Rangitikei Truck & Diesel Saracens P2 vs WHSOB 8 March > RTD Saracens scored the lowest team total in the clubs history on Saturday when they were bowled out for just 27, chasing what was their lowest target of the season, 76, against Wanganui United Cricket Club HSOB at Victoria Park. On a pitch that looked to be in better condition than it had been for a long time, Saracens lost the toss and fielded first against a depleted Old Boys team. The Saracens bowlers and fielders gave what was probably their best performance of the season in restricting HSOB to 75 all out, in the 25th of their 40 available overs. Liam McAleese took 1 for 28 from his 7.1 overs. In his first appearance of the season Mark Transom claimed 2 for 9 from 5, Allan Pond 2 for 14 from his 5 and George Giesen, in his first match in the maroon and gold colours, 2 for 15 from 7 overs. Fielding highlights included a sharp stumping from wicketkeeper Andrew Spence and excellent all-round fielding from the whole team. Shaun Anderson gave a faultless display, cutting off every shot that came his way and Kody Edwards impressed with his lightning speed to the ball? At the innings break RTD Saracens were extremely confident they would notch up their second win in succession. However, as good as the fielding and bowling had been, the batting display proved abysmal. Things went wrong from the outset with captain Graham Marshall striking again, running out fellow opener Andrew Spence in the first over and without a run on the board. Spence hadnt faced a ball! A boundary from Marshall and 4 wides took the score through to 8 half way through the second over before 4 wickets fell in rapid succession. First Marshall was dismissed for 4 then Mark Transom 0, Kent Stembridge 0, and Kody Edwards 0. Hunterville men Steve Lewis and George Giesen added 16 for the 6th wicket before Lewis was out for another 0. Thomas Westwood followed soon after for the 6th duck of the innings and the score was 24 for 7, half way through the 6th over. The next wicket fell 1 run later when Giesen was out for 12. Allan Pond fell for 1 and it was 26 for 9 before Shaun Anderson became the 7th batsman out for a duck, off the last ball of the 8th over. Saracens had been dismissed for 27 from just 54 deliveries that included 4 wides and 2 no balls. Liam McAleese was left 0 not out, his 7th not out from 9 turns at bat this season. The match was lost by 48 runs and left the RTD Saracens team shell-shocked and humiliated. HSOBs Rah Gujral finished with the outstanding figures of 4 overs, 2 maidens, 7 wickets for 8 runs after bowling an impeccable line and length, extracting movement both in the air and off the pitch. It wasnt enough to excuse the Saracens display however. It was simply an inept batting performance, with far too little grit and determination shown and perhaps an attitude of this game is in the bag coming back to bite them! It will certainly take a huge improvement in application if RTD Saracens are to be competitive with the strong Renegades side at Centennial Park this weekend. George Giesen was awarded the District Monitor Player-of-the-Day award for his excellent bowling spell coupled with the innings top score Graham Marshall took out the Dick-of-the-Day prize for once again proving to be the worst runner-between-wickets that the game of cricket has ever seen.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 04:44:17 +0000