A disappointing performance as SG’s collapsed to 84 all out on a tricky pitch and the game was done by tea. After losing only his second toss of the season, Kash Malik instructed his new look 2nd XI to pad-up and set a total, however despite a solid batting line-up, no-one was able to apply themselves in the manner required to achieve that.
The pitch had slow, tennis ball bounce and the S&M trundlers sent down full, accurate military medium around off stump, knowing that driving the ball would always herald an element of risk.
SG’s batsman should have realised the danger when Micah Hampson mistimed a very hook-able short delivery as the ball stuck in the pitch. Alan Smith and Ross DG steadied the ship. Alan in particular playing some masterful cover drives, but he was always dancing with danger as one eventually stuck in the wicket and popped off a leading edge. Ahmed Khan and Dan Roberts both followed into the hutch also out on the drive, with Ross lifting his head early and missing a half volley on leg stump.
With the guts of the team disembowelled, an inevitable crawl to a low total occurred, and SG’s were left to curse their inability to set a total when it was evident the pitch was turning for Rashid Javed and Adil Latif. Their batsmen were bamboozled but with not enough runs to play with they swatted away until they had chased the score only 3 down.
A new look 2nd XI with a mix of characters and backgrounds proved an excellent team spirit, however this now needs to progress into a winning outfit. The main requirement is application with the bat, including better assessment of conditions and discipline with shot selection before any real improvement on the pitch can be made.