NY Kookaburras Claim Maiden WSL Title!
NY Kookaburras 9/158 off 35.0 overs (Colebatch 40*, Slade 22, Worsley 18) defeated NY Wanderers 10/110 off 29.5 overs (Colebatch 4/26 (7.0), Preddey 2/18 (6.5), Balani 2/19 (7.0)). Man of the Match: Tom Colebatch (40* and 4/26 (7.0)).
On a warm fall Saturday afternoon in the Bronx, the New York Kookaburras Cricket Club won its first WSL title in an action-packed contest against the Wanderers Cricket Club. Having lost the toss, the Kookas were sent in to bat on a flat wicket and fast outfield at Van Cortland Park, where runs were expected to be plentiful. However, accurate bowling and impressive fielding by the Wanderers saw the Kookas struggle to form partnerships with wickets falling at regular intervals. The Kookas soon found themselves struggling at 8/80 in the 22nd over, with Nick Slade the pick of the batsmen until then before being dismissed for a hard-fought 22 after drinks. However, with backs against the wall, Tom Colebatch and Marty Worsley combined in the middle to demonstrate Australian fighting spirit and tenacity as the duo put on a batting clinic to take the Kookas to 122 in the 30th over, before Worsley was dismissed via a one-handed catch at mid-wicket for a crucial 18 off 27 deliveries. With five overs left the Kookas were down to their last wicket as Kit Bhatt joined Colebatch in the middle. The duo managed to combine for an unbeaten 36 run 10th wicket partnership, helping the Kookas amass a total of 9/158 off 35 overs before compulsory closure of the innings. Colebatch finished with an unbeaten 40* off 39 deliveries while Bhatt ended on 9* off 17.
The Kookas opted for a dual-spin opening attack, with the left-arm finger spin of Balani coming in from the southern end, while the leg-spin of the Kookas' skipper came in from the northern end. This tactic soon paid dividends as one of the hard-hitting Wanderers' openers hauled out a catch to Worsley at long-on, who managed to take control of the ball on the third attempt. Balani turned one sharply the following over to catch the middle stump of the Wanderers' other opening batsman to have the opposition on the ropes at 2/10. The Kookas managed to claim a couple more wickets to have the Wanderers 4/59 off 17 overs at drinks, with the game largely in the balance as the large onlooking crowd continued to build. Some tidy bowling after drinks from Dan Cole and Tom Colebatch, however, served to curtail the opposition's ability to score runs, with wickets falling in seemingly regular intervals thereafter due to the built-up pressure and some impressive catching from Bhatt, List and Nick "the claw" Kelland. Colebatch delivered an impressive spell, combining pace, movement and accuracy to end up with 4 for 26 off his 7 overs and leaving the Kookas just one wicket for victory. The Kookas skipper - seemingly sensing the opportunity to claim a quick wicket - brought himself back on from the northern end to wrap things up with the fifth ball of his over, a wrong-un that the batsman failed to pick before spinning back in to hit the top of middle stump and deliver the Kookas their first WSL title.
Full Scorecard: https://cricclubs.com/wsl/fullScorecard.do?matchId=290&clubId=5912
