This was an absolute demolition from United. Hippos fought back through Gooch's extraordinary innings but it only showed how badly they depend on him in all three departments. They'd be glad though that the captain at least allowed them to salvage the one bonus point somehow, which United's previous 200-chasing opponent couldn't do. The start of the innings was like the last one, with Hook getting out early. It was Jones' 10 (7) that slowed the batting down. Marko Vaik came and couldn't offer much either, and Gooch had more and more to do despite the dropped catches. 34 runs in the final over offered a bit of respectability to the total.
10
overs
173/2score
6
1
1
4
4
5wd
7nb
6
runs
Steffan Gooch*
127(38)
Marko Vaik
10(9)
Adithyavishnu Vaikkath
0/34
9.6 Adithyavishnu Vaikkath to Steffan Gooch, SIX! Gooch comes dancing down the track and slams this length delivery a shade outside off and goes well over the long on fence.
9.5 Adithyavishnu Vaikkath to Steffan Gooch, SIX! No ball! That was on a length around middle, Steffan comes down the track and slams it away well over the deep square leg fence.
9.5 Adithyavishnu Vaikkath to Steffan Gooch, FIVE WIDES! Gooch comes down the track and the bowler sends it wide down leg, evades the keeper and off to the fence it goes.
9.5 Adithyavishnu Vaikkath to Steffan Gooch, FOUR! Fuller-length well outside off, Gooch comes down the track and goes slashing at that, just clears short third man and off to the fence it goes.
9.4 Adithyavishnu Vaikkath to Steffan Gooch, FOUR! On a fuller-length around the middle stump channel, swings it across the line and gets it away past the backward point fielder for a boundary.
9.3 Adithyavishnu Vaikkath to Marko Vaik, Vaik makes some space and digs out the yorker towards widish long-off for a single.
9.2 Adithyavishnu Vaikkath to Steffan Gooch, pulls away the back of a length delivery straight to thee deep square leg fielder and takes a single.
9.1 Adithyavishnu Vaikkath to Steffan Gooch, SIX! On a length around the middle stump and that has been muscled away well over the deep midwicket fence. Absolutely clobbered from his presence.
An incredible hundred from Gooch. The skipper is led from the front despite not getting any support from his teammates. Memorable knock for him.
9
overs
139/2score
2
1
1
6
6
1
runs
Steffan Gooch*
100(32)
Marko Vaik
9(8)
Murali Obili
0/36
8.6 Murali Obili to Steffan Gooch, Gooch turns away the good-length delivery around middle, towards the square leg region and completes a well deserved century.
8.5 Murali Obili to Steffan Gooch, SIX! Gooch is on 99. Fuller-length a shade outside off which has been sliced away up and over the widish long-off fence and that comfortably clears the fence.
8.4 Murali Obili to Steffan Gooch, SIX! That has been launched well over the deep cover fence. On a length well outside off, clears his front leg and slams it up and over the fielder's head.
8.3 Murali Obili to Marko Vaik, Vaik comes down the track and jams away the fuller one around middle, down towards long on for a single.
8.2 Murali Obili to Steffan Gooch, swings away the fuller one around off, down towards the deep midwicket region and takes a single.
8.1 Murali Obili to Steffan Gooch, low full toss well wide outside off, squeezed away towards the cover region and comes racing back for a brace.
Two overs to go. The target is completely out of reach but the Hippos really need to get that one point. It'd not shatter their confidence at least.