The thing about Test cricket that Americans can't seem to stomach is the high percentage of draws. With 5 days of play, weather factors and the 'high price of losing', going for a tie becomes a strategic goal that can't be avoided, no matter how distasteful to our American sensibilities it might be.
The shorter forms of cricket have, however, found a solution to this problem: the Super Over!
If a game ends in a tie, one over is bowled to each side - the most runs winning, with wickets lost acting as a tiebreaker.
Yesterday's match provided some rare drama, with the US losing the toss and being put into bat. Dan and John Paul started steadily enough, batting 4 overs without losing a wicket; but with only 8 runs on the board, the rate was a little too low to be competitive - 20+ runs would be considered average.
Both openers fell in the next over, however, but Joe's consecutive fours made the loss of the wickets worthwhile. Leah debuted in her first match, but succumbed to Brian's wily medium pacers after only three balls. Brian then bagged Jon's wicket, and finished the job two overs later by getting Joe out for a three-wicket haul.
Set 31 to win, England found conditions were not ideal for scoring either, with Brian being caught behind in the first over, and Barrie being bowled in the fourth. But due to some sloppy bowling, (9 extras) England were at 16 for 2 and halfway to their target when Max took the crease. Two fours off Chris immediately put England ahead. Jon "Jonnycakes" Endres came in to bowl, and after two wides saw the scores become level, he removed David and Saul with two wickets of Biblical proportions, and the stage was set for some high drama.
With one wicket remaining, England needed one run of 18 balls, so Chris came in to bowl and surrounded the batsman with fielders to create pressure and hopefully induce Max into playing a bad shot.
4 balls later, a swing and a miss saw Max's bails flying through the air and the first Super Over in BCCC history was about to take place!
England scored four runs and lost one wicket in their allotted six balls, while the USA had a chance to win with a six on the last ball, but came up short. England wins for the third time in a row!
USA
Dan - 4
John Paul - 5
Joe - 11
Leah - 0
Jon - 4
Chris - 2*
Extras - 4
--------------
TOTAL - 30
ENGLAND
Barrie - 1
Brian - 0
David - 8
Max - 11
Saul - 0
Mick - 0*
EXTRAS - 10
---------------
TOTAL - 30
SUPER OVER
England 4/1
USA - 0/1
The shorter forms of cricket have, however, found a solution to this problem: the Super Over!
If a game ends in a tie, one over is bowled to each side - the most runs winning, with wickets lost acting as a tiebreaker.
Yesterday's match provided some rare drama, with the US losing the toss and being put into bat. Dan and John Paul started steadily enough, batting 4 overs without losing a wicket; but with only 8 runs on the board, the rate was a little too low to be competitive - 20+ runs would be considered average.Both openers fell in the next over, however, but Joe's consecutive fours made the loss of the wickets worthwhile. Leah debuted in her first match, but succumbed to Brian's wily medium pacers after only three balls. Brian then bagged Jon's wicket, and finished the job two overs later by getting Joe out for a three-wicket haul.
Set 31 to win, England found conditions were not ideal for scoring either, with Brian being caught behind in the first over, and Barrie being bowled in the fourth. But due to some sloppy bowling, (9 extras) England were at 16 for 2 and halfway to their target when Max took the crease. Two fours off Chris immediately put England ahead. Jon "Jonnycakes" Endres came in to bowl, and after two wides saw the scores become level, he removed David and Saul with two wickets of Biblical proportions, and the stage was set for some high drama.
With one wicket remaining, England needed one run of 18 balls, so Chris came in to bowl and surrounded the batsman with fielders to create pressure and hopefully induce Max into playing a bad shot.
4 balls later, a swing and a miss saw Max's bails flying through the air and the first Super Over in BCCC history was about to take place!
England scored four runs and lost one wicket in their allotted six balls, while the USA had a chance to win with a six on the last ball, but came up short. England wins for the third time in a row!
USA
Dan - 4
John Paul - 5
Joe - 11
Leah - 0
Jon - 4
Chris - 2*
Extras - 4
--------------
TOTAL - 30
ENGLAND
Barrie - 1
Brian - 0
David - 8
Max - 11
Saul - 0
Mick - 0*
EXTRAS - 10
---------------
TOTAL - 30
SUPER OVER
England 4/1
USA - 0/1
