King's Cricket: century partnership overwhelms Rosmini

When Karl Wallace was adjudged LBW for a classy 23 runs (21 balls), Nick Tapper joined Muhammad Abbas who had only been in for a shade under two overs. Abbas was cautious initially but quick to pounce on the poor delivery and gain maximum advantage.

Tapper clicked into second gear immediately as the first ball he faced was hauled just inches short of the boundary, bringing him three runs. These two were happy to accumulate with intent and accelerate swiftly when the opportunity arose. Tapper enjoyed batting in the company of the highly experienced all-rounder who was playing in his 36^th match and willingly offered encouragement and advice to the uncapped youngster.

Once the team total reached 100 runs both batsmen went after the bowlers and there were only three dot balls in the last five overs in which 67 runs were produced at a blistering 13.4 RPO. Both were dismissed in the final over, Abbas for 52 (31 balls) and Tapper 48 (38 balls) and Rosmini needing a batting miracle to have any show of winning the match.

The platform for this massive score was laid by the veteran opener Nathan Robinson who curbed his natural belligerence to focus on a role of accumulation whilst playing good cricket shots. This approach set the template for those that followed as he showed that there was time to bat with caution, take the singles on offer and wait for the respite offered by the change bowlers. His valuable 35 run partnership with Wallace provided the newcomer with a wonderful opportunity to learn from the battle-hardened veteran who was featuring in his 41^st game in the maroon strip.

In pursuit of 162 runs for victory, Rosmini had to take risks but took too many too early and allowed the King’s bowlers easy wickets. In spite of a weakened bowling attack, due to Abbas not being able to bowl and the previous week’s injury sustained by Patrick Maher, King’s was still too much to handle and this allowed Achindra Molamure and Karl Wallace to secure their maiden wickets for the 1^st XI.

Louis Anderson picked up two wickets whilst Toby Irvine continues to be a thorn in the side of opposition batsmen, this time grabbing three wickets. With the non-availability of Abbas, Seb Macdonald was entrusted to share the new ball with Anderson for the first time at this level.

Macdonald responded well to this mini-emergency and combined with the consistently efficient Tom Paranthoiene to get rid of the opposition danger-man in the 4^th over, thereby allowing the rest of the attack to feast on the weaker middle and lower order batsmen. The wicket-keeper Paranthoiene is becoming one of the best in this competition and he had a perfect day behind the stumps with no byes being taken.  

Misha Craig had a very quiet debut match but would have learnt a lot from the 9 am warm-up to the 1.30 pm debrief which would serve him well in 2021. Harry Sinclair made a comeback after a short injury break and unselfishly sacrificed his wicket as King’s squeezed as many runs as possible from the final over.

This comprehensive victory was made even sweeter as news arrived of MAGS being beaten at home by AGS which meant that King’s would now finish top-of-the table and secure a home final against MAGS, next week.

Debut: Misha Craig

King’s win by 81 runs