Newcastle Crusade versus Queensland Isotopes

Newcastle Crusade
A.Strauss c S.Pollock b H.Singh 20 (39)
D.Lehmann c S.Pollock b H.Singh 35 (54)
L.Klusener c A.Gilchrist b S.Malik 81 (78)
R.Arnold c J.Kallis b S.Malik 10 (4)
M.Samuels c D.Martyn b G.McGrath 83 (79)
S.Fleming not out 38 (29)
V.Laxman not out 19 (17)
Extras ( b3 lb8 ) 11
Total (from 50 overs) 297 - 5
Fall of wickets: 1-53 2-56 3-67 4-232 5-240
Bowling Figures for Queensland Isotopes
O M R W
G.McGrath 10 1 67 1
S.Pollock 10 3 41 0
A.Agarkar 10 2 54 0
H.Singh 10 1 48 2
S.Malik 10 1 76 2

Queensland Isotopes
A.Gilchrist c V.Laxman b N.Boje 93 (110)
J.Kallis c R.Arnold b S.Harmison 28 (17)
H.Marshall c & b N.Boje 30 (58)
D.Martyn lbw b N.Boje 2 (7)
S.Malik c L.Klusener b S.Harmison 50 (74)
Y.Youhana c V.Laxman b S.Harmison 7 (7)
S.Pollock run out 9 (10)
P.Wiseman not out 13 (13)
A.Agarkar not out 5 (4)
Extras ( lb1 ) 1
Total (from 50 overs) 238 - 7
Fall of wickets: 1-33 2-117 3-125 4-176 5-196 6-219 7-233
Bowling Figures for Newcastle Crusade
O M R W
S.Harmison 10 1 51 3
M.Kasprowicz 10 0 60 0
M.Samuels 10 2 38 0
L.Klusener 10 2 29 0
N.Boje 10 2 59 3
Newcastle Crusade won by 59 runs
POM points
3 L.Klusener
2 M.Samuels
1 A.Gilchrist

A magnificent run a ball partnership between Klusener and Samuels has rocketed the Newcastle side into the ASCL final, and will be played in Newcastle
on their homeground.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, the Crusade were off to a steady start, with two left handers at the crease, and Mcgrath opening the bowling, you would
expect Mcgrath to pin back the left handers with his accuracy, he wasn't expensive, nor cheap in his opening spell. Pollock opened with him, and between
the two, they managed to keep the scoring rate low, though they both knew that if their side were to make the final, they would need a comprehensive win, to
beat the other 2 teams in on NRR. They couldn't take a much needed early wicket, with the score at 53, Singh was the first wicket taker, claiming Strauss
with a top edge. The other opener soon departed also, Lehmann, scoring 35, and scoring over 300 runs in the finals, at an average over 105. Enter Arnold,
with Klusener at the other end. Arnold came and went, only facing 4 balls in a dissapointing series. Samuels came in to partner Klusener, and they both
motored along at better than a run a ball, both in the endup scoring in the 80s, and once again, like the first partnership, once one wicket fell in the
partnership, the other soon departed. Klusener was out 4th wicket, Gilchrist taking a faint edge in one of kluseners rare defensive strokes. Samuels went
only 8 runs later, but to McGrath, Martyn taking the catch in the covers. Fleming and Laxman both did an excellent job in the last 8 overs, adding a combined
57 runs off only 36 balls to push the score up near 300. The Isotopes needed to keep the Crusade well under 200 in order to give themselves a chance of
pulling off a NRR entry into the finals, but their chance this season had evaded them.

Kallis and Gilchrist went out in the right mindset, andKallis didn't hold back in a 17 ball 28, Kallis scoring 28 of the 33 run partnership betweeen himself
and Gilchrist. Marshall once again scored slowly, as he did in his earlier innings in the finals series, and along with Gilchrist they both knuckled down
to try and drag in the score, even theough they knew they coud not make the final. Marshall went for 30 and Martyn came in to only add 2 to his seasons total.
Gilchrist was still plugging away at one end, compiling a 50, and then looked like puching on after scoing 70. Malik was batting well with him, and Gilchrist
looked as if he would make up for his last innings of 96 by scorng a deserved 100, but he fell 7 short this game, leaving though knowing he had had a great
series. Malik made 50, and wickets continued to fall, with Pollock out for 9, and only bowlers to come, the Queensland side left the finals series with only
1 win out of their 4 games. Harmison and Boje were the wicket takers for Newcastle, both with 3, but Harmison with less in the runs column.
POM points went to Klusener and Samuels, taking 3 and 2 points for their great batting display, and both bowling 10 economical overs, and the single point
went to Gilchrist for his second 90 in a row.

The finals will be played on Monday night, with the Crusade hosting the Bushwackers. the Bushwackers come without their bowling star Shane Bond who
is out injured, and also reserve batsmen Vincent Solanki. The Cursade are at full strength, and are favourites to take the title with Bond still out, and
the team hitting form at the rignt end of the season. During the finals, the Crusade conceeded the least amount of runs, and scored the most also.

Hahahahaha! Whoot! Eat my dump, Richard! Hahahahaa. Doug, you are going down, bizatch!

phew thanks chris but time for revenge.