USSS Cricket Thread

[Swaithlying]

The 2022 Provincial Championship kicks off this May, with 22 rounds of four day cricket action to excite and entertain. The Ministry of Sport released a statement prior to the first round of fixtures that confirmed rumours that the points system would be seeing yet another overhaul, after the radt of bonus points in the season last year skewed results towards high-scoring draws. The system retains 16 points for a win, but with 7 points for a draw instead of 8, 2 being awarded to a side that lost with a first innings lead in a draw or defeat. Both batting and bowling points have slightly higher thresholds, making them more rewarding when reached, and placing the importance back on winning matches. Teams behind the over rate are now deducted a point for every over, and deductions for inadequate pitches or similar offences as well.

ROUND ONE

The deductions immediately come into the spotlight as the Archipelago are docked 8 points for their match against Wessex, that saw only 122 overs of play before a positive result, and spin from both ends. They have appealed the decision, and this will be adjudged again in a short time. Only one match was a draw, between the defending champions Iova and Kingsway, with D. Boshielo being the only centurion of the match after F. Duffy was denied on 96 in Kingsway's first innings. North Island stamped their early dominance as they cruised to an innings win over long-suffering Greenlakes, whilst Hallows did enough to stave off the efforts of Limestone's lower order and win by 16 runs after M. Calderón holed out chasing a double century in the opening week.

RESULTS OF ROUND ONE

Wessex (3pts) 139 (43.3) & 70 (22.4)
Archipelago (11pts) 200 (52.2) & 10/2 (5.1)

Archipelago wins by 8 wickets (Home side) (APPEAL PENDING)

St. George (21pts) 323 (108.1) & 216 (56.4)
East Territory (4pts) 289 (73. 2) & 147 (48.3)

St. George wins by 103 runs (away)

Emerald (3pts) 101 (33) & 326 (91.5)
Phoenix (19pts) 212 (61.5) & 221/8 (65.4)

Phoenix win by 2 wickets (away)

Greenlakes (3pts) 173 (54.5) & 138 (45.4)
North Island (21pts) 317 (100.4)

North Island win by an innings and 6 runs (away)

Hallowa (21pts) 319 (95.2) & 242 (70.5)
Limestone (3pts) 182 (39.1) & 363 (94.4)

Hallowa win by 16 runs (home)

Kingsway (13pts) 418 (129.5) & 169/5d (54)
Iova (10pts) 240 (94.2) & 242/9 (82)

Match drawn


TABLE AFTER ROUND ONE

Hallowa 21pts
North Island 21pts
St. George 21pts
Phoenix 19pts
Kingsway 13pts
Archipelago 11pts
Iova 10pts
East Territory 4pts
Emerald 3pts
Wessex 3pts
Greenlakes 3pts
Limestone 3pts

ROUND TWO

Round two saw several large victories, as Phoenix hammered Hallowa by 226 runs with an enormous 531/6d in their second inning, leaving the tribe just 20 overs short of saving the match, whilst Iova beat North Island by a convincing 106 runs. There was again only one draw, as Kingsway were set a nominal 370 for victory in less than a day's play after Limestone scored 283/7d in their second innings. Elsewhere, the news was that Archipelago's appeal had been rejected, and the points for the poor pitch would be upheld.

RESULTS OF ROUND TWO

Wessex (6pts) (262 (72.2) & 171 (46)
East Territory (20pts) 252 (78.1) & 220 (48.3)

East Territory win by 39 runs

Emerald (3pts) 237 (70.3) & 155 (46.1)
Archipelago (21pts) 303 (99) & 93/2 (30.3

Archipelago win by 8 wickets

Greenlakes (5pts) 302 (93.2) & 168 (64)
St. George (21pts) 341 (107) & 130/0

St. George win by 10 wickets

Phoenix (19pts) 191 (61.5) & 531/6d (137)
Hallowa (5pts) 222 (64.4) & 274 (77.3)

Phoenix win by 226 runs

Iova (19pts) 190 (65.4) & 254 (81.5)
North Island (3pts) 168 (57.4) & 170 (63.2)

Iova win by 106 runs

Limestone (13pts) 336 (125.2) & 283/7d (79.1)
Kingsway (9pts) 249 (72.4) & 247/7 (84)

Match Drawn

TABLE AFTER TWO ROUNDS

St. George 42pts
Phoenix 38pts
Archipelago 32pts
Iova 29pts
Hallowa 26pts
North Island 24pts
East Territory 24pts
Kingsway 22pts
Limestone 16pts
Wessex 9pts
Greenlakes 8pts
Emerald 6pts

[Swaithlying]

Province        PD W  D   L  BP Points
North Island    22 15  4   3  93  361 
Wessex          22 12  5   5  97  324 
East Territory  22 10  7   5  110 319
Hallowa         22 10  4   8  96  284 
Limestone       22 7  8   7   106 274
Emerald         22 8  4   10  107 263
St. George      22 10  0  12  99  259
Phoenix         22  7  5  10  111 258
Iova            22  6  6  10  103 241
Greenlakes      22  8  3  11  88  237
Kingsway        22  7  4  11  81  221
Archipelago     22  6  3  13  94  211

(16pts for a win, 7 pts for a draw, 1-3 bowling bonus, 1-5 batting bonus, 2pts for first innings lead in draw or loss)

St. George started well out of the blocks, winning their first five matches and placing themselves top of the table early on. However, they ran into a few problems in the middle of the season, with several key injuries in their batting lineup meant they struggled to close out several matches that should by all rights have ended in a draw, and dropped down to the midpack, never recovering. Hallowa and North Island jostled for a while, with East Territory and Wessex joining the fray by the one day cup knockout-stage break after 16 games. Wessex in particular felt as though they had a strong chance of winning their first Provincial title of the millenium, especially after beating main title challenger North Island home and away, but some other poor performances against lesser opposition saw them fall short, whilst North Island's otherwise consistency and several key wins on the final stretch saw them comfortably bag the title with two rounds to spare.

ONE DAY CUP

GROUP ONE       PD W  L N/R  BP Points  NRR                                                                           
Kingsway        10 8  2  0   0    24    0.82
East Territory  10 7  3  0   0    21    0.64 
Phoenix         10 5  5  0   0    18    -0.3
North Island    10 4  5  1   2    15    -0.2
Greenlakes      10 4  5  1   2    15    -0.47
Archipelago     10 2  8  0   4    10    -0.44

GROUP TWO       PD W  L N/R  BP Points  NRR
Wessex          10 8  2  0   2    26    0.89
Hallowa         10 5  5  0   2    17    0.1 
St. George      10 5  5  0   1    16    0.22
Emerald         10 4  6  0   4    16    -0.5
Iova            10 5  5  0   0    15    0.1
Limestone       10 3  7  0   2    11    -0.76