St Lucia - Narrow loss in day-night debut

OCCC 135 for 5 (Crump T 51*, Howard 37) lost to South Castries 139 for 6 (Crump M 2-18) by 4 runs
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The second game of the day at the Beauesjour Cricket Ground took place under lights, the first time the club and many of our players had taken part in a night game. Again, pink balls and black sightscreens were the order of the day, and again we lost the toss and found ourselves in the field.

In the three hours between the end of the first game and the start of the second, some of the OCs with coaching certificates/experience held a clinic for local children from the Grass Roots Cricket Coaching Program which was hugely enjoyed by teachers and pupils alike. The night game was briefly under threat when powering up the six floodlights proved problematical, but once that was resolved the game started in perfect conditions.

Castries, the island Twenty20 champions, scored steadily without ever really getting on top of any of the bowlers. The bounce in the track favoured Matt Crump and Paddy Harman, Crump once again bowling an excellent length which was almost impossible to score off although he again conceded too many wides. Jonny Gates held a good one-handed falling catch and Rob Merry, on as a substitute for Sam Langmead who tore his hamstring fielding, a spectacular juggling affair in the deep. Eds Copleston, who was not seen in the daylight during his three-day visit, bowled one over which included a massive six, a wicket and a lot of air and gesticulation.

A final score of 139 for 6 gave us a real chance of a second win of the day, and an opening stand of 65 between Will Howard (37) and Tom Crump (51*) got us on the way. Howard in particular played some rasping drives and pulls, and when he went Alan Cope kept the score up with the asking rate. But Cope’s dismissal, at 89 for 2, resulted in runs drying up and we gradually fell behind the clock.

Henry Watkinson briefly revived hopes by heaving the first ball he faced into the stands but was bowled off the second, and then Eds Copleston’s rustiness showed as he failed to make contact with a succession of deliveries. Twelve were needed off the final over and we managed only seven, Tom Crump pulling the last ball for two to bring up a deserved if futile fifty.