ECB North-South series off to a blazing start for the South

Kensington Oval in Barbados was set ablaze as the ECB North-South Series opened in grand style. It had nothing to do with the shining sun and everything to do with the cricket being played at the Cricket Mecca of the Caribbean.

A total of 631 runs were scored – 55 fours and 13 sixes were struck; 96.1 overs were bowled and 20 wickets fell in the day’s play.

The North won the toss and elected to take the field.

 

Nick Gibbins along with Kent’s Daniel Bell Drummond opened the batting for ECB South.

In 18.3 overs the pair managed to put on 134 runs before Bell Drummond was dismissed for 52.

Mr Nick Gubbins continued his innings and contributed 116 runs in 99 deliveries. It consisted of 9 fours and 3 sixes. Although he caught cramp during his innings, he rallied on to ensure that he reached his milestone as in modern day cricket you are not allowed a runner. He is a tough lad!

Brett D’Oliveira was able to dismiss Gubbins with the assistance of Saqib Mahmood but the South were in no trouble at 231 for 3 in 33.2 overs.

Delray Rawlings was the only other batsman to reach a milestone as he scored 53 in 41 balls.

Mahmood changed the mood and the momentum of the innings as he cleaned up the middle and tail end of the South’s batsmen to bag himself a five –fer. The last 5 wickets were only able to add a mere 32 runs.

The South were 347 ALL OUT in 49 overs.

Then we turned North.

Alex Davies and Joe Clarke gave the innings some direction at the top as they put on a 77-run partnership. Ravi Patel had had enough with Davies as he was out leg before wicket (lbw) in the 11th over. Joe Clarke saw the North reach 100 but had to depart at the hands of Dominic Bess.

Samuel Hain tried his best to be the North wall as he was involved in 4 partnerships before Bess disturbed his stumps sending him back to the pavilion two runs shy of his 50. He must have been devastated!

The fall of Hain’s wicket brought Brett D’Oliveira to the popping crease.

We all began to rally with the North (maybe we thought we were heading to Winterfell) as the pair took the score from 171 to 260. The partnership consisted of five fours and five sixes. Steven Mullaney was able to raise his bat during his time with D’Oliveira as he reached his 50.

Momentum swung in the 41st over. Curran was into bowl at D’Oliveira and his stumps were rocked form their foundation. He was gone for 43. The partnership was broken.

And then the North fell…

Curran removed Zak Chappell who went without scoring. The over ended and Curran was eying a hat-trick. In came Tom Barber who dismissed Steven Mallaney for 57 runs the next ball of the innings.

Curran was unable to bag the hat-trick but he dismissed the last batsman of the day as the South conquered the North yet again and won by 63 runs.

Summarized Scores:

ECB South 347 all out in 49 overs ( Nick Gubbins 116, Delray Rawlings 53, Daniel Bell Drummond 52, John Simpson 32; Saqib Mahmood  5-60, Keaton Jennings 2-34). ECB North 284 all out in 47.1 overs ( Steven Mullaney 57, Samuel Hain 48, Joe Clarke 46, Alex Davies 36; Sam Curran 3-51, Dominic Bess 3-61 , Paul Walter 2-45).

South 1 North 0.

Head down to Kensington Oval on March 21st, 2018 for the second matchup of the ECB North-South Series.

School children in Uniform are absolutely FREE! They must be accompanied by a teacher/parent.

 

Source:  Ayisha Moore-Niles – LoopNewsBarbados

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