KMCC dash to second consecutive victory
Despondency was changed to ecstasy over the period of 44 overs for KMCC at the RCG today. A lost toss and an afternoon chasing leather had left Kirkby dispirited at tea and disorganised for the first 45 overs of the game. After two relatively quick breaks early on by Goldie and the Cat a 170 run partnership by the Ripley middle order had blown Kirkby's bowling into next week . However as 275 seemed an inevitability Duncan ensured some sort of order on his return and Gouty picked up a couple of quick wickets to restrict the Ripley score to less than 250 - the innings closed on 245-6.
The Ripley side entered the field in high spirits confident of victory after tea and when finally the Cat and CH-C emerged they battled through the opening overs more in hope than expectation. However as the scoreboard ticked a glimmer of light appeared at the end of the KMCC tunnel and although C H-C sucumbed on 39 with the score at 94 the foundation had been laid for an amazing run chase. Iain "the daddy" Fraser entered the fray and started an innings that will go down in Kirkby folklore. When Cat fell on 69 his first fifty in Kirkby colours victory was still along way away 138-2 with 13 overs remaining. Wookie back from his tour of duty injected the pace into the innings with a quickfire 20 and although the required rate peaked at 10 an over Bradleys cameo kept the game going. The Fraser twins now together at the wicket showed their vast experience and Iain was now in full swing smashing several huge sixes despite Ripley's large boundaries. Duncan smote and nurdled where necessary and steadily the run rate fell from 9 to 8 to 7 until only 18 were required from the final 3 overs. Iain smote three more fours and saw Kirkby home with 6 balls to spare not out on 76. Another magnificent innings from Ripley's nemesis had ensured KM maintained bragging rights over their erstwile second division comrades.
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