2nd Metropolitan Cup – Santiago vs

Dean Ilott26-Apr-2003Santiago gleaned a measure of compensation from a disappointing MetropolitanCricket Cup campaign with a clinical 7-wicket dispatching of a depletedPrince of Wales Country Club (PWCC) line-up at the Craighouse fields onSaturday. The defeat left PWCC in bottom (fourth) place in the2002/3 Chilean cricket season.PWCC openers Clinton Porteous and Dean Ilott started well enough. They puton 51, on an unpredictable pitch and against some genuinely fast bowling.Even Ilott (17), who normally bats like he’s on Valium, got into the actwith some positive shots and sound defense.Porteous was at his dashing best, using his feet well and not afraid to hitover the top. He contributed 31 before he became Santiago skipper JayAnglin’s first victim when he gave mid-off some catching practice.But that was as good as it got for PWCC. Porteous’ dismissal triggered a sadprocession of batsmen to and from the pavilion. Anglin and off-spinner PeteSmith ripped through a sorry middle and lower order that seemed to lack boththe gumption and skill to make a fight of it. Hardly troubling the scorer,the remaining batsmen capitulated from 51/0 to 66 for the loss of 8 wickets(all out). Destroyer-in-chief Anglin’s incisive inswing and looping bouncebagged five wickets, while Smith, playing in his last game in Chile beforeheading home to Australia, took three with his skidding off-spin.The pitch dried during the day, making batting an easier proposition lateron. PWCC’s Ian Scott and Ilott sent back three Santiago batsmen early on torestore some respectability to the scoreline. But Simon Shaulders wasn’tgoing anywhere, and he found a willing ally in Edwin Huysing. The pair sawoff the opening bowlers, and the pie-throwers who followed, knocking off thewinning runs with more than 20 of their allotted 35 overs to spare.But 3rd spot must be cold comfort for Santiago, who must have expected tohave at least made the Metropolitan Cup final. They will be askingthemselves why they saved their best performance for last after losing allthree of their fixtures.For PWCC, it was a poor way to go out after such a strong showing early on.Their unsung bowling attack proved to be a match for the other teams, andtheir fielding was solid, but their glass-jaw middle order just wasn’t goodenough.The day ended with a quick double-wicket beer match, which was played ingood spirits. But I suspect Santiago’s Blair Douglas was drinking shandies.