Round 11 of the Margaret River Big Bash T20 competition had a few rained off days that were postponed but they were all replayed and the fixtures are back on track.
The ladder had turned into a traffic jam with four teams vying for the last two positions in the finals.
The Bush Choox and Madness are securely in the finals action but the other two positions are up for grabs.
GAME 42
Tuesday’s clash was between front runners Bush Choox and the hot and cold Finbats outfit.
The Choox went into bat first and went about posting a moderate power play total of 2/39 In the first five overs.
No wickets were lost In the second term as Sebby 26 runs from 15 balls and young Cody 25 from 21 retired and helped the total reach 2/85 at half time.
The third term was their most productive as 52 runs went into the scorebook with Scooter making 28 from 20 ball to be the third retiree.
Another 39 runs came the Choox way in the last in an even batting performance that ended on 6/176.
Gareth and Telstra both picked up 2/15, Harps 1/13 and George 1/9.
Needing 8.81 runs per over the Finbats were just a little behind the run rate at quarter time with 1/40.
Harps made a slow 23 from 31 balls and Nobbsy retired in 17 balls with 28 runs.
Gibbon's 26 from 13 balls helped the score push up to 2/84 by half time and the Finbats were just 4 runs behind their target.
Holmsey in his return match belted 27 from 11 balls and the Bats were now ahead of the run rate at 3/4 time with 2/138.
Needing 38 from 30 balls with 8 wickets in hand and 3 retirees the game was there for the Finbats.
It came down to the last over of the game and they needed 8 runs.
CJ got the job to bowl and only conceded 4 runs bowling 3 dot balls to the Finbats captain to win the match.
The total ended up on 7/175, a 1 run loss.. Bevo returned 1/7 from 2 overs, Jake 1/12, Jackson 1/14 and Muzza 1/6 in a great bowling performance.
GAME 43
The Big Show and Willow Warriors have a long history and tonight they both needed a win.
Big Show went out first to set a target.
Brouny opened the innings for the first time this season and retired with 27 against his name in 24 balls.
The Big Show were 0/32 at quarter time but then the second term was huge.
Brooksey and Pizey came together and went about putting things back in their favor with Pizey retiring in just 7 balls with 29 runs including three 6s and two 4s.
Brooksey retired in 13 balls with 26 runs.
The two of them in a 12 ball period took 43 runs from the bowling of Payne and Cambo.
Another 45 came in the third term and 46 in the final term with Beaver making 28 from 19 balls.
The Warriors gave up 37 sundries which helped the total reach 4/187.
Cam picked up two wickets but had 31 runs come from his 2 overs.
Oscar’s 1/10 the best of a poor bowling display.
The Warriors needed to score at 9.36 to pull this one off.
With 1/39 on the board at quarter time the Warriors were already 7 runs behind the run rate required.
Payne took 22 balls to rack up 26 runs as the total at half time reached 2/82.
Starting the 3rd term 12 runs behind Tomak gave them hope with a quick 30 from 12 balls.
But the Big Show kept on the squeeze as the run rate dropped under 8 at 3/4 time as the total limped to 5/117, now 23 behind where they needed to be.
The final term was slow, only 29 runs from 30 balls and the Warriors took a 41
run loss with 7/146 after 20 overs.
Pizey in a man of the match display took 2/5 in two overs and old mate Stewie 2/12.
GAME 41
This game was supposed to be played on Monday but was rescheduled for Thursday due to the long weekend.
Mad Man Bezza won the toss and elected to bat first against the Sons of Pitches.
Father and Son opening combination of the Graham's didn't set the world on fire with 0/23 in the power play but it was entertaining.
The second term netted 41 runs as Morro took 19 balls to make 26 runs retired and Rhyno swung at 18 balls, hitting 8 of them and made 17 in his finest hour with the bat in hand.
With a run rate of 6.4 at half time and a total of 3/64, Sons of Pitches had done a good job in the first half.
The Mad Men went to work with 49 run off the next 30 balls as Breaky made 21 in 8 balls.
The run rate was 7.55 and the Sons of Pitches boys were still doing a good job.
The final 30 balls saw 70 runs made, God retired with a strike rate of 275 making 33 from 12 balls including a 9 run net, one 6 and two 4s.
Captain Bezza hit a quick-fire 26 retired from 12 as the total raced to 4/182.
Sons of Pitches captain Nolan was tidy with 1/9 and Balls also picked a tidy figures with 1/15.
Sons of Pitches shot out of the gates with 1/53 in their best power play of the season with Alan making 25 from 20 balls and there were 20 sundries in the first 5 overs.
Only 27 runs were added in the second term and 25 in the third term as SOP started to collapse with 6/106 at 3/4 time.
Drake went about putting a workman like innings together with 18 not out from 16 balls and Jacob 13 not out in 12 balls to help the total reach 7/142.
Pommy Pete put in a phenomenal performance with the ball talking 3/4 in 2 over.
Morro was also tidy with 1/6.
GAME 44
Friday night’s clash was between the Master Batters and the Bashers. MB batted first and put 3/44 on the board in the power play with the welcome return of Joycey to the line-up with 22 from 11 balls.
Barnsey helped himself to his 6th 20-plus score in a row with 24 from 18 balls as the total reached 5/81 at half time.
The Bashers put the skids on in the 3rd term restricting the run flow to just 27 runs. In the final term Evo was bowled in the 18th over after helping himself to 17 from 28 balls. Kirbs hit a quicker 17 off 14 balls at the end and the total ended on 8/143.
Pint sized old mate Oaksey took the unbelievable bowling figures of 4/13. Fergo also took took 2 wickets and was tidy only allowing 10 runs. Blake held onto 4 catches behind the stumps.
The Bashers have posted 5 scores higher than this target this season, so 7.16 runs per over should be within the Bashers reach. Blake opened up and posted a retired 27 in 18 balls to get things started as the power play netted the Bashers 1/40.
Gazza pushed the runs along before being caught on 24 from 23 balls and the half time total sat on 2/71 and well on target for win number 3 for the season.
Four wickets fell in the 3rd term and only 27 runs made.
The ¾ total was 6/98 and the requirement was 46 runs from the final 30 balls.
The Bashers inning was over 12 balls later with the total on 102 as they ran out of batsmen. Radice took 2/3 and the Fluro Fish 2/6.
This win has the Master Batters in fifth position just percentage out of third spot and a chance at finals in just their second season in the Big Bash.
