Story time. One of my fondest memories is a club game I captained roughly 13, maybe 14 years ago here in Cape Town, South Africa. The opposition won the toss and chose to bat on a belter of a track. We kept them under the pump for 30 overs and finally got their last wicket with 155 runs on the board. Games were played over 40 overs at the time, but due to a large number of them ending in draws because of the summer sun disappearing after 7pm the provincial cricket board decided to make those club games 35 overs a side. I sent my openers in with myself down to come in at number 4. After 4 overs we were 11/2. The drinks break was scheduled for the 18th over. My batting partner was on 7* when I went in. By the 18th over he was on 31*...and I knew nothing as to what score I was on. I never counted my runs. Achievements were announced with clapping and cheers. I would raise my bat, and immediately focus again. At the drinks break the number 6 batter came out and asked me if I wanted to know what I was on. We had a tradition where you had to ask for consent before announcing how close to a milestone an "in" batter was. We didnt like putting the "mockers" on anyone and them getting out before getting over the line. I told him its ok...he can tell me. "You're on 96*. George is on 31*. And there's 22 extras. Our score is 153. We need 3 runs to win. You are facing the next over...you get 3 runs, we win, but you are stranded on 99*. Do what you want with that info, big boy." He left the park. We put our gloves back on. And the opposition brought on an offspinner. I went down on one knee, got under it, and slog-swept it over cow corner for 6 to get the 102* and get the win. As great as it was to win the game in the 19th over it was near impossible to calculate how fast I scored. Our scorers weren't pros, so balls faced were never tracked. But George was a slow batsman as it was. At most he scored at 2 runs per over. On that day we all recognized that he was batting much faster than usual and was willing to grant him a 100% strike rate. 18.1 overs bowled meant 109 legal deliveries bowled. If I went in after 24 balls were bowled already, I was out there for 85 balls. If George scored at 6 runs per over, and faced perhaps 6 balls in the opening 4 overs, he faced 24 balls of the 85 bowled since I got the crease. That left 60 balls I probably faced. At most. Meaning that worst case... I scored 102* off 60 balls. Best case I face somewhere in the 50's. As fast as I scored that day it paled in comparison to the day a teammate and I met up after the opener lost his wicket...and we proceeded to plunder ourselves to 220/1 in 16 overs. I ended with 76 from 38 balls...he ended with 137 from 76 balls. Our captain always said he would wait for the perfect storm in a teacup to come around so he could declare in a limited-overs game. He wants to retire as captain being the only limited overs captain in our club's history to declare. That day, with 34.5 over bowled, he declared with us having 349/7 on the board.
Wow what a story!! And sounds like a great knock! Thanks so much for taking the time to share! Really hope you’re enjoying the content and I have a few hundreds to share myself.. videos to come out soon 🎉
Hi there! My apologies for the videos being so slow! Work has been manic! I have 20 games from last season and plan to upload 1 from now on every week! So it’s coming 🔥
