11/02/2024
JUST HAD THIS FROM A CUSTOMER. THANK YOU, JONATHAN.
I feel I need to share the drama of my first ever Dice Cricket game with someone - and thought you, as the makers, may like to know.
I was given the game as a present by my wife a few days ago - and on a day off today thought I’d give it a go - playing at T20 game between the West Indies and England.
Batting first, the West Indies made a very competitive 202-4* with all the top order batters contributing decent totals. Only Topley could stem the flow of runs for England while Rashid did at least pick up 3 vital, if expensive, wickets.
Jos Buttler ordered his team to begin the chase on wild slog mode - and he led the way crashing a 17 ball half century. But with wickets tumbling around him it seemed a foolhardy approach when he was 5th man out with the score only on 71.
Enter Sam Curran and Harry Brook - who rebuilt superbly - putting together a partnership of more than an hundred, batting at the more sensible standard T20 pace. Their brilliance meant they were still at the crease as the last over began - with 12 needed to win off Rovman Powell’s over. Buttler ordered his batters to up the pace to ‘accelerated’.
After a four from Curran off the first ball it looked game over. Then Powell struck - dismissing Curran LBW. 8 to win off 4 - with a new man at the crease. In comes Woakes who scrambles a 2 before seemingly putting the result beyond doubt by crashing the next ball to the fence. 2 needed off 2, surely game over. A single from Woakes brought the scores level - leaving Brook with the task of knocking off the winning run.
Unbelievably the final ball went to an appeal. The West Indies go up as do the crowd - Woakes and Brook on their haunches. Tension all around as they awaited the third umpires call … a single bye to England! Enough for a final ball win. My heart was genuinely racing!
What a match - and what a game. Thanks for making it, it’s given me a brilliant afternoon of entertainment. I hope my future matches live up to this drama!
(I like to think what happened on that final ball was Brook swung and missed, Woakes ran through, the keeper threw at the stumps and hit - but Woakes made his ground by inches after numerous TV replays.)
*There was some controversy as my rusty scoring meant when checking the scores the Windies may actually have scored 206 according to the bowling figures - which could have given them victory. But there cannot be such a classic match without some debate over the outcome (see World Cup final 2019!)
Scorecard attached.
Many thanks
