Dubbo CYMS have recorded a nail-biting one wicket win with just two rolls to spare in a dice cricket game for the ages at Virtual Victoria Park in Dubbo.
Riding Mill skipper Andy Watson won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first on what looked to be a belter of a track at the home of cricket in Dubbo. Coming off wins against the Burrabadine XI and the highly fancied Cricket Library Podcast Invitational XI the visitors were quietly confident of making it three from three against the hosts.
Heath Larance opened the attack for Dubbo CYMS, rolling out his cunning off breaks. With just the second delivery of the match it looked like a master stroke when key batsman Scott Dickson was struck on the pads but the umpire turned down the appeal much to the relief of Riding Mill camp.
Corey Suckling followed up with a tidy over and after a fumble from Hyde behind the stumps there was a mix up with the batsman and Hyde was able to effect the run out of Dave Cox who departed for 17.
The experienced Ben O’Donnell kept things tidy in the third over with another big appeal turned down when Dickson was struck on the pads on 8. Riding Mill finished the over steadily moving to 1-37 at the completion of the over.
Veteran Paul Suckling, who has been known to struggle with the occasional calf strain had been priming himself all week for this fixture. Despite the injury cloud, he was able to produce some of his finest work removing Liam James caught behind by Hyde who moved to his left taking a smart catch. Steve Kent from Riding Mill proceeded to hit the next delivery into the virtual tennis courts adjacent to the ground registering a maximum. This seemed to bring the best out of Suckling who removed Kent next ball skying one to cow corner straight down the throat of Gavin Weekes who made no mistake. Next ball, Hyde was again in the action behind the stumps taking his second catch to remove Ali Raza without scoring. Riding Mill were now in big trouble at 4-51.
After an over of consolidation, Aly Hall launched into Gavin Weekes, hitting one ball onto the virtual croquet green and the other landing in the virtual car park. Weekes bounced back though claiming two wickets in two balls to finish the over removing danger man Dickson for 17 thanks again to some smart work behind the stumps from Hyde and followed it up with a sharp caught and bowled chance to remove Joel Marks for 0.
Hall was still at the crease and posing some real problems for the CYMS attack. CYMS skipper Ben Knaggs was unable to break the partnership, however, with the final ball of Marty Nelson’s spell he re arranged the timber and had Cam Longstaff on his way back to the virtual pavilion for 4.
The following over Marty Nelson was in the action again, this time taking a one handed catch to his right when Aly Hall flayed at a pitched up delivery from Thomas Nelson skewing the ball to gully. It was the innings of the day to that point with Hall compiling a magnificent 46 off just 17 deliveries.
Kev Frazer got Riding Mill to a competitive total with some valuable runs in the last over finishing on 28 not out off just 7 deliveries. Good judges were feeling like it was perhaps a little under par given the scores we have seen so far on tour.
It didn’t take long for the Riding Mill bowlers to strike with Thomas Nelson dismissed in the first over of the CYMS innings for 0 with Steve Kent taking a great catch behind the stumps off the bowling of Lance Mallinson who set the tone with a very tidy first over.
Again Kev Frazer would make his mark on the game getting one through the dangerous Brock Larance who departed for 9. This left club president Marty Nelson and First Grade skipper Ben Knaggs with some work to do and they resurrected the innings with a mix of power hitting and smart running between the wickets.
The pair put on 67 before we witnessed one of the more incredible overs you will ever see in a game of dice cricket. Aly Hall was brought into the attack and claimed a hat trick with his first three deliveries. Marty Nelson was first to go, attempting a big cover drive which found the edge and went through to keeper Steve Kent who made no mistake. Gavin Weekes got a top edge to the next delivery with the safe hands of Steve Kent holding on to a tough chance. Peter Hyde made his way to the crease to face the hat trick ball which Hall dropped short with Hyde not able to get his gloves out of the way as Kent moved nicely to his left to take a screamer.
There would be more drama before the completion of the over with CYMS captain Ben Knaggs dismissed playing a full blooded cut shot which Cam Longstaff was somehow able to hold onto. Hall finished the over with the incredible figures of 4-5 and CYMS were now in serious danger of letting the game slip at 6-91 with just four overs remaining.
Ali Raza compounded the problems for the home side when he trapped Barber in front in the following over. Two balls later Ben O’Donnell was run out after he was sent back by Suckling who we believe was managing his reported calf injury. CYMS had now lost 6-14 in the space of two overs and the momentum was well and truly with the visitors.
Seasoned campaigner Paul Suckling was joined at the crease by his son Corey who is not unfamiliar with batting in pressure situations. The two steadied the ship with Corey rotating the strike nicely to give his Father the strike where possible.
At 8-131 going into the final over it was anyone’s game and things got very interesting when Dave Cox bowled Corey Suckling on the first ball of the over. Suckling was eying off the virtual cenotaph in the adjacent park but chose the wrong delivery to do so.
Heath Larance kept his nerve however, finishing the game off with a towering six which crashed into the virtual scoreboard and followed this up with a boundary and one of the slowest run threes in the history of dice cricket as Paul Suckling somehow managed to make it back for a third which sealed the victory.
Riding Mill will now look re group before heading south to Wagga Wagga for their match against the Wagga Wagga Bulldogs on the weekend.
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