CHEESE AND AYLA STEAL DAY 2 AFTER MUDDY 5-FER

Day 2 of the Exhibition match between Natalie's XI and Dorsy's XI will forever be remembered as a tale of two batsman. After Natalie's XI a promising total of 284, Cheese and Ayla joined each other in the centre of Strikaland International Sporting Complex 2 wickets down, with 71 runs on the board. They combined in destroying Natalie's bowling attack, and hitting 196 together in just over 31 overs, at over a run a ball - NOT OUT.

Natalie's XI resumed play at 6/176, and only managed a further 3 runs before Kayn lost his middle stump to Muddy. Tulip followed a couple of overs later, LBW to Muddy for 13. With 3 wickets remainign in the innings, Muddy had 5 wickets! He raised the ball to the loud crowd of 48,000 with a wide smile.

Spine joined Wishy at the crease in a dour situation. The two put their heads down, and worked their way past a possible batting collapse. They then countered, pounding good balls through the offside for regular boundaries. When Spine was dismissed by Coral in the 61st over, the score had grown to 251 - a 65 run partnership in just above 11 overs.

Wallop came in and managed to survive long enough with his baseball technique to allow Wishy time to get his 50 with three straight fours. Wishy would eventually be dismissed on 61 from 54 balls with 7 fours, ending the innings on 284 after 66.2 overs. Muddy finished best of the bowlers with figures of 5/61 from 17 overs (3 maidens). Coral took 3/49 off her 11.2 overs (4 maidens), and Knighto and Dorsy also picked up a wicket each.

Berry and Finnie opened the batting for Dorsy's XI and endured a tough period early on, scoring only 11 off the first 6 overs. Wishy and Kayn lost their line, however, and all of a sudden, the score had blown out to 39 after 10 overs, and then 54 after 12. Berry and Finnie looked invincible; Natalie's XI needed some luck - and luck they got. After pummeling a four through point, Berry middled a good-length ball on the legside straight to leg slip, a lucky breakthrough for Wallop and Natalie's XI just when they needed it most.

Finnie and Cheese slowed consolidated for a short time, but Finnie soon became Wallop's second victim, trapped in front LBW for 28. Ayla joined Cheese at the crease, batting at the unfamilar position of 4. Together, they worked their ones and twos, ensuring not to give any more chances, and get themsleves set.

After 5-6 overs of toil, both Ayla and Cheese got a couple of boundaries away, and the scoring rate increased dramatically. They both pounced on anything legside, scoring the majority of their runs through midwicket and square leg. They picked the score up to 2/127 after 30 overs, a partnership of 56 from about 14 overs. They didn't stop there, the score sky-rocketing at 8 runs an over for the next 10. Ayla and Cheese both brought up there fifties in good time, and continued to score freely. They took 17 off Lime's only over, and 56 off a 5-over period between overs 38 and 42. The scoreboard reached 200 in the 40th over, and read 2/244 after 46.

With two overs left in the day, Cheese, on strike, was on 89. Ayla was on 94. Cheese belted two straight fours from the first two balls of Wallop's final over of the day, moving on to 97. She wasted no time getting to her century, behind a legside ball behind square for 3. It was a rather subdued celebration, but emotional never the less. Ayla took a single off the next ball, and Cheese got another on the last ball of the over, retaining the strike.

Wishy stayed in the bowling attack with a mission to give Ayla nightmares tonight. There is nothing worse than spending a night on 90-odd. Cheese got her back on strike on the second ball, leaving her 4 balls to get 5 runs. Sure enough, Ayla pulled a shortish delivery through square leg for another 4. On the very next ball, she played a delicate on-drive through the infield, picking up two and her century! Her helmet came off, her fist punched the air, and the two batsman came together, celebrating a mammoth unbeaten partnership of 194 (from just 187 balls!). Dorsy's XI finished Day 2 in a commanding position of 2/265 from just 48 overs!

For the full scorecard, click here

#CheesedeLicious #AylaMontreal #FluroCasawell #CRICKETExhibition #SCA