All Stars Snuff Out Desperate Burbs

The All Stars final game of the season for the All Stars was against Eastern Suburbs.

It was a tricky encounter - with the All Stars needing the win to have a chance to finish top of the table on run rate (important with the weather getting a bit dodgy late in the season.). The equation for Suburbs was much simpler - win to hold onto fourth spot.

The game was made more interesting by the fact that so many All Stars were sick or injured!

Again the skipper failed to win the toss, but still got the result and we were bowling.

Pieter (cold) and Daryl (sleep deprived) started well and Burbs were on 39 after nine.

Frustratingly we'd dropped their best batsman at the fielding position we put in just for him - a 63 run mistake....

But we removed their other opener, and #3 as well - and their key partnership was at the wicket.

Duncan (something gastric) and Mark(cold) took a turn at the crease - and were struggling to stem the runs, and the fielding wasn't helping.

Yap had their best player given out/not out LBW in a bizarre moment. Note to budding umpires - don't point your index finger up and then to the right to signal not out, missing leg. (Nobody is watching after the first bit.)

At the drinks break we were staring down the barrel a bit - they were 91/2 and we were flat.

The skipper asked the boys to lift their game and reminded them that we had to compete - it wasn't just going to happen. The speech seemed to work and we got stuck into them.

Dave (knee) started a bit rough but settled well, and in his third over picked up the key wicket of their opener for 73 - assisted by Pieter with a great diving catch at midwicket.

That moment turned the innings around for us and Burbs slumped from 110/2 to 160/9 to 188 all out. Yap and Pieter returned figures of 2/32 and 2/34 respectively, while Dave and Daryl took three each (3/37 and 3/38).

189 is a below par score on the wickets at Steele Park and we were optimistic at the break.

Duncan and Yap opened up for us and made a brisk start before Yap was strangled down the leg side for a rather quickfire 19 of 16 balls. 1/45 became 2/78 as Dunc departed for 39 and headed straight for the loo...

Daryl joined Dave at the crease but not for long - he departed for 10 (9 less than Yap) and we were 95/3. That rapidly became 105/5 as Jimmy and Jared came and went. Burbs smelt blood and the chatter levels increased.

But there was no Star Varsity tail end drama! Dave (73)and Pieter (23) batted beautifully and calmly, taking us to the target in the 31st over. Nicely done.

POD Points

Dave 3

Pieter 2

Daryl 1

So ended the regular season for the All-Stars 18 games for 15 wins, 2 losses and one rainout.

We should finish top, but it will probably be on run-rate, and we'll have to wait and see the results of the other matches.

Keep an eye on the draw here...