining delivery took the edge of Khawaja’s bat and was caught by Rahul behind the stumps. Australia thus ended the day 9-1 after three overs in reply to India’s 185. If 14.4 overs seems considerably more than can be accounted for by a mere innings break you are spot on – over rates were disgracefully slow all through the day, and even if there had not been the innings break a good dozen of those 14.4 overs would have gone unbowled.

PHOTOGRAPHS

I lost some of my photographs when the memory card I had been using malfunctioned yesterday. Fortunately I have a spare, and though it has been cold, especially when the wind blows, the last couple of days have been bright and sunny, so I do still have my usual sign off…

The first seven pictures have appeared before – there were plenty of others from that day as well.

I acquired these cigarette cards a while back, but have not got them on display – I was looking through them today and photographed some on a whim.

Day Four at the MCG

A look back at fay four at the MCG and a large picture gallery.

This post looks back at the events of day four of the test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

A DAY OF UPS AND DOWNS

At one point after a great spell of bowling from Jasprit Bumrah, in the course of which he became a member of a club of one – bowlers with 200+ test wickets at under 20 a piece (among those whose careers have ended only Syd Barnes with 189 scalps at 16.43 each even has over 150 at under 20) – Australia were 91-6, 196 runs ahead. By the end of the day they were 228-9, 333 runs to the good. That margin is significant – the biggest ever successful fourth innings chase at this ground was 332-7 by England in the 1928-9 Ashes, Herbert Sutcliffe chiselling out 135, his second Ashes settling innings in two and a half years, following his 161 at the Oval in 1926 which left England with an effectively unassailable lead going into the fourth innings. However, in giving themselves this many to defend but not as yet declaring (an overnight declaration is possible), Australia may well have deprived themselves of sufficient time to dismiss India in the fourth innings – and Australia are more in need of a win than India, who as holders of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy need only to draw the series to retain it. Bumrah’s burst notwithstanding it has to be classed as Australia’s day, but it has a dog-in-the-manger feel to it with Australia not in a position to take that attitude.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

Today there was a WNAG pizza making session at Pizza Express. This was my product in its finished state.

India’s Revival

A look at the events of day three at the MCG and a mention of the miseries of Melbourne Stars. Also a huge photo gallery.

This post is largely devoted to the events of day three of the Australia v India test match at the MCG.

A BAD START

India had reached 164-5 at the end of day two, in reply to Australia’s first innings 474 (see here for more details). Pant and Jadeja had advanced that score to 191 when Pant fell to a truly awful dismissal, walking straight into very obvious trap set by Australia. That brought Nitish Kumar Reddy to the crease. The youngster is in his fourth test match and had made useful but not major batting contributions in all of the first three. With 84 still needed to avoid the follow-on things were looking grim for India, and when Jadeja departed at 221 it still looked bad for them…

THE GREAT REVIVAL

Washington Sundar now joined Reddy, and India enjoyed their best period of the match. The pair put on 127 together for the eighth wicket, in the process removing follow-on considerations from the equation. Sundar contributed exactly 50 of those, and Reddy was approaching a greater milestone. He was on 99 when Jasprit Bumrah was ninth out, but Siraj, a genuine tailender, rose to the occasion and held out for long enough for the landmark to be achieved. The weather also made its presence felt, eventually halting play a little early, with India 358-9, Reddy 105 not out. Australia lead by 116 with two days to play. Scott Boland, who knows this ground better than anyone else involved in the test match, reckons that Australia need to give themselves four sessions to get India out a second time. If they cannot do that India will go Sydney needing only a draw to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

MELBOURNE STARS MISERY

Readers of this blog may recall that the Melbourne Stars women finished WBBL10 holding the wooden spoon. The 14th edition of the men’s BBL is now well underway, and Melbourne Stars defeat at the hands of Sydney Thunder today means that they have started the tournament with five losses in a row, which even with the qualification rules being over generous almost certainly means that they will not feature beyond the league stage.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

Two Very Different BBL Matches

A look back at yesterday and today’s BBL games and a large photo gallery.

Yesterday Brisbane Heat took on Adelaide Strikers in the BBL, and today saw Melbourne Renegades face Perth Scorchers. This post looks back at both matches.

A LAST BALL THRILLER

The fortunes of war swayed hither and thither in this game, and there were periods when each side appeared to be heading for an easy win. It ended up being a day of triumph for Nathan McSweeney of the Brisbane Heat, recently dropped from the Australian test side after three matches in which he achieved basically nothing. Bashing the ball around in a T20, even one of high standard, is a rather different exercise to fronting up to Jasprit Bumrah with the new ball in his hand in a test match, and McSweeney made the most of being in a less intimidating setting. He scored 78 not out off 49 balls, backed by another former test player, Matt Renshaw, who scored 54 off 27 balls. Nevertheless, in spite of the heroics of these two, it took Brisbane Heat until the final possible ball to secure the win, and they were seven down. Strikers efforts had a touch of Rome and Avignon 700 years ago about them – Ollie Pope scored 34 and held a catch, while his namesake Lloyd took 2-17, – but even with two Popes on side simultaneously they were unable to win in the end. Scorecard here.

A GAME OF FOUR QUARTERS

After 10 overs Perth Scorchers, having lost the bat flip and been put in, were 48–4 and seemingly already beaten. They rallied to post 143-8, a total that still looked inadequate but at least wasn’t downright risible. Cooper Connolly scored 66 for the Scorchers, and Canadian international Matthew Spoors managed 29. Other than those two only extras with exactly 10 reached double figures. Tom Rogers was the pick of the bowlers, with 3-22 from his four overs.

Melbourne Renegades made a racing start to the chase, though they lost wickets along the way. Jacob Bethell and Laurie Evans seemed to have settled things with a 50 partnership, but Bethell fell to the fourth ball of the tenth over to make it 96-4, at which point drinks were taken. With a mere 48 needed from 10.2 overs Renegades should not have been in the slightest hint of trouble, but they played some brainless cricket in the second half of their innings. They were eight down and had only one over remaining when they finally sealed. Will Sutherland, a member of the ‘not even the best in the family’ club (outranked in his case by sister Annabel, whose many achievements include a test match double century against South Africa), saw the Renegades home to a not entirely well deserved win with 15 not out in the closing stages. Scorecard here.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

England Women Reassume Control in South Africa

An account of yesterday’s ODi between the South Africa and England women’s teams and a photo gallery.

At 8AM UK time yesterday morning the second One Day International in the current multi-format series between the South Africa and England women’s teams took place at Durban. This post looks back at that match.

THE SOUTH AFRICAN INNINGS

England won the toss and put South Africa in to bat. Protea skipper Laura Wolvaardt confirmed that she would have put England had she won the toss.

Kate Cross replaced Lauren Bell for England, and her metronomic accuracy proved an excellent counterpoint to the pace and fire of Lauren Filer with whom she shared the new ball. England soon had two early wickets, Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus each having their stumps rearranged by Filer. From 14-2 the proteas appeared to have launched a very effective recovery when Wolvaardt and the up-and-coming Annerie Dercksen took the total into the 70s without further loss. However now came the period that effectively settled the match. Spinners Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone tore out the middle order in an extraordinary period in which 72-2 and on the road to recovery became 76-7 and definitively doomed. Dean took four of the wickets with her off spin, including performing the hat trick (her victims for this achievement were Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk and Sinalo Jafta, none of whom would be considered not to be a front line batter), while Ecclestone, for once subordinate in destruction, nevertheless claimed the prize scalp of Wolvaardt, clean bowled for 35. Chloe Tryon did her best to save something from the wreckage, scoring an impressive 45 before Ecclestone had her caught by Tammy Beaumont. That was 127-9, and the last pair of Khaka and Hlubi boosted the total by a further eight before Hlubi was bowled by Ecclestone to end the innings. Dean had 4-45 from her full 10 overs, Ecclestone 3-27 from 7.3 overs and Filer who had added Nonkuloleko Mlaba, clean bowled, to her two opening scalps had 3-32 from six overs, all three bowled.

THE ENGLAND REPLY

To have any chance of defending such a small total South Africa needed early wickets, and the England opening pair of Tammy Beaumont, playing her 100th successive ODI, and Maia Bouchier ensured that no early wickets fell. By the end of the 10 over opening power play England were 57-0. 12 more runs came before Bouchier was dismissed, and although Beaumont and Knight followed quickly at 80 and 82, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt-Hodge took England to the brink of victory. Just seven further runs were needed when Sciver-Brunt was LBW to de Klerk. New batter Amy Jones struck her first and third balls for fours to give England victory by six wickets with 26 OVERS to spare. The ODI segment of the series is thus level at 1-1 with one more match to come. Charlie Dean was named player of the match.

PHOTOGRAPHY

My usual sign off…

New shoes bought today – so far, so good – I have done my afternoon walk in them (I bought them near the end of my morning walk).

King’s Lynn in Multiple Moods

Sharing a large quantity of photographs taken in the last two days in and around King’s Lynn.

I did two walks during the daytime yesterday, visited my sister and nephew for supper in the evening. I have also done a very long walk this morning, taking full advantage of weather that was genuinely pleasant by December standards – it started to rain lightly near the end of the walk, but I got over two hours worth of dry weather before the rain came.

These excursions provided me with a very large photo gallery – once I had finished the editing process there were 150 pictures there. As well as pretty much all the regular bird sightings I managed to get pictures of a dunnock and a common sandpiper (the latter was near the mouth of the Nar this morning).

This afternoon has been unyieldingly grim, and this being December even at 4PM the such daylight as there was is already beginning to fade.

Enjoy a bumper gallery (and don’t forget to click to view pictures at larger size)…

Dog in the Manger at the Melbourne Derby

A look back at the Melbourne derby in the Big Bash League, and a bumper crop of photos.

This morning UK time saw the Melbourne Derby in the Big Bash League. The Renegades were already eliminated from the tournament, while Stars knew that if they won both their remaining matches they would progress to the final. It was also Aaron Finch’s final game as a professional cricketer, since that worthy had decided that a Melbourne derby was a fitter stage for his last bow than an entirely meaningless game in Sydney, which is where Renegades’ campaign will finish.

THE STARS INNINGS

Stars never really got going at any stage, with only Glenn Maxwell, 20 off 10 balls, ever looking truly in command. Beau Webster took 34 balls to score 29, which is never acceptable in a T20, Hilton Cartwright was less unimpressive, but 38 off 30 is no great shakes in T20. Opening batter Thomas Rogers managed 23 off 17. Kane Richardson (right arm fast) managed 2-17, Akeal Hosein (left arm orthodox spin) 2-18. Stars had managed 137-8, which looked inadequate.

THE RENEGADES RESPONSE

Aaron Finch ended a long and distinguished professional career with a highlu unimpressive duck, but Shaun Marsh, another oldster, and Jake Fraser-McGurk had an excellent stand for the second wicket. They were still together at the halfway stage, and had moved their side into control. They took the Power Surge for overs 11 and 12, the earliest point at which it can be taken, with a view to killing the game there and then. Those two overs yielded 19 runs but also three wickets, those of Fraser-McGurk, Jordan Cox and Will Sutherland. However, they were well ahead of the required rate, and after Sutherland was out the experienced Jonathan Wells joined Shaun Marsh, and these two veterans never looked in any hint of trouble, as Renegades coasted home with six wickets and 2.4 overs to spare. This means that Stars are no longer in control of their own destiny – if Adelaide Strikers win their final group match they will qualify and Stars will be eliminated.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off. Today was by January standards quite pleasant – dry, and the odd hint of sun poking through, and yielded a bumper crop of photos, including a grey heron, a large group of lapwings, cormorants in two very different locations, starlings, blackbirds and five squirrels (they were close enough together that there are two pictures featuring all five)…

	Thomas on World T20 Cup Underway
	Anna on World T20 Cup Underway
	London Underground t… on Project Piccadilly
	Thomas on All Time XIs – Detective…
	Anna on All Time XIs – Detective…