2019 Cup Match Classic Ends Early In A Draw
[Written by Don Burgess]
Cup Match came to a premature draw when Dion Stovell was hit in the head with the ball after he tried to play a delivery from Justin Pitcher.
The Somerset batsman crumpled to the ground immediately, and St George’s captain Lionel Cann took one look at Stovell and signaled for the medics to rush on the pitch. Everyone around the Wellington Oval expressed deep concern for the health and well-being of Stovell.
Somerset had bowled out St George’s for 154 runs. The Blue and Blue had a 132-run lead leaving Somerset 11 overs to collect enough runs to what would have been an improbable victory at the end of play yesterday.
The Red and Blue got a captain’s innings from Jordan Desilva today, who recorded his high score in the Summer Classic with a 77 before being caught by Allan Douglas off the bowling of Macai Simmons. Somerset had scraped and clawed its way to 315 runs in reply to St George’s 296/7 declared.
The Somerset innings benefitted from too many dropped catches. Desilva, in particular, was let off the hook five times.
Beside Desilva, Stovell also batted well, making his 78 both yesterday and today. He had retired hurt but came back in today to make his first half-century in Cup Match.
Justin Pitcher bowled well for St George’s claiming 4-58. Macai Simmons was also tidy in taking two wickets in four overs.
St George’s went in to bat and could not muster the same sort of attack as the first day when they had four players scoring a half-century. It quickly became apparent the tide had turned, and instead of possibly claiming a victory, they would be fighting for a draw.
Captain Lionel Cann managed 25 runs before being caught by Greg Maybury off the bowling of Brangman. He was the high man with Allan Douglas [21] the only other batsman to reach 20.
Brangman baffled the Blue and Blue batsmen by taking four wickets with his left-arm spin, and both Stovell and Malachi Jones snatched two wickets each.
Jones, 30, had five wickets over the two days and now has 48 wickets for his Cup Match career pushing him up the leaders’ chart.
With St George’s out so quickly, Somerset had the possibility of securing a win, but it would have required the Red and Blue to score at a rate of 11.36 in the remaining 11 overs.
Every batsman was going to have to attack the ball, which is what Stovell attempted to do when it took a wicked bounce crashing into his head.
Yesterday, Somerset won the toss and sent St George’s to bat. It looked like their plan was working when Treadwell Gibbons was caught and bowled by Malachi Jones for three and the score at 7-1. But Temiko Wilson and Rodney Trott but on a 135 run partnership that took the score to 142-2. Both Trott [68] and Wilson [63] scored half-centuries as did teammates Onias Bascome [54] and Macai Simmons [52 not out]. St George’s declared at 297/6 and sent Somerset in to bat. Jones took three wickets to stem some of the Blue and Blue tide while Derrick Brangman took two wickets.
Somerset replied for 119-4 at the end of the day’s play. Chris Douglas and Terryn Fray had a promising start, but Douglas was run out at 50-1 and on 25 runs for himself. Fray fell after scoring 23 and Somerset were teetering at 61-2. Dion Stovell had to retire hurt which brought the colt Alje Richardson out who had a quickfire 30 before being caught by Allan Douglas off the bowling of Bascome. Rodney Trott bowled the off stump of Stephen Outerbridge trying to play a night watchman’s role.
Seriously? As much as I enjoy the game, I really don’t enjoy this format of play. Cricket is not a stopwatch sport and although I saw the incident ( very speedy recovery Mr Stovell, best wishes to you) play must suspended but must resume. The competitiveness is being diluted. Play to a win, not a draw.
Well done to both teams, and all involved. A great, safe, fun atmosphere. Thank you to all of you for a great 2 days.
what was the somerset score when the game ended?
I understand it’s traditional etc etc but the format of cup match needs to change. Whilst yes there are winning teams the reality is having two innings per side over two days is dull with the draw always a huge favourite. Make the game exciting with say a limited overs series of three games over the two day holiday.
If each of those limited overs games turned out to be blowouts, that’s not exciting either. You can’t guarantee thrilling games by picking certain formats.
Now if anything is more likely to lead to a (decent) result it would be curtailing the 15 minute delays whenever someone reaches a half-century, but that will *never* happen.
My hat’s off to both teams …thank you for this classical game…my condolences to Dion Stovel and family and pray God for a speedy and full recovery.
Cup Match is the holiday most people look forward too, you watch the game,and meet up with people that you have not seen for a long time,
when i think how it started, I don’t mind taking the sun for eight
hours,they play all day in the sun,so i can watch it all day,hope I’m
still around next year for another game.