The scene was set for another rip roaring encounter between the Dubai Wanderers and Exiles in the DSL 9's Eliminator final on Friday morning - and it didn't disappoint!
Despite a late change to the starting XI due to injury, the Wanderers were back to full strength and were not too disappointed when they were asked to bat first. Runs on the board in a knockout match are always crucial and while skipper Dave Adams would have ideally liked more than the 169-8 his side eventually posted, it was a challenging total on a Sevens Stadium pitch that is beginning to have the feel of tiredness after so much cricket on it in recent months.
Openers Jack Luffman and Will Parkinson got the innings off to a positive start and posted the highest partnership of the innings. The pair put on 59 before both falling in the ninth over of the innings. Parkinson was first to go, looking to go over the top, and Luffman followed two balls later after chopping on to a delivery that kept low. Both had looked in decent touch and coupled some hard hitting with good running between the wickets, a feature of the Wanderers' side throughout and certainly one area where they clearly outperformed their opposition.
A rebuild was needed and in the shape of Clint Berkenshaw and young Ethan Dsouza, the men in pink and blue had just the right combination. Dsouza is fast becoming a main stay of the side and his calm and measured 23 was only ended via an LBW decision. Berkenshaw marshaled the innings extremely well and then showed his ability to accelerate with two huge sixes. He was well caught on the long on boundary for a superb 49. Adams, Ash Connick and Thinus Steyn all made contributions towards the final total.
Wanderers knew they had to get off to a flying start with the ball to build the pressure and once again opening bowlers Nav Naidoo and Kamran Shaheen did not disappoint. On this occasion it was Naidoo who claimed the first two wickets of the innings, one well caught by Luffman at first slip, as his accuracy and pace was rewarded. The third wicket soon fell via an excellent piece of fielding from Berkenshaw, running around from mid-wicket to pick the ball up one handed and throw the wickets down off balance. These two pieces of fielding set the bench mark for the rest of the innings as, much like their running between the wickets, the Wanderers clearly out performed the Exiles in another, often forgotten, key element of the game.
At 21-3 the Exiles were in deep trouble, however a partnership of 60 between their best two players then ensued. In this period the Wanderers had again bowled well, Steyn and, in particular, Berkenshaw bowled with intelligence and skill to keep boundary hitting at a minimum.
The partnership was finally broken thanks to another super direct hit run out, this time from Parkinson who swooped in from cover to pick up one handed and remove the Exiles skipper.
From that point on Wanderers had control of the game and off-spinners Connick and 16-year-old Kaviyan Elan bowled impressively under pressure. Connick, the more senior of the two, stood up to the pressure well and eventually finished with 2-29 form his five overs.
Naidoo and Berkenshaw, who was rewarded with a wicket for himself, returned to bowl the death overs and despite some impressive, lusty blows from Durrani, the win was secured.
In truth, the game on paper looked closer than it was as the Wanderers, on the day, were clearly the better side in all facets of the game.
Next on the agenda for the Wanderers is the Cricket 7s this weekend followed by the DSL 9 semi-final versus Valley Boyz on December 11th.
For full scorecard follow the lionk https://cricheroes.in/scorecard/2533354/Wombats-DSL-Premier-3A/Dubai-Wanderers-DSL-vs-Exiles-CC-DSL
Club Coach Clint Berkenshaw was rightly awarded the DSL Player of the Match award thanks to his brilliant 49, superb run out and stellar figures of 1-17 from his five overs.
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