ICC WCL Division 5 Singapore 2012

Guernsey v Malaysia
played at Kallang Ground, Singapore

on Wednesday 22nd February 2012

Toss: Malaysia won the toss and elected to bat first.
Umpires: Steven Douglas (Bermuda) and Tony Hill (New Zealand)
Referee: Graeme Labrooy

Malaysia won by 4 runs

Man-of-the-match  HB Ralalage

Malaysia innings    RunsBallsMins4s6sSR Guernsey bowlingOvMdnRunsWktsWNbSRER
†Shafiq SharifbNussbaumer12241050.0Nussbaumer101273--202.7
Eszrafiq AzizlbwbRich30375081.1Bisson50320-16.4
Ahmed Faizc&bRich26661039.4Frith1024613-604.6
S K AlagaratnamlbwbFrith19631030.2Rich1022523-302.5
Anwar ArudincSmitbHooper27490055.1Smit501603-3.2
Suharril FetribNussbaumer370042.9Hooper1003831-203.8
*S NavaratnamcFrithbHooper312803110.7
H B RalalagecFerbrachebHooper16200180.0
Hassan GhulambNussbaumer3200150.0
S Abdul Rahimnotout340075.0
Sharul Nizamrunout(Ferbrache)1100100.0
Extras (b5, lb5, w12, nb1)23
Total (in 50 overs)194
Fall of wickets
1-37(Sharif),2-49(Aziz),3-100(Faiz),4-110(Alagaratnam),5-115(Fetri),6-157(Navaratnam),7-181(Arudin),8-188(Ghulam),9-190(Ralalage),10-194(Nizam)

Guernsey innings    RunsBallsMins4s6sSR Malaysia bowlingOvMdnRunsWktsWNbSRER
G H SmitlbwbHassan Ghulam38703054.3Hassan Ghulam103281--602.8
T J RavenscroftcShafiq SharifbNavaratnam6100060.0Navaratnam912912-543.2
J D J Frithrunout(Anwar Arudin)29661043.9Abdul Rahim50270--5.4
*S E Le Prevostrunout(Navaratnam)14210166.7Eszrafiq Aziz90551--546.1
R KnellercAbdul RahimbEszrafiq Aziz47486097.9Sharul Nizam70230--3.3
L B FerbrachebRalalage390033.3Ralalage9.22284--143.0
D HooperbRalalage6120050.0
†T C R KimberbRalalage01000.0
J A J NussbaumerbRalalage28320287.5
S R M Bissonrunout(Alagaratnam)17271063.0
G J Richnotout0000
Extras (b0, lb0, w2, nb0)2
Total (in 49.2 overs)190
Fall of wickets
1-7(Ravenscroft),2-75(Frith),3-75(Smit),4-109(Le Prevost),5-114(Ferbrache),6-130(Hooper),7-130(Kimber),8-150(Kneller),9-188(Bisson),10-190(Nussbaumer)

MATCH

‘Chance blown’    by Gareth Le Prevost

PROMOTION hopes are all but over for Guernsey’s cricketers. Yesterday’s agonisingly four-run, last-over defeat to the unbeaten Malaysia in Singapore means that only a minor miracle can see the Greens finish in the top two of Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division Five.  Mathematically, if tomorrow Guernsey thrash the Cayman Islands and the hosts lose to Argentina, the Sarnians can overtake Singapore and move into second spot and the showpiece final. But that was far from the thoughts of a gutted squad in the immediate aftermath of their second defeat of the week. ‘We are just trying to come to terms with today,’ said coach Andy Cornford. ‘It was a game we should have won and won comfortably.

Despite a couple of chances going to ground, the bowlers managed to restrict Malaysia to 194 at Kallang. However, the batting unit failed to deliver once again and shot themselves in the foot on more than one occasion as avoidable run outs accounted for both Jeremy Frith and Stuart Le Prevost at crucial times.  Late cameos from Jamie Nussbaumer and Stuart Bisson almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, but Guernsey could not pull off the great escape against Malaysia for the second time in two WCL tournaments. ‘Two huge errors of judgement in the top six handed the initiative to Malaysia,’ Cornford said. ‘It just comes down to decision making at the moment. ‘We keep getting chances in games and not taking them.  Those two run outs have cost us the game.  We had an unbelievable win against Malaysia last time, but we cannot rely on that to repeat itself.  We need to start correcting some of the mistakes we make. If we want to be a proper, consistent team, we have to learn from these defeats and not let them happen again.’

‘Forgetful batting display lets Malayans off hook’    by Gareth Le Prevost

Guernsey came close to pulling off another miraculous victory at the expense of Malaysia yesterday, but they fell agonisingly short. In truth though, this was a match the Greens simply should have won on a steaming hot day in Singapore against the team who are now guaranteed  promotion from Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division Five. The fact that Jamie Nussbaumer got them so close with a fine cameo at the death – aided well by Stuart Bisson – just emphasised that point, but with five required off the same amount of balls, the Cobo all-rounder was skittled by man-of-the-match Hiran Ralalage and the Malaysian celebrations could begin. Overall it was a batting performance Guernsey will want to forget. Earlier in the day, Malaysia were allowed to get off to something of a flier by their usual sedate standards, picking up several early boundaries as they pounced on some tired-looking bowling. However, Shafiq Sharif was starting to get too ambitious and his attempt to pull a Nussbaumer delivery that hit the top of off stump was verging on ridiculous.

The introduction of spin soon reaped dividends too as Gary Rich removed Eszrafiq Aziz, who was trapped plumb in front playing back to a delivery that would have hit middle about halfway up. Ahmed Faiz and Alagaratnam made steady progress for a while, but were generally kept quiet, particularly by Rich who bowled his 10 straight through and deservedly picked up the wicket of Faiz in his final over, clutching a straightforward return catch.  

Frith replaced his fellow spinner at the pavilion end and he soon had Alagaratnam plumb in front in another example of why it was a track you needed to play forward on to the slow bowlers. When Nussbaumer returned for the powerplay overs and removed Suharril Fetri, things were looking good for Guernsey as Malaysia found themselves 115 for five.  It should have been even better for the Greens moments later, but uncharacteristically Hooper put down a chance to get rid of dangerous hitting Navaratnam at mid-off. It was a miss Guernsey were soon regretting and the big batsman gave Malaysia’s innings with a quick 31 from 28 balls including three sixes.  He was also dropped by Tim Ravenscroft – a difficult chance running in from deep square leg which resulted in the fielder injuring his knee – but Frith provided safe hands two balls later to give bowler Hooper, who produced a terrific slower ball, some redemption.  

Hooper was to return from the pavilion end at the death and together with Nussbaumer they finished off excellently, both with three wickets to their name, and restricted the opposition to under 200. The final wicket came off the last ball of the 50th over as the batsmen looked for a third run, with a sliding Ravenscroft in the deep producing a remarkable throw from his knees to reach bowler Hooper, who followed instructions and relayed the ball to wicketkeeper Tom Kimber who did the rest.

First to go was David Hooper                             ICC

It was then Ravenscroft’s turn to bat as he was promoted in the order to open with GH Smit. The former Hampshire man finally got off the mark for the tournament with a few well worked singles, but his bad run continued as he got a good one from Navaratnam which he nicked behind. There were worrying moments for Guernsey the very next delivery as new batsman Jeremy Frith ducked into an attempted bouncer and took a nasty blow on the helmet which he needed several minutes to recover from. He did, though, and scoring mainly in singles together with Smit took Guernsey past 50 on their way to a second-wicket stand of 65.

Malaysia needed a breakthough and for the 25th over looked to their strike bowler Ghulam. Within two balls the match had swung their way. The breakthrough, though, was all of Guernsey’s own making as Frith knocked the ball down into the leg-side, called ‘yes’ before changing his mind. By then Smit was committed to the run, Frith tried to make his ground at the bowler’s end but was beaten by the throw. He was joined by Smit back in the hutch when the opener was trapped in front by a sharp delivery from Ghulam and from 72 for one, Guernsey were 72 for three and behind on Duckworth-Lewis with the clouds starting to loom.

Ross Kneller top scored for Guernsey                                      ICC

As they had done the day before, Stuart Le Prevost and Ross Kneller got their side back on course with a useful partnership of 34 that saw Guernsey into three figures. However, just as they were looking set, the captain suddenly took a risk out of the blue and it proved fatal as he was run out by a direct hit from mid off when there was no need to call for such a tight single. It sparked a flurry of wickets as Ralalage ripped through the lower middle order, removing Ben Ferbrache, Hooper and Kimber in quick succession. Kneller, the hero of Wednesday, was still going strong, though, and he found an ally in Nussbaumer and they took their side up to 150 with the number five closing in on his own half-century. But an attempted slog sweep found the top edge of his bat and Abdul Rahim took a well-judged catch running towards the boundary to remove Kneller for 47.

Quickly followed by Tom Kimber                            ICC

Nine overs remained as Bisson joined Nussbaumer at the crease with 45 still required, so the rate was not a problem, lack of wickets in hand was. But together they started knocking off the runs sensibly, before Nussbaumer targeted off-spinner Eszrafiq Aziz in the 48th over, hitting him for two sixes – one straight into the sightscreen and the next over wide long on. Suddenly Guernsey needed 10 off 12 balls, which came down to seven off seven when Bisson was run out attempting another quick single. Rich came to the non-striker’s end for the final over and the last pair scampered two off the first ball, making use of a misfield, but the dream ended the next ball with Ralalage using the ‘if he misses, I’ll hit’ philosophy to perfection. Nussbaumer swung and missed and with it very likely went the final hopes of winning another promotion.

And then Jamie Nussbaumer                      ICC

It looks as though it is the same picture with Hoops, Kimbo and Nussy superimposed