SEMI-FINAL
Cricketers Arms vs Randwick at Booralee 1

Saturday
We won the toss - a good one to win, since it looked like a great day for a bat. Unfortunately, Mike didn't take advantage - caught at mid on without scoring. However Angus has settled very well into the opener's role, and he and Dave pur together a very attractive partnership - 61 runs in 15 overs - before Angus was bowled for an excellent 32. Dave took his personal score to 37, but was very well caught at cover when he latched on to a full toss. This wicket was compounded by the run-out of Gerrard for 9 and the sledge-out of Tim for 4. From 1-64 we had slipped to 5-97, and could have been in real trouble. However Phil, who had watched most of the mayhem from the other end, and Jeremy got their heads down and patiently took the score beyond the 120 mark. He was caught behind for a very responsible 17 with the total on 125. John joined Jeremy, and (notwithstanding a couple of contriversies - a close lbw shout and a disputed hit-wicket call) they increased the tempo. John cracked three beautiful boundaries on his way to 14, then was yorked by the Randwick opening bowler - a fate shared by Pete a few balls later. Jacob came in stubbornly supported Jeremy in a very valuable 20 run partnership. When Jeremy was caught in the deep for 26 (again), Jaccy also tried to get on with things, but was stumped for 5. Meng was left not out, and we finished with 166 - exactly the same score we had defended against GCB. Dave's 37 was the top score - and he has clearly returned from lolly shop duties in fine touch.

The early finish to our innings gave us ten overs at Randwick on the first evening, and the opening bowlers took full advantage. Jeremy struck a big blow (psychologically as well as physically) when he comprehensively bowled Randwick's big-hitting opener for a duck. The sight of a middle stump literally snapped in half must have done wonders for the Randwick morale. It certainly helped ours. After a typically miserly first spell from Jacob, Pete came on to see if he could repeat his efforts from the last group match against the Randwick lads (5-12 for those with short memories). As it turned out, he could - and he sent the Taylor brothers packing in quick succession - one bowled, one caught behind. With the first day drawing to a close, Gerrard took up the attack and fired out the Randwick no. 3 on the very last over. So we went to the pub in a fine mood, with Randwick tottering at 4-21. A good day's work.

Sunday
The day started well, with Gerrard picking up where he left off and grabbing a wicket in the third over of the day. When Jeremy took up the attack, further controversy ensued - in an almost unique incident. He managed to knock out a batsman's middle stump, without removing the bails (which were somehow jammed in place between the two outside stumps). After checking for glue, the umpire ruled in favour of the batsman - amid many protests from the Cricketers Arms! However the game goes on, and Jeremy was to have his revenge - taking off stump and bails the second time round. The introduction of spin (Dave) saw two further wickets - including that of the Randwick skipper - and some big hitting. John effected both dismissals - a catch and a stumping. At this point Randwick were in deep trouble at 8-59, and an early mark looked to be on the cards. However Randwick showed why they had made it to the semis with some very stubborn batting from Keith Levell and B Wyner. Levell had been around all day (having survived a couple of missed chances and a big caught behind shout), and was looking very hard to shift. Wyner proved able to hit as well as block, and they frustrated the Cricketers Arms attack - adding 62 for the ninth wicket and bringing Randwick to within sight of the target. Much tension ensued, before the recall of a fired-up Pete to the bowling crease did the trick. He bowled the top-scorer Wyner for 39, then finished the match an over later by bowling the Randwick keeper. Randwick fell 41 runs short - being bowled out in the 59th over for 125 (Levell finishing not out on 30).

Bowling figures for the Cricketers were all good - Jeremy hostile as always (2-30 off 15), Gerrard even more miserly (2-20 off 15) and Dave (2-20 off 4) contributed wickets, but they were well supported by Jaccy (wicketless, but was tough to score from, with 0-21 off 8 overs), Phil (0-13 off 4) and Meng (0-6 off 2). However the real standout was Pete, taking 4-9 off 12 excellent overs. The fielding was pretty good - on a very hot couple of days - and we lifted well when Randwick took the fight up to us.

So we're into the Grand Final - a first for the club. Our opponents are the Raging Bunny Hotel - the only team we have not yet beaten...