Thursday night, amidst the vast open spaces of Kings and Selwyn, UCLES beat Metallurgy by 31 runs to secure a second victory in a heady and magical 24 hours. The triumph, watched by President Murray and senior pro Ladds, was dominated by one of the greatest individual innings in UCLES cricket history.
Lawrence won the toss and elected to have first use of a wicket that hid it's secrets well beneath patches of wheat and small communities of grass. Linsdell and Lawrence opened the UCLES innings against an attack spearheaded by a young man bowling with run-up long enough to be the landing strip for a 747.
The pair coped admirably with the speed merchant, picking up runs elegantly between wicket-keeper and slips and bruises between knee and hip . Lawrence eventually became his only victim, trapped lbw for 13.
The skipper's departure brought Monk to the crease and having survived a torrid spell of bowling from the man who began his run-up in a different postcode, UCLES' lead batsman began to find his rhythm.
Linsdell's dismissal for 30 brought Siyambalapitiya to the crease and the all-rounder played the perfect straight-man to Monk's sharp batting wit. In the space of 45 frantic minutes, Monk introduced the hapless ball to new and exciting areas of Cambridge with a succession of smooth and masterful blows.
Cutting, pulling, driving and occasionally edging the ball with uncompromising power, the UCLES No.3 reached three figures in the final over, ultimately ending the innings unbeaten on 110, having struck 5 sixes and 14 fours from a paltry 56 deliveries. Siyambalapitiya's not insignificant contribution had seen him through to an unbeaten 23 out of a massive total of 188-2.
If UCLES thought that the game was over as a contest, they were quickly brought down to earth by a Metallurgy opening pair that took on Danson and Wilson to reach 30 before the end of the 3rd over. Danson wrestled back some much-needed control before Siyambalapitiya and Braithwaite began drying up runs like an expensive kitchen towel. Braithwaite finally reduced the pressure by supplying the weary Monk with a catch at mid-wicket before Siyambalapitiya produced one of the deliveries of the season to bowl the other Metallurgy opener who had raced to 50.
Though run-scoring remained heavy, UCLES continued to take wickets, thus making the run chase less and less realistic. Eventually Wilson returned off ten paces to join the impressive Siyambalapitiya and Braithwaite at the wicket-taking party and remove any lingering doubts. At the end of Thighe's match-closing over, Metallurgy had fallen 31 runs short at 157-9.
Another solid all-round performance from UCLES with notable contributions from Siyambalapitiya and Braithwaite with the ball and Siyambalapitiya with the bat. The game will however be long remembered for Monk's 56-ball annihilation - the stuff of legends.
