Thank **** for that, we made hard work of what should have been fairly simple, especially given how we'd played upto that.
Nah DWTA. Given the conditions, it was ridiculous that anyone lasted to score more than 20 on that pitch on the last day. Once they broke the Jewis/Ames partnership there was always going to be a collapse because it was turning square and they had four spinners, one of which is top-class bowler. Big effort in the final innings but we just left ourselves way too much to do in it - it was the fielding/bowling in the first innings that cost us, not the fourth innings batting. It was actually awesome. Then again, you may be right - you're the choking expert. You do play for the Cyclones afterall.
And our quotient looking rather delightful! Best batting, best bowling. Just need a result against the 'Saders. If we don't the Stickies could go top
316/3, needing 98 runs to win? You'd had to have real hopes of winning that. Obviously it was still a fine effort on that pitch against that attack but after being in the position you were it could easily qualify as a choke. It wasn't going to be a routine victory but you were in the driving seat and threw it away. Your first innings fielding/bowling probably cost you more, you're right. Still doesn't mean you were in a position to win the match and then threw it away. Was fully expecting a Cyclones/yet to hit a ton comment.
The game was in the balance, it was still 50/50 IMO. You under-estimate how hard it is for new batsmen on a fifth day Unkindness pitch - once they took a wicket it was always going to be followed by a collapse. It's not a choke every time someone loses the game.
I still think 98 with 7 wickets in hand is more than achievable. It was a phenomenal effort to get you to the position where you were. Just once you were in said position, you should've won IMO. Obviously agree to didsagree.
There's a big difference between something being achievable and something being expected. Obviously we could've won from there, but it was far from a forgone conclusion that could only be changed via exceptional circumstances which is what a choke requires. Losing a close game is not a choke.
Well when I was following it I was expecting you to win. So I feel like you choked. I'm not saying it was a bad performance by any stretch, as I said before it took some exceptional batting to get you into that position. However, after being that position, I'd be disappointed to lose if I were you. I'm not you though.
Yeah, I wasn't expecting a win as I was simming it tbh. I thought it was 50/50 given the pitch conditions and the likelihood of one wicket resulting in all the wickets after that falling for **** all, which is what happened. We basically needed to get within 30 before we lost Eds/Jewis and we didn't.