Game Report
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								Rangers Vs Ashgrove Lemmings State Shield September 30th
			Who would’ve guessed that this game was almost a carbon copy of last year’s game! Shandy carried over last years form with the coin by losing the toss. However he wanted to get the team into the field to settle the nerves so it turned out to be a 'claytons toss' Andy and Dale will be looking to restore their bowling positions after Jamie and Varun had the opposition at 4-30 after 10, 2 wickets in the first 2 overs, then the big wicket of Joe Parker, bowled by Jamie from an inside edge while going for the pull shot. Jamie sent down 4 great balls to put pressure on the big hitter which lead to his demise Varun, our new Indian import bowled one of the balls of the season drawing their opener into a cover drive, hitting the seam to cut back and knock off stump out of the ground. After 15 overs, Ashgrove was 4-64 after a late fight back However the remaining 20 overs were a different story as Ashgrove went on the offensive. Their middle order went berserk on the somewhat wayward bowling. Paulie (now know as the plug and allrounder of the year last season!) bowled brilliantly retaining 3-22 off 7 overs in a spell of varied pace and somewhat varied spin. His offspin action always had the batters guessing! (Watch for his Tremaine ball) Sam batten came in at the end to halt the scoring getting 1-16, Jamie 2-25 off 7 and the new gun on the block, Varun with 3-18 off 6 in a great spell of seam bowling. The rangers fielding was good for the first game back, however lacking that aggression and field talk we desperately needed. . If there is a 'dive of the year' trophy, Ben Hollis would take that out hands down with some amazing leaps in short. Jamie said it right when Sam dropped a dolly (compared to us, it would’ve been a classic) that it just proved that Sam was human! Sam is now +1 for the season after taking 2 great outfield catches! Jamie sweet was again in chorus with his amazing array of comments, sledges, grunts and squeals that kept the team entertained and the batters somewhat frightened. The gravy train has come back! Ashgrove in the end made 9-174, with their number 3 batsman making 85 in a well timed and free flowing innings. The rangers were fined 2 overs for slow over rate and losing the ball for 5 minutes in the jungle that surrounds the ground. The rangers innings started in a flurry of 4's when in form opener Paulie (the plug!) smashed the first ball of the innings over to cow corner (deep mid wicket) with an amazing pull shot. 3 balls later, a deft cut shot had the rangers off their seats (and garbage can) shouting and singing Paulie’s praises after an opening stand of 48 off 7, Paulie was bowled by a beauty, a swinging ball squared him that clipped his off, out for 22 off 26 balls. Unfortunately Varun was soon dismissed soon after, and then maestro Sam was out for 27 off 38 after a 21 run partnership with Shandy off 5 overs. In came the dangerous Neil, one of the rare batsmen in the team to take any attack apart to join Shandy at the crease. 55 runs came off the next 10 overs with Neil contributing 31 off them, off just 34 balls with 6 fours to his name! However Neil was out going for his trademark shovel shot caught at deep gully. Shandy committed the cardinal sin of giving up his wicket straight after going for 40 off 58 to a loose shot. However he did hit the rangers first 6 off the season! unfortunately a collapse followed, but an amazing innings from new star Chad Hart, who hit 2 MASSIVE 6's  to horse corner (behind square leg) had the rangers requiring just over 6 an over for an amazing victory. The rangers needed 33 off 4 with 2 wickets in hand! What a nail biter! Ben Hollis and Clinton Davis put on an amazing last wicket stand of 13* (incidentally is a new ranger wicket partnership for the last wicket) which had the capacity crowd of 24 ooo-ing and aa-ing and Jamie going berserk with nervous energy shouting after (and during) each delivery after a valiant fight back, the rangers were 6 runs short of their mark, after losing to this team by 1 run last year. Considering Ashgrove were runners up last year, we were missing some of our veteran bowlers and this was the first game back , we played some great cricket, rangers style!