Bears crash to defeat to local rivals
Despite starting the match at the top of the North Group, the Bears proved that, when it comes to local derbies, form means nothing. In a match reduced by rain to 17 overs a side, they saw the Rapids run up a formidable total of 187-6 and were never really in the hunt as they slumped to 132 all out off 15.2 overs.
Hero for the Rapids was all-rounder Matthew Waite. With the ball, he took 4-29, including two in two balls to finish the Bears’ innings. Even more impressive, he smashed an unbeaten 36 off eight balls. This included a last over from George Garton that went for 34 runs – 6,6,6,6,4 and 6. The luckless Garton not only conceded 49 runs off his two overs but, when he came out to bat, tried to take a run that resulted in Bears’ top scorer Dan Mousley being run out and then was bowled for 0 by the next ball he faced.
The early evening weather was more appealing to the ducks in nearby Cannon Hill Park than to the cricketers so play started an hour late, the Rapids winning the toss and deciding to bat.
Despite losing Ed Pollock n the first over, the Rapids lived up to their name. Kashif Ali and Josh Cobb put on 56 before Moeen Ali, facing his old county for the first time, dismissed Cobb, caught at extra cover by Rob Yates. On a true pitch, overs four to 14 were all bowled by spinners, with varying results. Kashif looked to be well settled when he edged Moeen behind to be caught for 46. Then Danny Briggs struck twice, removing Adam Hose and Gareth Roderick to leave the Rapids on 98-5 after 11 overs. But Nathan Smith and Ethan Brookes batted well in adding 52 in just under five overs. Smith called for a runner after suffering a hamstring problem and then fell to a boundary catch off Dan Mousley who seems to have developed a penchant for bowling off spinning bouncers.
At 148-6 with little more than an over to go, the match was in the balance. And then came Matthew Waite’s stunning effort.
The Bears never looked to be in charge of their run chase. They lost three wickets in the first three overs of their innings – one each to Tom Taylor, Josh Cobb and, inevitably, that man Waite who induced danger man Sam Hain to play on.
Dan Mousley played some attractive strokes but Moeen, whilst giving him some support, never really got going. When Waite bowled him, his 16 runs had taken 15 balls and the required rate had risen to around 14 an over. For a couple of overs, Mousley and Chris Benjamin achieved the rate but when Benjamin skied Ethan Brookes to deep cover, it all fell apart and it was Waite who applied the finishing touches. The margin of 55 runs was a fair reflection of the gap between the teams.
Talking of gaps, the Bears can maybe take solace from the fact that they are still two points ahead of Lancashire at the top of the table with a game in hand whereas the Rapids are down in eighth place with only an outside chance of qualifying for the quarter finals. But when it comes to local bragging rights, it’s an entirely different story.
