Doctors couldn't do it when it Matered

For the first time this season the Doctors hit the road and travelled to Vince Herbert Oval in Carina. A land foreign to that of the flat tracks of Kianawah Park, Mater Hill Cricket Club offered a real green top and an oval that reminded the visitors of what cricket grounds should look like. With boundaries out to normal lengths, the outfield would be sure to play a role in the game and early inspection suggested that it would be slow.

Several key changes were made to the line-up heading into what shaped as an important point in the season for both teams as the Doctors looked to extend their lead at the top of the table and Mater Hill looked to come back from a loss to the Jekyll and Hyde team that is Danger Island. Raja Chinthamuneedi, Sachin Perera returned from a week off, while Brad England returned for his first game of the season and Jordan Barker donned the whites for the Doctors for the first time ever.

The toss was crucial and unlike the team performances in general, captain Corrigan’s calling has been abysmal and he followed that trend losing the toss and so the Doctors were sent into bat.

The batting innings started off shaky with the early dismissal of Abbas Panju but was put back on the right track with a small partnership between Jo Corrigan and Matt Belford before Belford guided one into the hands of the fielder. The run rate was healthy throughout the first session and Corrigan was the only other man to fall before drinks and the Doctors looked on track to make a sizeable total. However, after the drinks break the team was stifled and lost wickets at regular intervals only adding another 30 odd runs at the close of the innings, setting Mater Hill a small total of 107 to chase.

The equation was simple and the plan was straightforward, now it was all about execution. England was thrown the ball and opened up from the Old Cleveland Road end and started with the trademark heat that he is known for. Combined with Glen McGrath-esque line and length from Rob Corrigan from the Stanley Road end, the partnership bowling resulted in possibly one of the best opening spells in Doctors history as the two tormented the opening batsmen. The pressure didn’t relent when Shamsul Kazi was brought replace England and Tony Pham for Corrigan and at drinks Mater Hill had been restricted to just 23 runs from 18 overs. Good bowling, excellent fielding and incessant chat had brought the Pitch Doctors right back into the game.

The Doctors continued to strangle Mater Hill after the break, but as they got more desperate, the bigger shots kept alluding fielders and they slowly clawed their way back into the game. The equation, with seven overs to go, was again simple, 38 runs required. It was now or never and so England was brought back to bowl his final two, as was Corrigan. However with two overs to go it was Anthony Whittle that was brought on to put more pressure on, however on the last ball of the over Mater Hill managed to squeeze it past a fielder for a boundary. Scores tied, it would take a miracle from here to win and Matt Belford, the certified net bowler was brought on and with his first ball for the Doctors took and a wicket and was destined to do the unbelievable, only to follow it up with a wide.

Doctors lose by 4 wickets