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From a coach’s mental eyrie… Unfolding of a real drama… Under-13 Div. 1 Semi-final 28 Feb. 2010
Result: Preston all out 130 (40 overs) defeated Bundoora O.P. 7/128 (41 overs)
The BOPs were 2-122 in the 37th over, chasing 131 to win. 9 runs to get off about 27 balls with 8 wickets standing – it looked as if we were gone! However, the Bullants had not finished. Here is the story of the last 8 overs:
Overs
| Score
| So, at the end of the over…
| Comments
| 34 overs
| 2/107
| 24 off 7 overs
| Still in it… The bowling was the best it’s been, with the fewest number of no-balls (6) so far this year, though we also bowled 7 wides. The fielding, despite a couple of dropped catches, had been good, with a magnificent diving catch by Christian Fontana earlier at backward square leg!
| 35 overs
| 2/109
| 22 off 6 overs
| A bit of pressure, but BOPs still in the box seat…
| 36 overs
| 2/115
| 16 off 5 overs
| A good over for the BOPs. Still have 8 wickets. Looks like we’re gone… I know, you never give up, but come on! This is ridiculous!
| 37 overs
| 3/122
| 9 off 4 overs
| Yes, a wicket, which leads to a lot of excitement amongst our players, but another good over for the BOPs. Coach thinking: ‘Surely there’s no way we can pull this one off! Ah well, no more training, last match… Hmm… Be positive! They’ve had a really good season!
| 38 overs
| 5/124
| 7 off 3 overs
| Their last two good batsmen are out, both caught – little Samin takes a gem at mid-wicket around his knees from a firmly struck shot. The players are so excited. They are fighting back and full of energy. However, still 3 overs, not 2… The fact that we didn’t bat out the overs, thereby conceding an extra over to the opposition is now probably going to hurt us. In the coach’s mind, sighs and swear words congeal in a mish-mash of frustration, anxiety and disappointment, but still there is now more than a glimmer of hope. The players are hanging in there.
Our only chance is to stop the singles. If they try to hit over the top, the ‘ring’ field will probably take a catch or two. Some specatators are wondering what is going on: ‘Why aren’t there fielders on the boundary saving the fours?’ ‘Well, it’s all or nothing now’, replies the coach silently in his lonely little world at square leg.
| 39 overs
| 6/125
| 6 off 2 overs
| Another wicket. Only one run scored. The quality of the batting is going down. 6 runs off 2 overs. Still the opposition should do it. The field still needs to be in, as we can’t give them ones and twos. We have to take a chance. If they want to hit over the top… go for it!
| 40 overs
| 6/126
| 5 off 1 over
| Only one run off the penultimate over.They need 5 runs off the last over. Not easy. We have to have the field up. Shouts and less strident suggestions from the other side of the boundary to bring on different bowlers, including Hasaga, who’d bowled accurately earlier. However, we were morally limited to 4 overs per bowler, as that is what the opposition coach and I had agreed on before the match. So, who has bowled well recently? Who can bowl full? The name ‘Sophia’ came to mind immediately. She bowled just outside off, she bowled full, she bowled a superb first five balls, conceding only 1 run. Off the last ball They needed 4. They had a really tall boy, who looked as if he could hit the ball a country mile. We put all the fielders back on the boundary. If the BOPs scored 130 exactly, we would go through, as we finished on top in the home-and-away season; so they needed 3. Sophia bowled full, the batsman couldn’t get any height on it – the ground was slow and under water in parts, so it was very difficult to score a four. They scored a single.
| 41 overs
| 7/128
| BOPS 2 runs short.
| We won by 2 runs. Rather like the Titanic, which was cruising… then it hit the iceberg!
A ‘titanic’ effort by our Under 13 team.
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Thank you to Ross Abedi and Ben Ryan for coming down. Thank you to Ross for giving us a fine piece of advice about the ‘ring’ field. Thank you to Jon Hyde for a ‘short’ address to the players after the match.
Article written by
Marshall (a proud coach)
p.s. The Grand Final will be played on Monday 8th March at Zwar Park, beginning at 10 a.m. It will be played against Holy Trinity (coached by John Shannon.) We shall be training on Wednesday 3rd March at 5 at Zwar Park. Programme:
Batting
| Keeping the ball on the ground.
| Bowling
| Target bowling, inc. not bowling short
| Fielding
| Stations – Catching, Throwing
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If any senior players can make it, I would appreciate it. If one or two of you could coach the batting and bowling, then run a fielding drill… ------------------------------- OUR JUNIORS MAKE US PROUD!! Junior co-ordinitor extraordinaire - Michael Harold - has some urgent news he would like to share with us: "The U11s are playing at Donath No 6 this Monday (01/03/10), which is just over the road from the main ground (not being used). There will be free snags and drinks for the kids at Keon Park rooms after match. Our U13s have finished on top in Division One and will be playing at Zwar Park this Sunday (28/02/10) from 10am. It would be great to get some support from the club during the day, as we are trying to organise food and beverages. Also Isaac Field (bowling) and Micah Worthington (batting) have won the competition average trophy. A great year by Marshall and the U13s. Our U15 team has finished 2nd and will play at Alphington Park (merged team with Northcote United)." Wish wish Michael all the best as the season reaches its climax and if anyone has some from time over the coming week, please lend a hand by calling Michael on 0438 947 823. Junior Bullants Update 07 September 2009 Our latest newsletter is now available: Download NOW! (PDF 100Kb)
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