Martians v Best Nationals     

Best Nationals: 133 for 6 in 16 overs
Bevan Young 53 n.o.
Dan Williams 36
Nathan Kelly 14

A classic match that came right down to the wire with Best Nationals recording their first win of the season by one run on the final ball.

The Martians opening pair took a while to find their rhythm partly due to some tight bowling from BN. Once they had hit their stride the runs started to flow, either due to their batting getting better or our bowling getting worse. Improving fielding by BN kept the Martians score to 132, something the boys thought achievable at the break.

Best Nationals batting opened with the early loss of SJ for 1, who was bowled by Graeme in the first over. SJ later admitted to being intimidated by Graeme's exceptionally long run up. Nathan Kelly, who put in another solid performance, was then joined at the crease by Bevan Young. Kelly was eventually caught going for glory off Graeme for 14, and Young was then joined by Captain Dan 'Canvey' Williams.

Together the two slashed and chopped at the Martian attack like a pair of baseballers, and put on a match winning partnership of 89 before Young had to retire on 53 with his head held high. During this partnership the drizzle persisted, slowing the outfield and denying BN of many a certain boundary, and making the going tough and slippery for the Martian fielders. Williams was then caught off a higher delivery as he attempted another boundary on the next ball he faced.

This left the lower order batsmen the task of achieving the 10 runs required off the remaining 13 balls. Ben Wade added 4, Joe Helliwell 1, and Fred Sassin 5. The final delivery was a swing and a miss, but by the time the ball had passed the batsman, John Gribbon was already half way down the wicket, and lunged across the crease before the Martian wicket keeper had a chance to take off the bails.

The last two overs were characterised by a lot of shouting from Best Nationals at the boundary, as well as the encouraging support of some passing members of the Contenders, the team that had shown us how it was done in our very first match.

Jubilant celebrations followed with a pitch invasion and lots of hugging and a bit of kissing from Joe. Our commiserations to the Martians whom we later discovered were also chasing their first win of the season. They played some good cricket and I'm sure that win is not far away.

What made this match so memorable for Best Nationals, other than it being our first win, was that it was a true team effort. To win by one run on the final ball meant that everyone's contribution, no matter how big or small, counted in this game. We could not have won it otherwise.

Submitted by Benjamin Wade of Best Nationals