Institute for Australia India Engagement v QPS Commissioner’s XI
Goodwill Cup
17 September 2022 at Allan Border Field
Despite rain on Friday, it stayed away for Saturday’s event at Allan Border field. Teams boasted First Class talent in the form of Matthew Hayden (IAIE) and Luke Feldman (QPS). IAIE won the toss and elected to field first.
QPS were on their heels immediately when Dan Field was bowled by Rohit Haldar second ball. Paul Bonney was joined by Redlands team mate, Justin Kersey and the pair added 37 from 36 balls before Kersey attempted a third consecutive boundary and was caught. Paul Bonney then exploded into action smashing 24 from his next 10 deliveries before being bowled in the 10th over. The IAIE bowling was tight restricting QPS to singles over the next five overs. (Who knew Matt Hayden was an all rounder? 3-0-12-0). Even so, Jake Coolwell and Ray Atkinson accumulated 45 from 52 balls before Atkinson’s dismissal in the 19th over. 16 from the last over took QPS to a reasonable 129 from their allocated 20.
Cultural performances by Aboriginal dancers during the innings break were well received before players took the field for the second “dig”.
Matthew Hayden and Ketan Mahajan were dominant in an undefeated 79 run opening partnership. Matt Hayden wound back the clock smashing 7 fours and 6 sixes in a knock of 74 from 43 balls. Umpire Matt Shaw offered to donate $50 if Hayden could put one into his own stand and was nearly out of pocket when the next delivery was deposited into the admin block adjacent. Ketan graciously retired at the end of 11 overs to allow his team mates a bat. Bizarrely, his replacement was out second ball to make it 1/84. Hayden was finally out bowled by Mitch O’Hara in the 15th and the new batter was trapped in front two balls later to make it 3/113. Nine balls later, a stumping by Ryan Baillie off Darryl Johnson made it 4/114 and a mix-up at the ned of the same over saw an alert Paul Bonney under-arm a throw to the bowler to complete a run-out; 5/117. Dan Field disturbed the furniture three balls later and all of sudden, 129 looked like a good score. IAIE had lost 5/4 in 20 balls. As is often the case in T20s, a couple of lucky edges found there way to the boundary and just like that the target was overhauled in the 19th over. A win to IAIE by 4 wickets.
Some Bollywood dancing rounded out the cultural performances and food trucks were on hand to continue the festivities.
