Club Cricket Challenge 2018 - Semifinals and Final

Today, we complete the Club Cricket Challenge, crowning the top club from the remaining four. First up, the semifinals, beginning with...

Prime hosting Humanity Senior 1 after receiving the option to play the first semifinal series. Kayla attacked with great pace, scoring 659 for HS1 on the initial turn. Acorn started casually and then surged to 839 for Prime, putting them ahead after the first turn. Chelsea tried to attack with pace, but she deflected a ball into her wicket to end at 274 as HS1 falls into a tough position. Snuggle answered with 625 for Prime, his poor group stage form a distant memory now. Jennifer had only 220 for HS1, facing resistance from the opponents' bowling. Sweetheart kept the Prime offense healthy, attacking with 681 to boost their lead. Caitlin caught a ball behind her bat on a backswing, ending with 225 as HS1 takes another stumble. Strut blasted 792 for Prime, continuing their relentless attack at the game's midpoint. Chris had a solid 416 for HS1, but it isn't likely to spark a comeback for the overwhelmed visitors. Oreo covered the damage with 456 for Prime, showing that they plan to back off from their attacking pace. Steven managed 313 for HS1, hardly making an impact for his team. Delila added a little more with 527 for Prime, who are well on their way to the final game now. Zach posted 445 for HS1, a hollow victory for him personally after three games on the bench. Goatee took a stumble at 145 for Prime, although the misstep is not likely to impact the result of the game. Shawn cobbled 504 together for HS1 at the end, leaving them at 3056 in their only loss in the competition. Mr. Snowman had only 96 for Prime, finishing their win at 4161. Prime is in the final, with the opponent determined by the winner of the next game.

Arguably the most dangerous team, Reality takes on the Cinderella-style Celebrity in the second semifinal. Lorde continued to be a dangerous starter for Celebrity, recording 514 to start this game. Patches edged Reality ahead with 550 on her turn, making it a close start. Sydney S. kept the pace consistent with 582 for Celebrity on the second attack. Spice answered with 714, restoring a slightly larger lead for Reality. Pauline fell at 304 for Celebrity, a slightly early exit that just covers the deficit. Dusty had a rough turn, hitting only 245 for Reality as their lead takes a small hit. Charli provided a stronger challenge with 407 for Celebrity, continuing the back-and-forth nature of this game. Puff II countered with 392, her conservative start not covered by a later surge. Mario continued to pressure the opposition, pulling in 480 as Celebrity proves persistent. Boots finally got Reality out of their rut, slamming 676 to gain a little separation. Daisy didn't meet the challenge, her middling 245 keeping Celebrity behind. Starlight covered the damage with 405 for Reality, a good move at this stage in the game. Taylor S. covered the deficit with 500 for Celebrity, reminding the hosts that it's not yet over. Twilight lost some of the lead with 361 on her turn, but Reality just needs to hold on for one more turn to advance. Melissa gathered 481 for Celebrity, forcing the hosts to respond to their final score of 3513. Twinkie I did enough with 405 to scrape Reality to a win at 3748. Reality's close call will have them on edge a bit more in the final.

Prime now faces Reality with the Club Cricket Challenge championship on the line as the top two teams clash. Patches gave 502 for Reality to build upon in the final. Acorn answered with 640 for Prime on their first turn, pulling the top-seeded team ahead. Spice replied with 545 for Reality, keeping their attacking pace strong. Snuggle took a step back with 467 for Prime, but they retain the lead through two turns. Dusty faltered again with just 64 for Reality, barely enough to cover the deficit. Sweetheart muscled up for 823 to give Prime a commanding lead. Puff II got stymied at 96 for Reality on her turn, deepening the deficit they face. Strut popped 407 to boost the Prime lead again at the midway mark of their championship march. Boots replied with 490 for Reality in an attempt to get their offense back on track. Oreo faded at 200 for Prime, potentially causing the tides to shift in this game's second half. Starlight attacked with 674 for Reality, carving most of the deficit out of the way. Delila mitigated the damage with 605 for Prime, keeping them comfortably ahead at the moment. Twilight couldn't make much on her turn with only 115, likely dooming Reality's comeback effort. Goatee didn't help the Prime cause much with 185 on her turn, but their lead remains large with one player left on each team. Twinkie I had some big swings, but fell at 264, confirming Reality's loss at 2750 thanks to Prime's unrelenting play on both sides of the ball. Easter's 308 capped Prime's win at 3635, a below-average effort but enough to claim the competition's Championship title.

Prime goes into next season with a special sense of unity among its members, who came together out of their own former clubs. Acorn is the MVP of the competition, as Prime's captain set the tone on offense with the first turn in all of their games and a competition single-game high score of 1684 when they clinched the #1 seed in the final group game against Humanity Junior.

Cricket will be out of action until the start of the regular season on January 1st, which will feature a 3-hour bonanza in the Select circuit. I am expecting the Heart of the Game 13-ball preseason pool tournament to begin shortly after the new year, with qualifiers likely during February and March.

Club Cricket Challenge 2018 - Quarterfinals

After a day off, we'll do the quarterfinals for the knockout rounds now. We begin with...

Humanity Senior 1 taking on an Oriental United side familiar with the other HS team from group play. Goldy started slow and then burst forward for 766 for OU on the first turn, showing her side's quality immediately. Kayla answered confidently with 661 for HS1, keeping the game close at first. Hoot shot back with 842 for OU, attacking with the same high-intensity offense as they did in the last game. Chelsea covered that damage with 852 for HS1, shrinking the deficit a tiny amount. Panda took a knock at 223 for OU, weakening their already fragile lead. Yekaterina had her first misstep for HS1 at the worst moment, hitting a paltry 96 as the chance to catch up goes wasted. Bells hauled in 553 for OU, pulling them out of danger with the positive turn. Caitlin changed that narrative with 729 for HS1, evening the game out at the midway mark. Sparkles picked up 425 for OU on her attack, rebuilding their lead partially. Chris shot back with 569 to pull HS1 ahead for the first time in the game. Shelley couldn't do much with 297 for OU, her worst performance of the competition. Steven cranked out a quick 405 for HS1, adding a little more to their lead. Paps didn't do enough to impress for OU with 260 on his turn, leaving them vulnerable. Katelynn just about matched it with 256 for HS1, keeping them ahead with a player each to go. Wild Thing forced a response with 470 for OU, giving them a total of 3836 for the game. Shawn locked up the win for HS1 at the end with 560 on the final turn, their winning total resting at 4128. HS1 awaits the winner of today's last series as their foe in the semifinals.

In the next quarterfinal, Youth Movement tries to record a third win against Group E rival Celebrity. Lorde took a step back from recent efforts, recording a strong 575 for Celebrity to start the game. Celestia, looking a bit overworked, fell at 176 as YM gets off to a slow start. Sydney S. hammered another 642 for Celebrity on the second attack, boosting their lead. Gradley seemingly had good pace, but only managed 320 for a faltering YM side that trails significantly here. Debby got forced onto her backhand and failed to make the right flick, falling at 195 on a poor turn for Celebrity. Valencia stormed back on 499 for YM, cutting into the deficit pretty well. Pauline countered with 429 for Celebrity, keeping them comfortably ahead at this stage of the game. Spirit had only 227 for YM, losing a bit of ground halfway through the game. Charli had a had swing that cut her down at 224 for Celebrity, negating their chance to grow the lead. Bianca wasted another chance for YM to get back into the game, her mediocre 211 costing them another turn. Daisy pummeled 784 for Celebrity in response, giving their lead a huge addition. Sierra matched the damage with 780 for YM, as the hosts are getting desperate for offense. Taylor S. made a last-second save but had to alter her swinging style, which didn't last long when she crashed out at 202 for Celebrity. Isabella had only 272 in response for YM, yet another wasted chance to catch up. Melissa showed no mercy in hitting 750 for Celebrity, giving them a total of 3801. Rosemary had a pathetic 85 for YM at the end, sending them to the loss at 2570. Celebrity's revenge win puts them in the semifinals against the winner of the next series.

A heavily favored Reality side welcomes Forest SC in what's expected to be the most brutal quarterfinal. Jake smacked 487 on the first turn for Forest SC, a respectable opener for the visitors. Patches answered with 434 for Reality, her strong pace fading later in the turn. Nikolai lacked pace for Forest SC, ending at 404 after a crawling turn. Spice connected for 740 to pull Reality noticeably ahead after two turns. Wings stumbled at just 177 for Forest SC, unable to cover his side's newfound deficit. Dusty replied with 582 with Reality, a firm attack to build strength in their lead. Dustin responded with 434 for Forest SC, attempting to keep his side within striking distance. Puff II lashed 840 for Reality, continuing to extend their lead at the halfway point. Bandit made a deep gash in the deficit with 713 for Forest SC, but they are still behind. Boots erased that damage with her own 740 for Reality to maintain their large lead. Jack had a middling 256 for Forest SC on his turn, not helping their comeback chances much. Starlight belted 900 for Reality, showing no mercy as the Group B winners are running away with this game. Roxy couldn't stop a ball with her backhand attempt, ending at only 272 as Forest SC crumbles under pressure. Reality continued to tee off for batting practice as Twinkie I picked up another 792. Graham ended with 441, sealing Forest SC's definitive loss at 3184. Stinky tapped 285 for Reality, icing their competition-record winning score at 5313. Reality takes on the #8 seed Celebrity after their previous upset victory.

The last quarterfinal sees Prime take on the only remaining coalition squad, CELYM. Gal initially lacked energy on her swings for CELYM, but she ended at 633 to open the scoring quite well. Acorn answered with 724 for Prime, a fantastic response to put them narrowly ahead. Peach didn't follow up all that well with only 313 for CELYM. Snuggle answered with 723 for Prime, essentially doubling their offense. Taylor M. had only 176, her inexperience showing against the veteran club as CELYM falls far behind. Sweetheart showed no mercy with 544 for Prime, keeping the top-seeded side comfortably ahead. Luigi made a positive contribution of 539 for CELYM, but they've got a steep climb to make if they want a comeback. Strut ripped 696 on an energized turn for Prime, who continue to dominate the game. Solaris grabbed 475 for CELYM, a decent turn from the third-year player. Oreo's pace crashed late in her turn, but she still had 714 to keep Prime building their lead. Wario was slow to react to a ball that got under his bat, ultimately costing him the turn at 659. Delila eased her way to 606 for Prime, maintaining the lead for another turn. Rosalina hurt CELYM's comeback odds by managing only 300 on her turn. Goatee covered that with 319 for Prime, as both teams slow down toward the end of the game. Waluigi bailed at 115 for CELYM, leaving them with a hard loss at 3210. Easter took 291 for Prime, capping their win at 4617. Prime hosts Humanity Senior 1 in the semifinals.

Tomorrow, we will put an end to the Club Cricket Challenge with both semifinal games likely in the morning followed by the final in the afternoon.

Club Cricket Challenge 2018 - Wild Card Round

The first part of the knockout rounds is here, with teams ranked 5-12 fighting for four spots in the quarterfinals. First up...

SCPRI represents Group C against CELYM, as two coalition teams battle it out in the first wild card match. Gal pummeled 833 for CELYM on the first turn of the game, a fantastic start from their new lead-off hitter. Leonette fought back with excellent form, scoring 832 to make it nearly even for SCPRI. Peach kept the intense pace going with 736 for CELYM, giving them a second chance at the lead. Frosty didn't get it all back, but her 644 keeps SCPRI close after two turns. Taylor M. continued the CELYM attack with 633, as the offense on both sides trickles a bit slower. Ms. Puppy fired back with 782 for SCPRI, making a gain in the incredibly competitive match. Luigi restored a lead with 669 for CELYM after briefly falling behind. Snowball bested that with 769 for SCPRI, carrying them further ahead at the halfway mark. Solaris took a step back with 414 for CELYM, his good pace not enough to cover a short outing. Diddley fought it off with 580, adding a little more to SCPRI's lead. Wario covered the deficit lightly with 548 on his turn for CELYM. Tigerette lost a portion of SCPRI's lead after hitting 436, but they remain ahead with two players left on each side. Rosalina flipped 512 for CELYM, keeping them in the game for another turn. Citrus lost more ground with 433 for SCPRI, who are just hanging onto a lead heading into the final turn. Waluigi managed 388 for CELYM, leaving them at 4733 overall in an excellent team game. Blizzard picked an awful time for an awful turn, hitting just 112 to give SCPRI the loss on a total of 4588. CELYM's dogged pursuit of offense sends them to a quarterfinal match against the top-ranked Prime team.

After splitting two games in Group F, BFFSCENT hosts Forest SC for a third and decisive meeting between the intertwined teams. Jake slapped 385 for Forest SC to lead off the game. Smokey answered with 326 for BFFSCENT, keeping it close after a turn. Nikolai lashed out with 603 for Forest SC, giving them a more confident lead this time. Cowzart sprayed 503 for BFFSCENT in response, losing a little more ground on the crazy turn. Wings hit 475 for Forest SC on his turn, a respectable effort to keep them ahead. Cubby stayed steady with 454 for BFFSCENT, the coalition remaining within striking distance. Dustin couldn't stop a high offering, ending at 408 as it bounced off his backhand and onto his wicket to end the turn for the Forest SC star. Rudolph provided 503 for BFFSCENT, cutting into the deficit a bit at the midway mark. Hershey had a middling 272 for Forest SC, further weakening their lead. Slinks stayed aggressive on her pace, clocking in at 434 for BFFSCENT in a somewhat short turn by swings. Jack attacked with 544 for Forest SC, trying to reignite their offense after slipping behind on the previous turn. Marsell stumbled with a paltry 164 for BFFSCENT, damaging the coalition's chances of a win. Roxy drilled 742 for Forest SC on the next turn, trying her best to secure their lead. Noelle flicked 379 for BFFSCENT, unable to cover the damage. Sally left a little vulnerability with only 128 for Forest SC, giving them a final score of 3557. Bright had the right idea to rally, but he ended at 345 for BFFSCENT, ending their competition with a loss at 3108. Both group winners that failed to earn a bye are now out, while the #11 Forest SC goes on to face Reality in the quarterfinals.

Bitter club rivals clash with their best players as Oriental United takes on Outcast. Violetta took no chances early on, producing a sturdy 631 for Outcast to start with. Goldy replied with 560 for Oriental United, keeping things close between the squad captains. Josie couldn't get a pace going for herself, ending at 239 as Outcast takes a knock. Hoot shot back with 424 for Oriental United, pulling them ahead after two turns. Potter popped 512 for Outcast to cover the deficit this time, a strong turn from the #3 hitter. Panda tapped 663 for Oriental United in response, adding a little more to their lead. Prism couldn't quite pick a corner at the end of her turn, falling with a strong 699 for Outcast. Bells answered with a crisp 629 for Oriental United, maintaining their lead at the game's midpoint. Summer maintained pressure against the hosts, recording 636 for Outcast here. Sparkles repelled the threat with 764 for Oriental United, who have managed their lead efficiently. Kodiak couldn't pull Outcast ahead again, falling with a poor 239. Shelley couldn't stop a ball from bouncing over her bat to knock out her wicket, ending her turn at 336 for Oriental United. Spot kept Outcast in the game with his 569, but this barely covered the deficit. Paps covered it with 602 for Oriental United, putting them a turn away from advancing. Hoppy had 345 for Outcast, leaving them at a total of 3870 in a loss. Wild Thing iced a win for Oriental United with his 575, giving them a final score of 4553. Oriental United is set to take on Humanity Senior 1 in the quarterfinals thanks to this win.

The last wild card game has Celebrity taking on the last game's coalition effort, OCOUENT. Cobalt tried to go with pace for OCOUENT, but his bad swings caught him at 290. Lorde clubbed 1055 for Celebrity, another fantastic turn from her at lead-off. Salmo hit a solid 450 for OCOUENT, but they remain noticeably behind anyway. Sydney S. shot back with 665 for Celebrity, adding to their lead on the second attack. Shiny hauled in 405 for OCOUENT, who are still losing ground with their turns. Pauline took a weaker turn with 341 for Celebrity, but they remain ahead. Dewey collected 597 for OCOUENT, making a large dent in the deficit. Charli fired back with 526 for Celebrity, limiting the damage done against her team. Chimpy helped OCOUENT to keep the pressure up, taking 602 to shrink the deficit again. Mario had a false start and then an awful attempt at blocking an offering, causing him to fall at 80 points for Celebrity. Ruby pushed OCOUENT ahead with 401 on her turn, challenging their hosts to make a move. Taylor S. regained the lead for Celebrity with her 276, but they are weakening at the wrong time. Chicky Phil had a chance to go for more, but he ended with 379 after a ball slipped off his backhand, putting OCOUENT in an interesting position. Melissa answered with 310, restoring an even smaller lead for Celebrity. Fuchsia came up weak with 186 for OCOUENT at the end, forcing the opposition to reply to their final score of 3310. Katharine had only 152 for Celebrity, but it was enough for them to take the win at 3405. Youth Movement will be Celebrity's next opponent after this narrow win.

We're set to play the quarterfinals tomorrow if everything goes to plan.

Club Cricket Challenge 2018 - Day 6

This is the last day for the group stage of the competition. We are currently planning on taking the six group winners and the next six best teams to the knockout stage, which begins with a wild-card round first. All knockout round matches are one game, to maximize home-field advantage for successful group-stage teams.

First, we have OCOUENT facing Humanity Senior, with the winner taking Group A. Kayla hit a respectable 417 for HS1 on the opening turn, giving them a decent lead to start with. Cobalt answered with 337 for OCOUENT, keeping things close initially. Chelsea hammered 919 for HS1 on the second turn, boosting their lead significantly. Salmo answered with 432, breaking out on a big pace before a high swing reined him in for OCOUENT. Yekaterina turned in another stable turn with 553 for HS1 to extend their lead again. Hughbert had a bad swing too soon in his turn, ending at 324 as OCOUENT just hasn't been able to match turns yet. Jennifer tapped 387 in a bit of a down turn for HS1, but they remain well ahead. Shiny made a little progress with 422 for OCOUENT, but they've got a long way to go at this game's halfway point. Caitlin poured on 710 for HS1 in an excellent surging attack that strengthens their lead. Dewey had a strong 576 for OCOUENT, desperately holding onto hopes of a comeback. Chris didn't do anything remarkable, scoring 364 to keep HS1's offense steady. Ruby maintained a fierce attack with 644 for OCOUENT, cutting into the deficit. Steven struck 584 for HS1, pacing his attack well to maintain the lead under some late pressure. Fuchsia swung early at one point, faltering at 371 as OCOUENT is likely to lose now. Katelynn tacked on 436 for HS1 at the end, capping their offense at 4370 for the game. Quincy had a meager 81 for OCOUENT, securing their loss and 2-2 finish at 3187. HS1 went perfect in the group stage, making them likely to have a first round-bye, while OCOUENT should make a wild-card appearance.

In Group B, Outcast welcomes Reality, with the latter needing a win or a loss by no more than 962 points to take the group. Patches picked up 656 for Reality on the first turn, a strong attack from the superstar. Violetta answered with 525 for Outcast, keeping the game close initially. Spice covered a lot of that with 425 for Reality, but the game remains close early on. Josie answered with 506 for Outcast, bringing the two teams very close after two turns. Dusty was unfazed by the intensity, striking 629 for Reality to restore a large lead. Klaus lost all control with a measly 12 for Outcast, putting them at a deep deficit. Puff II used the essentially free turn to smash 750 for Reality, giving their lead a huge boost. Prism had a good pace but a short turn for Outcast, recording 361 to bring the game to its midpoint. Missy stumbled at 65 for Reality, causing their large lead to waver slightly. Summer halved the deficit with 520 on her turn, adding a bit of intrigue into the match. Starlight fired back with 900 for Reality, a fantastic attack from the young spark plug player. Kodiak couldn't match that, falling at a mild 270 for Outcast instead. Twilight supplied 354 for Reality on her turn, a solid output for a team in the lead. Nibbles fell at 144 for Outcast, making no effort at battling back late in the game. Twinkie I had 410 for Reality at the end, giving them 4189 in what should be a win for a 4-0 group stage record. Hoppy answered with 388 for Outcast, giving them 2726 overall in a steep loss that puts them at 2-2.

The four teams receiving byes in the first round are Prime, Reality, Youth Movement, and Humanity Senior 1, all finishing 4-0 in their group games.

In Group C, Humanity Senior 2 looks to spoil Oriental United's chances at the group title. OU needs a win with at least 4737 points to top the group. Stealth had a mediocre 230 to lead off the game for OU. Gabe answered with 627 for HS2, establishing the early lead for the hosting side. Hoot hit 572 for OU, covering the deficit for now with the good turn. Bryant took a knock at 295 for HS2, weakening their lead a quarter of the way through the game. Panda poked 434 for OU this time, keeping them competitive. Niki mitigated most of the damage with 387 on her turn for HS2. Bells ripped 631 for OU in response, pulling them ahead nicely. Jasmine had a good pace, but a high swing cut her off at 280 as HS2 falls behind halfway through the game. Shelley struggled with pace at times, but stayed up long enough to record 679 as OU's resurgence continues. Nicole's back-swing caught a dead ball on the pitch, dragging it to her wicket to end her turn at 373 for the slumping HS2. Mams faltered at 184 for OU, causing their lead to slip a bit again. A. Charlton only managed 239 for HS2, unable to make a meaningful dent in the deficit. Paps took 326 for OU, missing a swing outright to end his turn early. Kirstin didn't make a move, her 292 ultimately an unimpressive performance for HS2. Wild Thing made a valiant effort, but ended with 476 to cap what should be an OU win at 3532. Dani couldn't save a ball that jumped over her bat, ending with a measly 156 as HS2 finishes 0-4 in group play with this loss at 2649. SCPRI took Group C on points, but Oriental United is in good shape to claim the 7th or 8th seed with a 3-1 record.

REAHJ has nothing to play for, but some members of the coalition might want to spoil their Humanity Junior mates' positioning. Andrew had an ugly first turn with 176 for HJ, leaving them exposed early on. Twinkie II replied with 418 for REAHJ, giving them the initial lead. Jason N. rewarded HJ's faith in him, scoring 663 to pull them ahead on the second turn. Gizmo answered with 426 for REAHJ, keeping things close after his attack. Sarah reaffirmed HJ's lead with 614 on her turn, a good look from the rookie. Puff I failed to counter the attack effectively, her 367 causing REAHJ to fall noticeably behind. Briana picked up 337 for HJ on her turn, keeping their lead steady. Sugar smashed 836 for REAHJ, pulling them ahead again with the big attack. Ted fired back with 515 for HJ, keeping his side in this back-and-forth battle. Hannah countered with 357 for REAHJ, just edging the coalition ahead of her usual club-mates. Mitchell covered the deficit with 283, but HJ finds themselves in another dangerous position. Kitty made a statement with 1013 for REAHJ, who now find themselves in a position to overtake their opponents in group stage points. Vincent charged back with 665 for HJ, trying to keep their chances of finishing second in the group alive. Cassie stumbled with a pathetic 32 for REAHJ, another twist in a game full of them as the final players step up to bat. Jason V. grabbed 553 for HJ at the end, setting their final score at 3806. Lize took the win with 480 for REAHJ, bringing their score up to 3929. On points, Humanity Junior remains ahead of REAHJ's coalition, which could prove critical for filling out the last spots in the knockout round.

A similar situation arises in Group E, as Brute Force looks to spoil the party for Celebrity. Cleo led off with 326 for Brute Force, a reasonable attack from the veteran. Lorde decided to make this a long game for the visitors, slugging 1565 on the first turn to stake out a huge Celebrity lead. Americus had a rocky turn with only 64 for Brute Force, making the deficit even worse. Sydney S. showed no mercy, adding 597 to the Celebrity total. Juno knocked 438 for Brute Force, trying to save face for the embarrassed club. Debby bowed out with a meager 80 for Celebrity, slowing their offense down just a bit. Midnight picked up 290 for Brute Force, only seeming half-invested in her performance. Pauline shot back with 702 for Celebrity, who hold a massive lead at the midway mark. Nightfur supplied 436 for Brute Force, continuing their plodding offensive march. Mario clubbed 750 more for the dominant Celebrity offense. Rainmane posted 482 for Brute Force in positive turn for her side. Daisy took a quick fall at 144 for Celebrity, attempting to speed up the game a bit. Princess had only 230 on a mediocre outing for Brute Force. Taylor S. smashed 676 for Celebrity on her turn, keeping their offense dangerous on the late turns. Dominic took 192, giving Brute Force 2458 in the heavily lopsided loss that sends them to 0-4. Melissa grabbed 348 for Celebrity at the end, icing their win at 4862. Celebrity ends at 2-2 for the group stage, in a good position to earn a wild-card bid.

Enterprise, Solid Core, Humanity Senior 2, and Brute Force all finished without a win, in positions 15-18. They will not play in the knockout round. Two additional teams will fail to qualify, those being the ones with the lowest points at 1-3.

Group F presents the most interesting scenario as CELYM welcomes BFFSCENT. Simply, a CELYM win assures all Group F teams a spot in the knockout round. However, BFFSCENT takes the group with a win or a loss of no more than 1224 points while scoring at least 2235. CELYM can also top the group with a win by 1225 points or more, and at least 3460 points scored. If BFFSCENT wins and scores more than 4750, they will be the #5 seed, otherwise it belongs to the Group C winners. Smokey got off to a positive start with 584 for BFFSCENT, well on their way to meeting the minimum points. Avril didn't hold up her end of things well for CELYM, exiting on a lousy 64. Cowzart had 364 for BFFSCENT on the second turn, adding to their lead. Peach had 280 for CELYM, unable to make any progress with the middling turn. Strawberry caught a corner and fell at 245 for BFFSCENT, potentially weakening their lead. Taylor M. took an aggressive 1092 for CELYM, overcoming the deficit for a lead to make things interesting. Cubby replied with a pacey 544 for BFFSCENT, keeping things close, which favors his coalition. Luigi spiked 570 to maintain a CELYM lead at the halfway point. Lionel had an early exit at 225, unable to cover the deficit for BFFSCENT. Brownie failed to pull away, hitting only 177 for CELYM on her turn. Slinks took advantage of the sloppiness to score 568 for BFFSCENT, covering the deficit this time. Solaris shot back with 662 for CELYM, restoring a lead with two turns left. Marsell dropped off at 250 for BFFSCENT, who currently hold the group lead on points regardless of the result. Rosalina ended at 96 for CELYM, not doing her side any favors for meeting the points requirements. Noelle had only 242 for BFFSCENT, giving them a total of 3022. Waluigi settled at 364 for CELYM, giving them a win on 3305. Both teams are 2-2, meaning that both Humanity Junior and the REAHJ coalition teams are out, finishing 13 and 14.

The matches for the wild card round, tentatively scheduled for tomorrow, are as follows.
#5 SCPRI v. #12 CELYM
#6 BFFSCENT v. #11 Forest SC
#7 Oriental United v. #10 Outcast
#8 Celebrity v. #9 OCOUENT

The teams advancing will be reseeded prior to the quarterfinals. 

Club Cricket Challenge 2018 - Day 5

We're getting down to the end of the group stage, with games today and then one more before the knockout rounds. Leading off...

Humanity Senior 1 hosts Enterprise, with the latter only able to play spoiler here. Ice Cream provided good pace after false-starting on her first try, ending at 470 for Enterprise to start the game. Kayla lacked the pace, but outplayed her mark with 527 for HS1, ending with an odd backwards bounce. Neopolitan covered the deficit with 409 for Enterprise, keeping things competitive at first. Chelsea shot back with 758 for HS1, reestablishing a strong lead for her side. Precious faltered with 199 for Enterprise, dropping off of the game's high pace. Yekaterina made a questionable block, but knocked the ball into her wicket to end at 567, continuing her good form for HS1. Whiskers dropped at 280 for Enterprise, their offense stumbling in the middle of the game. Jennifer picked up another 467 for HS1, giving them a large lead at the halfway point. Kiwi carved out 594 for Enterprise on her turn, trying to fight back against the opposition. Caitlin nearly got all of it back with 590 for HS1, maintaining their lead pretty well. Max knocked 405 for Enterprise on his turn, a solid performance. Steven responded with 544 for HS1, a much better second appearance for the veteran. Fluffina fell with 146 for Enterprise in her worst game of the competition. Katelynn continued HS1's firm attack with 466 on her turn, keeping them on a great pace. Watermelon's 355 for Enterprise sealed their loss at 2858, which gives them a fourth loss in the competition. Shawn answered with 366 for HS1, giving them a winning total of 4285. HS1 is in the driver's seat for Group A at 3-0, needing just a win to take the group outright.

In Group B, Reality looks to stay perfect while Solid Core tries to spoil their party. Sprinkles couldn't stop a ball that rolled over her bat, ending her effort at 291 for Solid Core. Spice answered with 546 for Reality on their first turn, establishing the early lead. Sleepy B. pulled up unnecessarily on a swing, ending at 355 as Solid Core barely covers the deficit. Dusty slugged 1020 for Reality on their second turn, boosting the lead greatly. Misty buckled at 121 in an ugly performance for Solid Core, who are quickly losing their chance to battle in this game. Puff II batted 543 as Reality continues to pile on the offense. Crystal showed some energy for Solid Core, but didn't get much for a result, hitting only 337. Boots stumbled at 209 for Reality, ceding a bit of their lead at the midway point. Shadow tried to be aggressive for Solid Core, ending with a measly 65 points instead. Starlight showed little mercy in picking up 304 for Reality, as this game seems to have cooled from its intense start. Stripes went with a decent 292 for Solid Core, but they aren't making any progress now. Twilight belted 839 for Reality, just about confirming her team's win. Dreamy grabbed 272 for Solid Core before skying a ball ended her turn. Twinkie I answered with 364 for Reality, doing her part to maintain their lead. Pounce ended Solid Core's competition with 385, giving them a loss at 2118 during their 0-4 campaign. Stinky's 185 gave Reality a total of 4010 for the game, which gives them nearly 1000 points of cushion should they lose in their last Group B match.

Oriental United really needs a win to solidify themselves, but SCPRI looks to stay undefeated in their final Group C match. Leonette had a brutal start with 115 for SCPRI. Goldy lost her swinging angle and crashed out at 185 in a slow start for OU. Snowball had a much more respectable 544 for SCPRI on the second turn, establishing their lead. Hoot answered with 677 for OU, edging them ahead in a close game. Diddley shot back with 636 for SCPRI, keeping the pace up in this game. Panda found a groove to take 595 for OU, keeping them ahead despite losing a bit of ground. Tigerette fell at 137 for SCPRI, unable to cover the deficit. Bells ripped 811, finding a fantastic pace to help OU take a commanding lead. Ms. Kitty dropped at 100 for SCPRI, apparently willing to cede this game as the club rests on its laurels. Sparkles didn't have her best swinging posture, falling at 195 after missing a ball on her first attempt to create a false start. Leonardo had a pathetic 65 as SCPRI begins to spiral toward their first loss in this game. Shelley replied with 310, unable to block a ball from her wicket. Citrus picked up 582 in a solid outing for SCPRI, trying to make this game look better than it was. Paps answered with a big 715 for OU, as they continue to play very well. Blizzard ended with 326 to give SCPRI a final score of 2505 in their only group stage loss. Wild Thing exited with 121 for OU, icing their impressive win at 3609. OU would need to win with about 4700 points to take the Group C title from SCPRI.

Humanity Junior likely needs a win here to stay competitive, but an undefeated Prime side stands in their way. Acorn crushed 1684 for Prime on the initial turn, likely already securing a favorable result. Stephanie had a solid 375 for HJ, but they will need a miracle to overcome Acorn's turn. Sweetheart added 589 on a supporting attack for Prime. Jason N. stayed in line at 376 for HJ, hardly deviating for his team. Oreo rocked 614 for Prime, keeping their offense going at a blistering pace. Sarah fought back with 656 for HJ, playing with an active swing throughout the turn. Delila replied with 643 for Prime, keeping their lead steady again. Sydney C. hit a ball high to give HJ 364 points from her turn. Goatee flipped 436 for Prime, a decent turn but a little slow in the context of their game. Briana tried to be aggressive for HJ, but her 305 marked her worst effort so far. Mr. Snowman slipped at 80 for Prime, officially putting them into cruise for the rest of the game. Ted cranked 1044 for HJ on his turn, an impressive effort to launch a late long-shot comeback. Easter didn't have much with 313 for Prime on her turn, but they are still comfortably ahead late in the game. Vladimir matched it at 309 for HJ, leaving likely too much of a deficit to take down with one turn remaining. Sage topped Prime's offense with 200, for a total of 4559 to ice their 4-0 group stage. Jason V. predictably didn't get enough with 376 for HJ, leaving them in a loss at 3805, a significant score should their knockout round hopes come down to a points tiebreaker.

It's do or die time for Brute Force, as they try to spoil a perfect start from Youth Movement. Celestia stumbled at 245 with a bad swing causing her early exit for YM. Cleo tried to wind up a big swing, causing her own downfall at 341 for BF. Gradley caught a couple of balls on the handle of his bat, the latter hitting the wicket as well to down him at 426 for YM. Juno clobbered 778 with pace for BF, establishing a better lead for her team. Bianca responded with 714 for YM, covering the deficit again in a tough battle early on. Midnight went for a scoop swing and missed, ending at 245 for BF with the rough outing. Sierra cranked out 703, taking good advantage of their opponents' weakness to build up a YM lead. Nightfur erased a large portion of the deficit with 619 for BF, setting up an exciting second half of the game. Isabella showed no mercy in striking 782 for YM, repairing their lead again. Leandra collapsed a meager 88 for BF, setting them far back. Dusky eased up with 385 for YM, who are looking like favorites in this one now. Rainmane didn't make a move with 225 on a slow pace for BF. Rosemary wired 635 for YM on an energetic turn, getting them closer to a perfect group stage. Pedey barely offered resistance with 32 for BF, almost assuring them of a loss now. Cheddar fell at 242 for YM, a mediocre turn capping their big win at 4132. Dominic's 305 left BF at a total of 2633, their third loss only making it possible for them to be spoilers to Celebrity. YM has won Group E, but will not be the top-seeded team in the knockout stage.

Finally, the BFFSCENT coalition takes on one of their lender clubs in Forest SC in the tight Group F. Jake produced an even 400 for Forest SC on the opening turn. Smokey lacked pace for BFFSCENT, ending at 320 as the coalition will begin behind. Nikolai added 298 for Forest SC, a reasonable turn for the veteran. Strawberry answered with 425 for BFFSCENT, dragging her side ahead after two turns. Dustin covered the deficit with 419 for Forest SC, but they are not yet anywhere near safety. Cubby kept it close with 407 for BFFSCENT on his turn, keeping the game up for grabs. Bandit hit an ugly 121 for Forest SC, endangering them with the poor attack. Lionel shot back with 470 to boost BFFSCENT's lead the midpoint of the game. Jack fell at 235 for Forest SC, unable to cover the deficit. Slinks had a false start on her first try, but bounced back with 454 for BFFSCENT on the second attempt. Roxy tried to find a groove but got taken out at 292 for Forest SC, making their deficit grow. Marsell quickly stuck 443 on the board for BFFSCENT, adding a bit more to their lead. Sally replied with 441 for Forest SC, just keeping the deficit steady late in the game. Noelle matched it with 441 for BFFSCENT, inching them closer to a pivotal result. Graham dropped at 100 for Forest SC, sealing their loss at 2306 as they end at 2-2. Bright's 140 left BFFSCENT at 3100 even as they take the lead in the group. A win outright clinches Group F for BFFSCENT, but they can also win it with a loss of no more than 1224 points as long as they score at least 2236 points in one of the most fascinating final games. CELYM would need to cover a 1224-point spread while also scoring at least 3460 to take the group for themselves. If both teams fail to meet each of their provisions, Forest SC tops the group instead.

That's it for the fifth round of group stages games, with just one left to go later this week.

Club Cricket Challenge 2018 - Day 4

We'll reverse the hosts from Day 3 action to keep the competition moving. We begin with...

Enterprise taking on the OCOUENT coalition squad. Cobalt found a good attacking pace for OCOUENT, leading off with 517 to start this game. Ice Cream shot back with 487 for Enterprise, keeping things close on the first turn. Salmo answered with 635 for OCOUENT, extending their lead with the impressive turn. Neopolitan had another lackluster effort for Enterprise, exiting with a meager 65 points. Hughbert scooped up 471 for OCOUENT, keeping them in charge as the game progresses. Precious covered that damage with 486, but did little to bring Enterprise closer. Shiny had a middling turn of 274 for OCOUENT, causing their attacking pace to slow. Twinkie III made a desperate play for offense that failed on the third swing, downing her at 72 points for Enterprise. Dewey showed no mercy, smashing 915 for OCOUENT to solidify their lead again. Whiskers had a great pace, but an early exit at 319 when she mishit a high swing out of play for Enterprise. Chimpy faltered at 128 for OCOUENT, but they remain comfortably ahead despite his poor turn. Kiwi carved out some of the deficit with her 703 for Enterprise, trying to launch a late comeback. Chicky Phil stumbled with 185 for OCOUENT, potentially leaving the door open. Fluffina rallied with 879 for Enterprise, making it a much closer game heading into the final turn. Fuchsia responded with 766 for OCOUENT, setting the mark at 3891. Puff III failed to block an offering early on her turn, ending at 176 to seal Enterprise's third loss at 3187. OCOUENT will continue to compete for the group title, while Enterprise can only play spoiler.

Solid Core gets a second crack at Outcast as we move to Group B action. Violetta combined pace and longevity for a competition-leading 1334 for Outcast on the opening turn of the game. Sprinkles got a little back with 379 for Solid Core, but they face a long and trying game this time. Klaus answered with 463, completing his goal to offset the damage done against Outcast's lead. Sleepy B. replied with 476 for Solid Core, trying to give them a chance to mount a later comeback. Potter slipped up with 230 for Outcast, shrinking their advantage a bit. Smudge missed a swing, ending at 227 as a key moment goes to waste for Solid Core. Prism fired back with 868 for Outcast, restrengthening their lead after the previous turn. Crystal belted 1009 for Solid Core, answering her Flames teammate quite well to bring the game to its midway point. Summer kept Outcast strong with her 784, a far cry from her first appearance in the competition. Shadow covered that damage with 809 for Solid Core, but they remain far behind. Kodiak supplied 401 for Outcast, a good turn but a little low for this particular match. Stripes made progress with 569 for Solid Core, cutting a piece of the deficit away. Spot buckled at 144 for Outcast, weakening their lead at a critical point in the game. Shaggy crumbled under the pressure of the moment, her 32 points likely ending Solid Core's title chances. Hoppy cranked out 659 for Outcast, capping an epic attack at 4883. Dreamy bailed at 64 for Solid Core, sticking them at a tough loss with 3565. Outcast and Reality will battle for the top spot in the competition's fiercest group.

The SCPRI coalition team looks to double up against Humanity Senior 2. Gabe didn't do well for HS2 at the start, false-starting on his first try and taking only 112 on the next one. Leonette had a shaky start, but settled in for 562 to give SCPRI a good early lead. Niki slashed 652 for HS2 on the second attack, covering the deficit with her good turn. Frosty held her own with 352 for SCPRI, restoring a smaller lead for the hosts. Nicole struggled in her second appearance, falling at 192 for HS2 to undo some of their progress. Ms. Puppy covered it with 243 for SCPRI in a low-scoring turn for both sides. A. Charlton missed a swing, stalling at 405 as HS2 hangs around in this one. Snowball fired back on 545 for SCPRI, keeping them ahead at the midway mark. Lexi had a false start and then scored 108, missing swings on both attempts as HS2 crumbles again. Diddley hit 600 for SCPRI, showing great control with a strong pace. Beth dropped at 264 as HS2 fades away from the competition as the game goes on. Tigerette smashed 904 for SCPRI on her turn, likely securing the result in their favor. Kirstin had a mildly decent 321 for HS2, but they will probably take the loss anyway. Citrus lost a little of the lead at 264 for SCPRI, but they're in no danger yet. Dani picked up 804 to give HS2 a total of 2858 in the loss, their third in the competition that will see them exit after this stage. Blizzard tacked on 644 to bring SCPRI up to 4114 in the win as they take over the competition lead in points scored while sitting at 3-0.

In Group D, Prime looks to keep their hot start going against the Reality/Humanity Junior coalition team. Twinkie II had a better start for REAHJ this time, tallying 525 on the opening turn. Acorn fired back with 668 for Prime, narrowly avoiding disaster with an early handle block. Gizmo had good form, but a high swing stalled him out at 405 for REAHJ. Snuggle let Prime down again with 176 on their second attack, causing them to lose the lead. Puff I lost a bit of the lead with 321 for REAHJ, leaving them exposed. Sweetheart capitalized on the chance with 534 for Prime, pulling them ahead again in a back-and-forth game. Bear failed to cover the deficit, hitting only a mediocre 90 for REAHJ. Strut missed a swing, bringing him down with 310 for Prime in an unfortunate early exit. Hannah nearly covered it with 341 for REAHJ, but they'll still have to play catch up. Oreo covered the damage and a little more with 382 for Prime, keeping them ahead in a close and low-scoring game. Kitty cracked 529 for REAHJ on her turn, giving them a chance to lead the game briefly. Goatee answered with 447 for Prime, regaining the lead with two turns left for each team. Vincent left REAHJ in a tough spot with only 170 on his turn, making a late comeback less likely. Mr. Snowman swatted 665 for Prime, stabilizing their lead late in the game. Lize ended with 176 for REAHJ, leaving their total score at 2557 in the loss. Easter lifted 419 for Prime at the end, capping their win at 3601. Prime goes to 3-0, while REAHJ is likely out of it at 0-3.

A pivotal game for Group E has Youth Movement facing Celebrity. Sydney S. went at a wicked pace for Celebrity, gathering 611 on the first turn of the game. Celestia answered with 519 for YM, a solid response to keep things close initially. Debby let a ball slip off her backhand, ending her turn at 429 for Celebrity. Valencia recovered some of the deficit, finishing with 480 to bring YM closer after this turn. Pauline dropped off at 363 for Celebrity, a decent turn that weakens their lead nonetheless. Spirit rattled off 650 for YM, a fierce attack to put them ahead for the first time in the game. Charli missed a swing and then took out her wicket on the recovery attempt, ending at a pathetic 50 for Celebrity. Sierra also missed a swing, but she did hers with 514 in the bank for YM, helping to extend their lead. Mario skied a ball for Celebrity, cutting his turn short at 150 as the visiting side crumbles. Isabella clubbed 809 for YM, a productive outing to boost their lead once again. Taylor S. went with 470 for Celebrity, trying to rally her side back into the game. Dusky didn't get it all back, but her 402 did well for YM to protect their lead late in the game. Melissa had a good pace but bad aim, ending with 291 for Celebrity. Rosemary fell at 230 for YM after a ball hopped over the handle of her bat. Katharine failed at 64 for Celebrity, leaving them at a total of 2428 in a hard loss. Cheddar also played badly, with only 81 points to finish YM's win at 3685. With the result, YM has clinched the group for themselves at 3-0, leaving the other spot to be determined by the other teams.

Group F ends the split-day with Forest SC taking on the CELYM coalition. Gal began with 305 for CELYM, an acceptable first turn. Jake answered with 366 for Forest SC, pulling them narrowly ahead after one turn. Peach slammed 724 for CELYM on their second turn, giving them a much more formidable advantage. Nikolai fired back with 736 for Forest SC, regaining a tiny lead. Taylor M. set the next mark at 490 for CELYM, hoping to catch a break at some point. Wings provided that break, falling at a lousy 208 for Forest SC to put them behind for the first time. Luigi answered with 475 for CELYM, boosting their lead a little bit as the game approaches its midpoint. Hershey didn't make much of a response for Forest SC, falling at 121 on an ugly turn. Solaris slapped 429 for CELYM on his turn, continuing to extend their lead. Bandit picked up 256 for Forest SC, but they continue to slip as the game progresses. Wario matched that with 256 for CELYM, keeping their lead stable at this point. Roxy chipped 310 for Forest SC on her turn, shrinking the deficit a bit. Rosalina snagged 370 for CELYM, protecting their lead well once again. Sally ripped 447 for Forest SC, again chipping the deficit down but far too slowly to be helpful. Waluigi finished at 334 for CELYM, icing their offense at 3383. Graham ended at 310, leaving Forest SC to suffer their first loss at a total of 2754. CELYM avenged an earlier loss, making it anyone's series in this group.

We'll try to do better on scheduling over the weekend, but it is a long-shot for it to get done quickly.

Club Cricket Challenge 2018 - Day 3

Today's action comes delayed from the original schedule. We begin the third day of group play with...

OCOUENT hosting Enterprise in Group A action between winless teams. Ice Cream started with a false start before cranking 674 to get Enterprise off to a hot start in the game. Salmo answered with a smooth 492 for OCOUENT on their first turn, keeping the game within their reach early on. Precious responded with 544 for Enterprise, covering the opposition's damage. Hughbert looked alright with 368 for OCOUENT, but their deficit has grown. Twinkie III showed no mercy, pummeling 917 for Enterprise to pad their lead significantly. Dewey slashed 567 for OCOUENT, refusing to allow the coalition to back down despite the growing deficit. Kiwi took a step back with 400 for Enterprise, but they remain well ahead. Chimpy launched 802 for OCOUENT, cutting into the deficit at the halfway mark. Max stumbled with only 65 for Enterprise, leaving his team vulnerable after the awful turn. Ruby couldn't catch OCOUENT all the way up, but her 295 got the coalition closer to her usual club-mates' scores. Fluffina did well until missing a swing, cutting her off at 790 as Enterprise's lead is restored to a loftier height. Chicky Phil answered with 461 for OCOUENT, halving the deficit. Puff III slipped up with only 240 for Enterprise, potentially leaving a door open for the opponents. Fuchsia charged with 736 for OCOUENT, pulling them ahead with a player each to go. Watermelon crashed out on 85 for Enterprise, costing them the game with a losing total of 3715. Quincy exited with a measly 48, capping OCOUENT's win at 3769. OCOUENT has taken the inside track to earning the second knockout round spot from Group A.

In Group B, Outcast plays host to Solid Core in the midst of a fight for second in that group. Sleepy B. started off with 445 in a decent first turn for Solid Core. Violetta edged Outcast ahead with 487, hoping that her teammates with provide a better supporting attack in this game. Smudge replied with 518 for Solid Core, a second attack that gets them back in the lead. Josie failed to answer the challenge, her turn ending on 264 as Outcast slips behind. Misty slipped up at 186 for Solid Core, weakening their advantage with the poor turn. Klaus butchered part of his turn at the end, taking out his own wicket on his backhand at 353 for Outcast. Shadow couldn't take over for Solid Core, fumbling out at 258 with a bad swing. Potter found a groove and rallied to 736 for Outcast, pulling them far ahead halfway through the game. Stripes carved out 518 for Solid Core, pulling them back a bit in a game that has gone off the rails for them. Prism hit 304 in a middling effort for Outcast that restores a small lead in the close game. Shaggy managed 296 for Solid Core, covering the deficit lightly with that output. Nibbles butchered his turn with only 65 for Outcast, leaving the teams just about even with two turns to go. Dreamy raked in 580 for Solid Core, giving them a larger lead late in the game. Spot dragged Outcast ahead with 617 on his turn, setting up a fierce finish. Pounce didn't make it look good for Solid Core with his 209, leaving their final score at 3010. Hoppy went with 364 for Outcast, capping their win at 3190. Outcast is 1-1 now, in second place in the group.

Group C sees Humanity Senior 2 face the SCPRI coalition team. Frosty started with 429 for SCPRI in a respectable opener. Bryant stumbled with a mediocre 128 for HS2, giving them an early deficit to fight against. Ms. Puppy struck back with another 450 for SCPRI, adding nicely to their lead with a stable dose of offense. Niki did alright with 344 for HS2, but they remain noticeably behind at this stage. Snowball kept the SCPRI offense stable, posting 417 to extend their lead a little bit more. Jasmine faltered with 274 for HS2, unable to attack at the deficit with the iffy turn. Diddley had good pace for SCPRI, but a missed swing led to him taking out his own wicket to fall at 460. A. Charlton answered with 572 for HS2, putting her team on the ascent with a positive turn. Ms. Kitty left SCPRI exposed with a measly 65 on her turn, weakening their hard-fought lead. Lexi chunked 368 for HS2, removing part of the deficit with a clever but short turn at bat. Leonardo continued SCPRI's fall from grace with just 80 on his turn, leaving them completely vulnerable. Beth missed a swing, causing her to exit at 321 as HS2 takes a small lead with two players left per team. Citrus belted 654 for SCPRI, putting them ahead after their recent descent. Kirstin kept HS2 in the fight with 585, putting them narrowly ahead with the final players coming to bat. Blizzard drilled 767 for SCPRI, setting the mark at 3322. Dani tried to drag a ball back but missed the chance to save her turn, falling at 308 as HS2's roller coaster game ends in a loss at 2900 even. SCPRI is 2-0 with a high-powered offense, making them a certified threat for the group title.

The REAHJ coalition hosts the next game, facing Prime in a battle that could shape Group D's future. Acorn used great pace to accrue 350 for Prime, a high hit causing his rather early exit. Twinkie II answered with 310 for REAHJ, also a bit of a low score that keeps the game close. Sweetheart muscled up with 576 for Prime, giving them a stronger lead on the second attack. Puff I struggled initially but ended up with 467 for REAHJ, keeping them within striking distance. Strut couldn't pick the corner at the end of his turn, recording 625 for Prime to boost their lead. Sugar collapsed at 146 for REAHJ, causing the deficit to grow rapidly. Oreo didn't plan on showing mercy, but a high swing cut her down at 450 for Prime, who are confident with the lead. Bear shrugged his way to 503 for REAHJ, covering the most recent damage. Goatee slugged 1065 for Prime in an epic rally of a turn, using a steady swing and high pace. Kitty fell at 291 for REAHJ, hardly putting up a resistance to their opponent's attacks. Mr. Snowman added 476 for Prime on his turn, keeping their offense charging to the finish. Vincent provided a decent 364 for REAHJ, who are nowhere near catching up. Easter tapped 346 for Prime, allowing them to coast a bit near the end of the game. Cassie didn't show very well with 205 for REAHJ, making the deficit just a bit worse. Sage grabbed only 211, icing Prime's win at 4099. Lize delivered 615 for REAHJ, which was merely window dressing on their brutal loss at 2901. Prime is poised to win the group, currently sitting at 2-0.

Celebrity acts as host against Youth Movement, with the winner temporarily taking sole control of Group E. Celestia led off with 717 for YM this time, a massive attack to get things going positively for her side. Lorde fell off at 130 for Celebrity, an awful start for their lead-off hitter. Gradley bobbled a swing on his turn, ending with 32 when he sent it sky-high; YM's lead shrinks with the poor turn. Sydney S. went with 528 for Celebrity, shrinking the deficit with a good bounce-back effort. Valencia shot back with 523 for YM, parrying the most recent attack away. Pauline kept the pressure up with 466 for Celebrity, allowing them to stay relatively close. Spirit whacked a big 795 for YM on her turn, boosting their lead as the game approaches half-completion. Charli tried to maintain a big pace for Celebrity, but she exited at 379 after a bad swing. Bianca was late to swing and tried a backhand play that failed, dropping her offense at 215 for YM. Daisy wasted the chance to catch up for Celebrity, ending on a puny 49 points. Isabella restored a stable attack for YM with 463, reaching back for a save at one point. Taylor S. was put in the same position for Celebrity, but she bumped the ball backward, ending on 379 as the deficit grows a little more. Rosemary went for fast pace, ending at 280 when she sent a swing too high, but YM is not in danger currently. Melissa made progress with 501 for Celebrity, but they've got a lot of ground to cover on the final turn. Cheddar had only 274 for YM, putting their final score at 3299. Katharine failed to catch up with 193 for Celebrity, their losing final score resting at 2625. Youth Movement has the edge atop Group E for now.

Finally, the coalition of CELYM takes on Forest SC, looking to even Group F. Jake chopped 475 for Forest SC on the opening turn, a good start from their front man. Avril made a mess of her opening turn with only 32 for CELYM, putting them in a sizable hole early on. Nikolai saw the ball well until a high bounce stalled him at 671 for Forest SC, adding nicely to their lead. Gal found a similar groove, gathering 640 for CELYM until a ball hopped over her swing without being touched. Wings kept up the attack with 472 for Forest SC, maintaining their strong lead. Taylor M. tried to dig in for a big turn, but flicked a ball too high to end at 186 for CELYM. Dustin couldn't find his swing, taking a hard fall at 69 points to weaken Forest SC's lead. Luigi answered with 405 for CELYM, making up some of the lost ground. Hershey bit on a back-spun ball, ending an otherwise great outing for Forest SC at 546 when he backhanded it into his wicket. Brownie fell off for CELYM this time, an awful 56 assuring her a spot on the bench in their next game. Jack lashed 451 for Forest SC, extending their lead with another strong performance. Solaris cut into the deficit with 595 on a fiery turn, but CELYM remains far back with two turns left. Sally tacked on 484 for Forest SC, keeping their lead stable late in the game. Rosalina lost ground with 289 for CELYM, as it appears hopeless for them in this game. Graham wiped out at 205 for Forest SC, capping their offense at 3373. Waluigi struggled with 120 for CELYM, leaving their losing total at 2323. Forest SC remains undefeated at 2-0 to lead the group.

We'll likely play the rest of the group stage over the next three days.

Club Cricket Challenge 2018 - Day 2

We're ready to go on another day with six games in the competition. First up...

Humanity Senior 1 plays their second game, acting as host to the coalition OCOUENT. Cobalt had good swings initially for OCOUENT, but he missed on the fourth ball, falling with 85 to start the coalition slowly. Kayla had a very steady swing for HS1, slapping 439 on their opening turn to establish the lead. Salmo shot back with 343 for OCOUENT, which wasn't enough for them to cover the deficit. Chelsea hammered 642 for HS1, never looking rattled on any of her swings. Hughbert provided strength with his swings, but he fell at 383 as OCOUENT continues to trail. Yekaterina delivered 521 on a high pace for HS1, boosting their lead again. Shiny had a false start, and then made only 239 for OCOUENT, a disappointing turn from the veteran. Jennifer tacked on a solid 396 for HS1, adding mildly to their lead at the halfway point. Dewey gathered 547 for OCOUENT, digging into the deficit slightly with his attack. Chris spiked 350 for HS1, causing their lead to fade a bit. Chimpy ripped another 541 for OCOUENT, helping the coalition spark a late rally. Zach stumbled with 112 for HS1, potentially putting them in a vulnerable position. Ruby went with 328 for OCOUENT, making things incredibly close near the end of the game. Katelynn fought off the danger with 525 for HS1, restoring their lead heading into the final turn. Chicky Phil ran out at 300 for OCOUENT, their valiant comeback falling short at 2766 in the loss. Shawn covered that with 310 for HS1, capping their win at 3295. HS1 is 2-0 on the competition, firmly leading Group A now.

In Group B play, Reality faces another stern test from the Outcast team. Violetta cranked out 558 for Outcast in a productive first turn, overcoming her own slow start. Patches flipped 353 for Reality on their first turn, causing them to be behind initially. Josie looked good at first for Outcast, but a heavy swing that went high cut her down at 292. Spice flicked 490 for Reality, doing just what she wanted to do to make things close after the first two turns. Klaus fell into the same trap as Josie, falling with 245 after a firm hit went too high, which craters Outcast's lead. Dusty pounded 532 for Reality, narrowly avoiding an early exit with good bat skills. Potter fell with 279 for Outcast, failing to provide much of a response. Puff II finished with a bad swing, but collected 475 over the rest of the turn to add a little more to the Reality lead. Prism rolled 249 for Outcast, keeping with their recent trend of disappointing offense. Missy covered it with 344 for Reality, maintaining their lead despite the rougher turn. Summer bowed out at a measly 32 for Outcast, clipping the boundary very early in her turn. Twilight used the free turn to good effect, tacking on 447 for Reality this time. Kodiak put up only 100 for Outcast, furthering their disadvantage late in the game. Twinkie I took few risks in gathering 490 for Reality, padding their lead with another steady turn. Nibbles didn't do poorly relative to the rest of Outcast, his 346 leaving them in a loss at 2101. Stinky chipped a reasonable 360 at the end, icing Reality's win at 3491. Reality is up to 2-0 atop the group.

Along to Group C, where Oriental United tries to even their record against Humanity Senior's second team. Gabe disappointed for HS2 on the first turn, skying a ball to end at a pathetic 32 points. Goldy tapped 326 for OU, a solid but uninspiring start for the acting hosts. Bryant answered with 547 for HS2, a much more impressive attack that helps them cover the deficit. Stealth stumbled with 162 for OU, causing them to fall behind at the quarter pole of the game. Niki answered with 355 for HS2, padding their lead a bit with the solid performance. Panda fired back with 377 for OU, making minimal progress against the deficit. Jasmine drilled 480 for HS2, continuing to build a strong attack for her team. Sparkles fought back with 520 for OU, cutting into the deficit again despite the narrow margins in recent turns. Nicole stumbled completely with 85 for HS2, giving them a very weak lead now. Shelley took 397 for OU in response, pulling her side ahead for the first time since turn one. A. Charlton fell at 164 for HS2, their lack of depth offense showing late in the game. Mams put up a middling 249 for OU, leaving the door slightly ajar for the opposition to attack. Lexi rattled off 705 for HS2, pulling them ahead again with a noticeable lead. Paps replied with 515 for OU, restoring a lead for them in a game that will be decided on the last turn. Beth hit only 200 for HS2, leaving them at 2568, which is likely not enough. Wild Thing left no doubt with 357 for OU, sending them to the win on a total of 2903. OU is now 1-1, keeping themselves in the fight for the group.

Humanity Junior will play their second Group D game, facing the Reality/Humanity Junior coalition team that will only have two HJ players active. Twinkie II got off to a solid start for REAHJ, producing 330 to begin the scoring. Andrew had the right idea with his swings, but a vertical hit ended his turn early at 276 for HJ. Gizmo slipped at 112 for REAHJ, weakening their initial lead. Stephanie had a hard swing and managed 324 for HJ to give them a lead at the quarter mark. Puff I couldn't create a breakout attack, ending at 319 for REAHJ to challenge the opposition. Jason N. shot back with 432 for HJ, pushing their lead a little higher with the bold turn. Sugar found a productive groove and rode it to 774 for REAHJ, making a game of things again. Sydney C. blocked a swing off her own hand, ending at 272 as HJ finds themselves behind now. Bear had a chance to make an attack, but two bad swings unsettled him, and he ended at 176 to leave REAHJ vulnerable again. Briana crushed 1203 for HJ, surging her team ahead with the thundering attack. Hannah tried to reply against her usual teammate, but ended at just 64 as REAHJ's deficit continues to grow. Mitchell popped 319 for HJ to extend their lead again with a more modest addition. Kitty fell at 426 for REAHJ, a solid first career appearance. Vladimir kept HJ in control with a decent 351 on his turn. Vincent took 561 for REAHJ, working at an incredible pace to make the rally that saw his team still fall short at 2762. Jason V. exited with 167 for HJ, capping their win at 3344. Humanity Junior has evened their record after a setback yesterday.

Brute Force looked good but fell short yesterday, and now take on a fresh Celebrity team. Lorde raked in 562 for Celebrity, a fantastic start for the quietly confident lead-off hitter. Cleo replied with 321 for Brute Force, bobbling a swing late in her turn to force herself out of action. Sydney S. wrapped her bat around 702 for Celebrity on the second attack, boosting their lead. Americus poked a ball too high for Brute Force, exiting at 256 in a disappointing turn. Debby destabilized the Celebrity lead with a paltry 81, one bad swing causing an early exit. Juno slammed 443 with good pace for Brute Force, doing what she could to cut into their deficit. Pauline covered the damage with 616 for Celebrity, providing exactly what they needed to strengthen their lead. Nightfur went for a big swing and missed late in her turn, giving her 425 to add to the Brute force offense. Charli started off alright, but some bad swings ground her pace down until she left at 241 for Celebrity. Leandra carved out 532 for Brute Force, chopping some of the deficit away. Mario collapsed at 205 for Celebrity, another turn that weakens their lead. Princess wasted the chance to catch up with a pitiful 45 for Brute Force. Daisy flipped 295 for Celebrity on her turn, adding to their lead just a little more. Pedey got a little bit back with 313 for Brute Force, but they'll need a massive attack to save this game on the last turn. Taylor S. unleashed 1007 for Celebrity, anchoring their final score at a massive 3709. Dominic bounced 330 for Brute Force, giving their club a second loss at 2665. Celebrity leads Group E on a points advantage.

Group F will close out the day today with two coalitions in battle, as the three-team BFFSCENT hosts the two-team CELYM. Avril began with 449 for CELYM in a positive first turn for her team. Cowzart struggled for BFFSCENT with only 177 this time, giving them a deficit to work out of. Gal took over the CELYM team lead on offense with 537, a firm attack from the likable sophomore. Strawberry fired back with 619 for BFFSCENT, covering the second-turn damage. Peach had an awful start for CELYM, skying a ball to end at just a meager 16. Cubby swung for 471 for BFFSCENT, capitalizing on their opponent's mistake to take the lead three turns in. Taylor M. matched it with 471 for CELYM, keeping the two-club coalition in the fight. Rudolph couldn't fight back with 168 for BFFSCENT, bringing the two coalitions to much more even terms. Luigi faltered with a missed swing, ending at 258 as CELYM holds a slight lead. Lionel fired back with 527 for BFFSCENT, giving them the lead with three players left to hit on each team. Brownie dropped off with only 148 for CELYM, hurting their chances of a comeback. Marsell got wild with his swing at the end, causing his exit at 463 for BFFSCENT. Solaris struck 476 for CELYM here, shrinking the deficit with the good turn. Noelle replied with 391 for BFFSCENT, maintaining their lead heading into the final players' turns. Wario bounced out with a miserable 64 for CELYM, sealing their loss at 2419. Bright blasted 619 for BFFSCENT at the end to ice their win at 3435. BFFSCENT is up to 1-1 in the group.

We'll complete the first complete round robin tomorrow to get halfway through the group stage.

Club Cricket Challenge 2018 - Day 1

We're here to begin the group stage of the Club Cricket Challenge today. First up...

Enterprise takes their first act as a club against Humanity Senior 1. Kayla took the first turn for HS1, recording 311 in a productive appearance to lead off the competition. Ice Cream couldn't keep up with 254 for Enterprise, putting them slightly behind after one turn. Chelsea found a late groove to record 388 for HS1 before skying a ball to end the turn. Neopolitan saw a ball spin over her bat, ending her turn at 30 for Enterprise in an ugly second turn for the supposed hosts. Yekaterina churned out 521 for HS1, maintaining a fierce attack for her side. Precious looked alright with 283 for Enterprise, but they are quickly losing ground in the game. Jennifer didn't have the most consistent swing for HS1, but her 361 provided a solid addition to the team's attack. Twinkie III scooped 313 for Enterprise, dropping another turn to bring this game to its halfway point. Caitlin got twisted by a high ball for HS1, ending at 105 in the worst turn that team has seen so far. Whiskers tried to stay aggressive for Enterprise, ending up with a measly 64 when she knocked a ball too high. Chris supplied 314 for HS1 in a decent performance, keeping up to speed with the rest of the team pretty well. Kiwi got knocked down by an errant swing at 288 for Enterprise, allowing the deficit to grow again for her team. Steven failed with 16 on a sloppy turn for HS1, allowing their lead to weaken for the first time. Max had a slow start, and he had some nervy moments before finally exiting at 251 for Enterprise. Zach delivered a studly 537 for HS1 at the end, capping their offense at a total of 2553 in what's projected to be a win. Fluffina gave it her all at the end for Enterprise, but not even 704 could save them from a loss at 2187. The win puts Humanity Senior 1 atop Group A after the first game day.

In Group B, Solid Core meets with Reality to open up their competition schedules. Patches cracked an even 500 for Reality to begin the game in fine form for the heavily favored side. Sprinkles fell with 144 for Solid Core in a weak response on the first turn. Spice fired back with a top-heavy 424 for Reality, as she fell off a hot pace she established with her early swings. Sleepy B. tried to mirror that attack for Solid Core, faltering as her pace dropped. A missed swing brought the veteran down at 312, allowing the deficit to grow. Dusty chopped 577 for Reality, another big extension added to their already towering lead. Smudge tried to settle a ball at one point, but knocked it into the stumps, cutting her off at 225 for Solid Core. Puff II showed some strength with 451 for Reality before an awkward missed swing cut her turn short. Misty looked good with 402 for Solid, but it didn't get them any closer to their opponents at the middle of the game. Boots ended at 272 for Reality, a somewhat low mark for the high-achieving team, but not so low as to endanger their lead. Crystal buckled at 135 for Solid Core, unable to counter the weak attack from the opponent. Missy turned a slow start into a great performance with 518 for Reality, padding their lead yet again as they show off some depth. Shadow followed suit for awhile, but reached new heights before a failed backhand ended his turn at an epic 1079, the first 1k game in the new era. Starlight rebuffed the attack from Solid Core, recording 326 for Reality to repair their lead. Stripes slipped at 298 for Solid Core, causing some of Shadow's hard work to go to waste in the face of a still-large deficit. Twilight refused to make it easy, tallying 567 to give Reality their final score of 3635. Shaggy made it interesting with 619 for Solid core, but they fell at 3214 in a competitive game. Reality has taken the top spot in Group B early on.

The remainder of Solid Core's squad, combined with members from Prime, face Oriental United to begin Group C play. Goldy had a solid start with 359 for OU, but it wasn't anything to make them feel particularly secure early on. Leonette answered with 224 for SCPRI, keeping things close for the coalition team. Stealth replied with 345 for OU, keeping them in the lead with another solid output. Frosty's first step on a comeback trail saw her tally 567 for SCPRI, pulling them ahead at the quarter mark. Hoot couldn't pull back a ball he missed on the initial swing, ending with 128 for OU in a rough turn that sees them in a vulnerable spot. Ms. Puppy fell at 704 for SCPRI, providing a steady stream of good contact that sees the hosting side take a strong lead. Panda dropped 319 for OU on his turn, wasting a good pace by only halving the deficit. Snowball showed no mercy, smashing 742 as SCPRI takes a commanding lead in the middle of the game. Bells made a mess of her turn with only 96 for OU, almost guaranteeing her side will fall in their competition debut. Diddley added a supporting attack of 405 for SCPRI, a good turn to keep them firmly in control. Sparkles hooked 530 for OU in a productive turn, but they remain far behind even after her good work. Tigerette slipped at 289 for SCPRI, but their lead remains fairly strong as the game inches toward its late turns. Shelley continued the late burst of offense for OU with 620 on her turn, chipping away at the deficit. Ms. Kitty shot back with 778 for SCPRI, erasing any hope of a comeback left in the opposition with her team-leading effort. Mams clubbed 454 for OU, but they took the loss in the end at 2851 despite a spirited comeback effort. Leonardo got almost all of it back with 449 for SCPRI, icing their winning score at 4158. SCPRI has the top position in the group for now.

Prime's main team leads off Group D action at home, facing a rookie-riddled Humanity Junior side. Andrew had a rough first appearance for HJ, gathering 240 to begin the game. Acorn fired back with 552 for Prime, the experienced captain having no trouble putting the new club ahead. Stephanie tried to pick the corner after some good swings, but she got knocked down at 235 for HJ, who remain behind after that turn. Snuggle tried to show patience with his swings, but a high hit ended his turn at 144 as Prime's lead takes a small hit. Jason N. couldn't find a breakout attack for HJ, bowing out at 264 as their offense remains compact. Sweetheart fired back with 443 for Prime, restoring their lead with the firm attack. Sarah spiked a ball too quickly for HJ, her turn ending at 128 in a true disappointment of a debut. Strut pummeled 777 for Prime on his turn, a massive performance that gives his side a boost on offense. Sydney C. hit 441 for HJ, a good look for the rookie in her first appearance for club. Oreo fought back with 341 for Prime, a slightly down turn from the veteran. Briana slugged 714 on her turn for HJ, showing some strength at the start of her sophomore campaign. Delila had an ugly 96 for Prime, putting their lead in doubt with two players left to hit on each side. Ted wasted the chance to catch up, plucking only 128 for HJ. Goatee missed a swing late in her turn, but it didn't matter, as she posted 621 to restore Prime's lead heading into the final turn. Mitchell failed at 150 for HJ, leaving them to take the loss at a total of 2300. Mr. Snowman tacked on 287 to give Prime 3261 in the big win. Prime leads Group D after the first game.

Two clubs who experienced drastic remodels in the offseason square off in Group E action with Youth Movement facing Brute Force. Cleo ripped 650 for BF on the first turn, showing great poise on her swings to establish a nice lead. Celestia broke 1k on her turn, demolishing 1047 to give YM the lead after one turn of a high-scoring battle. Americus rocketed 547 for BF in response, covering the deficit on another exciting turn. Gradley delivered a menacing 919 for YM, extending their lead in an electric game that has fans already on their feet. Juno couldn't cover this attack with 443 for BF, as the visiting side now hopes their opponents will falter. Valencia obliged that wish, hitting a pathetic 135 for YM to destabilize their lead. Midnight failed to capitalize on the opportunity, taking 225 to keep BF at a deficit. Spirit topped that with 308 for YM, getting a little bit of their lead back at the halfway point. Nightfur slashed 385 for BF in a solid response, turning the game into a chippy affair now. Bianca hammered 633 in response for YM, rebuilding their lead with another nice attack. Leandra couldn't do anything with 235 for BF, causing them to fall farther behind. Sierra faltered with 129 for YM, potentially reopening the door for their opponents. Rainmane failed with a meager 80 for BF, wasting another chance to get back into the game. Isabella didn't make any moves, ending with 211 to keep YM's lead steady heading into the final turn. Princess looked good with 554 for Brute Force, but they took the loss anyway on a total of 3119. Dusky capped it with 135 for YM, giving them the win at 3517.

The final game from day 1 sees Forest Sporting Club face a coalition between Brute Force, Forest SC, and Enterprise, known as BFFSCENT. The three-team coalition got off to a rough start with only 48 points from Smokey. Jake showed some skill as a batter with 661 for Forest SC, getting the newfound club off to a good start. Cowzart hit 553 for BFFSCENT, covering a large portion of the deficit they faced. Nikolai pounded 424 for Forest SC in response, doing his part to protect their lead. Strawberry kept the pressure high with 620 for BFFSCENT, challenging the opposition to slip up. Wings did falter with 240 for Forest SC, but they retain a narrow lead after three turns. Cubby didn't ease up for BFFSCENT, challenging his own club-mates with 414 for the coalition. Dustin challenged his old friend with 534 for Forest SC, keeping the hosting side in the lead at the midway mark. Rudolph couldn't keep up with 272 for BFFSCENT, causing their deficit to grow a bit. Hershey muscled up for 636 for Forest SC, boosting their lead with the heavy turn. Lionel scuffled with 150 for the coalition, causing them to remain behind in the game. Bandit sent a ball high for Forest SC, ending his offense at 120 after an exchange of poor turns. Slinks couldn't break through with 130 for BFFSCENT, wasting a chance to pull them close late in the game. Jack answered with 376 for Forest SC, doing plenty to maintain their lead with a player each to go. Marsell made a valiant comeback attempt for BFFSCENT, but they fell with 2814 despite his individual 627. Roxy hit 160 for Forest SC at the end, icing their win at 3151. Forest SC holds a lead over Group F after the first day.

We plan on making the CCC a quick competition, likely running through next week at most. There are five more group stage days to play.

2019 UPCL Draft

It's draft day, and we've got 26 players queued up, waiting to see where they will play their 2019 season.

First up, there are two picks in the first round. The Southern Monarchs are drafting 1st overall after a trade with the Todavía Stills. This year, Salmo is the top pick, heading to the Monarchs after failed seasons with the Eastside Sharks in 2018 and the Lighton Prestige in 2017. Salmo is a boom or bust pick, and a bit of a surprise for the Monarchs, who are looking to rebuild on the fly.

The North Modernistic Nighthawks have the 2nd pick, ending the first round. This is a compensatory pick they received after B. Chapman announced her retirement from the league, and they'll look to fill the hole she left behind with Lionel. Previously of the Commerce Tradewinds, and also a former Modernistic Union man, Lionel joins a Nighthawks side on the cusp of great things with a massive chip on his shoulder to prove his worth to his now regional-rival former team.

The second round sees the Web City Spiders using the 3rd overall pick they acquired from the Diamond Gems for Shadow. Their rebuilding year begins with the selection of Avril, a sophomore who played her rookie season with the Southern Monarchs. Avril should balance out the gritty identity of the other three players currently on the Spiders roster.

The Tysini Hummingbirds fill their roster with the 4th overall pick, acquired in a trade that sent Brownie to the Royal Crowns. A rebuilding year for the Hummingbirds sees highly coveted rookie Sarah Brookes join Vincent Sullivan as the two acquisitions to replace the outgoing Princess and Brownie on the promoted Premier side's roster.

The Queens Flames end the second round with the 5th overall pick, a compensatory selection awarded for Kyle's second retirement. The Flames select the former Central Warrior third-year Mario to complete their Governor's Cup-defending roster. A mid-range player, Mario should complement the high-end talent with solid depth down the roster as he slides into a familiar 3/4 role.

The fourth round begins and ends with the Southern Monarchs, who hold the 6th overall pick from a trade with the Archtown Arrows. The Monarchs complete their roster with Mams, the former Coastal rival and Viewpoint Sound Meteors captain. Mams joins her son, Panda, on the Monarchs roster, creating a truly heartwarming moment for the family on draft day.

The fifth and final round holds the remaining 20 picks, beginning with the Archtown Arrows at 7th overall. A rebuilding season that saw them trade their captain will commence with the selection of A. Charlton, the former Golden Pilot. Charlton has had good years in the past, and should be a powerful force on a streamlined Arrows roster.

The Viewpoint Sound Meteors have the 8th overall pick, and will look to replace their former captain Mams with Frosty, the former Stonebridge Wolf. Frosty had an abysmal 2018, but will look to bounce back on the coast, joining the other Meteors acquisition Princess as providers of an aggressive playing style for the team.

The Everton Eagles look to replace 2017's MVP, Blizzard, with the 9th overall pick. The Eagles didn't waste the good pick, selecting the former Whitewater Shores captain Bear to be Blizzard's replacement. Bear's rough 2018 got him to this point, and he'll join a team with plenty of talent to go around.

The Harrison Specters will round out the top ten with the 10th overall pick as they look to replace Mitchell, a rookie pick last year that didn't pan out as expected. They'll add the previously mentioned former 2017 MVP Blizzard, as the former Eagle transfers to another Northeastern team. Blizzard joins a team not lacking for leadership, but her veteran presence should stabilize the 3/4 position.

The Diamond Gems continue their overall at 11th overall, looking to see who will replace after Rosalina after trading to cover Cassandra's retirement and Citrus' exit in trade. Joining Shadow and Katelynn as newcomers on the Gems is the former Midland Predator, Leonardo. A boom or bust cricket hitter, Leonardo should give the team an aggressive tilt alongside the returning Smokey and Pedey.

The Swordpoint Blades are picking 12th overall, looking to replace Jason N. after making a borderline call to cut him following his tough rookie year. Coming aboard for 2019 is the veteran Sugar, previously of the Web City Spiders. Sugar is a good depth player who will mainly battle with Stealth for playing time.

The Infinity Torpedoes shipped Solaris to the Commerce Tradewinds, ultimately trading up to 13th overall in return. The draft reaches its midway point as the Torpedoes select Hughbert, the former Southridge Defender third-year player. Hughbert was one of the Defenders' few missteps in youth development, but he'll be asked to play only a small role on a stacked Torpedoes roster.

The Atlantic Pirates begin the second half of the draft as they use the 14th overall pick to replace Max after he flamed out in one season for the team. Jason N. will be the newest Pirate, as the sophomore formerly of the Blades looks to make a better impression on his second team.

The Whitewater Shores hold the 15th overall pick, and are guaranteed to have a new face on the team to replace long-time captain Bear. This time, they'll poach Rosalina from their bitter rivals, the Diamond Gems, adding the third-year soft-spoken star to a team looking to build a more skill-based reputation.

The Southridge Defenders hold the 16th overall pick. Famous for their myriad rookie selections in the last three years, the largely home-grown team will go a different direction this year, adding Wario from the Victoria Spurs. An aggressive third-year player, Wario should provide a bit more muscle to a relatively soft Defenders side.

The Westside Rockers can still get their former player back at 17th overall. The Rockers opt to go a different way, adding the enigmatic Chimpy from their Urban rivals, the Modernistic Union. Chimpy provides a certain deceptive quality to an otherwise straightforward team.

The Web City Spiders complete their trio of additions at 18th overall. Joining Waluigi and Avril as this year's acquisitions is the former Pacific Volcano, Chicky Phil. A typically underrated player, Chicky Phil will play a vital role in the pure 4 slot for cricket while also likely clocking in as their third best in pool.

The Pacific Volcanoes will have to replace Chicky Phil with the 19th overall pick, and will do so with the former Westside Rocker Cowzart. This is the second time the Volcanoes have picked up a Rockers castoff, the first being when they added Chicky Phil a few years ago.

The Eastside Sharks are up with the 20th overall pick, and see a majority of the available players remaining are rookies. The Sharks go with a rookie this time, adding Taylor Momsen a year after trading Taylor Swift away to the Commerce Tradewinds, although these two players really only share a name. The Sharks will maintain a skillfully gritty composition on their roster with few soft spots.

The Modernistic Union look to move on from Chimpy at 21st overall, and are sure to welcome a new face to their team. Their selection is another rookie, Sydney C., who brings a similar unpredictability but far less drama to the Union roster. She will not be asked to do much in her rookie season, which makes this Select team a positive landing spot for the rookie.

The Stonebridge Wolves have the 22nd overall pick in their quest to replace the departed Frosty. Wild Thing will be the replacement, coming from being cut by the Archtown Arrows to join a team well-suited to his aggressive playing style. Wild Thing has shown skill in both sports before and will look to put it all together under Juno's leadership.

The Golden Pilots look to replace a longtime veteran with the 23rd overall pick. Max is their choice for this, as the former Pirate, Flame, and Lumberjack joins the Pilots in place of A. Charlton. Max should fit in nicely to a team with depth in place, battling with Sparkles for playing time at the Premier level.

The draft is winding down as the Central Warrior step up for the 24th overall pick. Replacing Mario on this talented team's roster is the rookie Andrew, who is expected to receive only minor playing time in cricket while trying to establish himself as a promising pool rookie.

The final true selection comes at 25th overall for the Midland Predators, who select the rookie Kitty, a late addition to the draft pool. Kitty is a docile and calm rookie, expected to provide a certain skill that will soften the Predators' attacking style.

With the 26th and final selection, the Victoria Spurs are left with Mitchell, the former Harrison Specter. This is the most like-for-like swap seen in today's draft, with Mitchell having just one less year of experience compared to Wario, who he replaces.

That's it for this year's UPCL Draft. Over the next few days, I will be working on updating the cumulative documents to reflect the draft. There is also the addition of the Club Cricket Challenge 2018, which sees 18-club oriented teams battle for the title in a short competition. Later, in December, the Heart of the Game Tournament returns, with a featured event of 13-ball this year ahead of that discipline's potential inclusion in the main Tournament for 2019.

Available players + Offseason trades (2019 Draft Prep)

The 2019 Draft is just a day away. The following players will be available in what will be a 26-pick draft when all is said and done.

A. Charlton
Andrew
Avril
Bear
Blizzard
Chicky Phil
Chimpy
Cowzart
Frosty
Hughbert
Jason N.
Kitty
Leonardo
Lionel
Mams
Mario
Max
Mitchell
Rosalina
Salmo
Sarah
Sugar
Sydney C.
Taylor M.
Wario
Wild Thing

Additionally, prior to the 2019 UPCL Draft, the following five trades were completed.

The Web City Spiders trade Shadow to the Diamond Gems for the 3rd overall pick.
The Diamond Gems trade Citrus to the Lighton Prestige for Katelynn.
The Lighton Prestige trade Waluigi to the Web City Spiders for Shiny.
The Tysini Hummingbirds trade Princess to the Viewpoint Sound Meteors for Vincent.
The Tysini Hummingbirds trade Brownie to the Royal Crowns for the 4th overall pick.
The Infinity Torpedoes trade Solaris to the Commerce Tradewinds for the 13th overall pick.
The Southern Monarchs trade Hoppy to the Archtown Arrows for the 6th overall pick.
The Archtown Arrows trade Ruby to the Todavía Stills, who then trade the 1st overall pick to the Southern Monarchs to complete the three team deal.

The following originally allocated picks were forfeited.
Southern's natural 4th round pick.
Tysini's natural 4th round pick. 
Southern's natural 5th round pick.
Lighton's natural 5th round pick.
Tysini's natural 5th round pick.
Infinity's natural 5th round pick.

The following players not involved in the draft or trades will be receiving new jersey numbers due to club realignment: Cheddar (North Modernistic Nighthawks) and Snowball (Swordpoint Blades).

The following teams will not be participating in the UPCL Draft this year.
Pronger Tridents
Todavía Stills (roster filled via trade)
Commerce Tradewinds (roster filled via trade)
Capital City Sharpshooters
Lighton Prestige (roster filled via trade)
Pearl Surfers
Maplewood Lumberjacks
Royal Crowns (roster filled via trade)
Terrace City Knights
Freedom Cascades
Boston Swifts
Oceanside Waves

The draft is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

2018 City Cup - Rounds 2 thru 4

We'll close out the City Cup competition today, putting an end to the playing days in the 2018 season. The quarterfinals are first today, with all series indoors at Toyota Arena in Freedom, beginning with...

Golden Pilots v. Web City Spiders. Both teams in this series completed unlikely upsets in the first round. Golden's Sparkles had a good 7-ball game against Web City's Ted, who scratched while trying to do a trick shot. Sparkles made a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand for the win to give Golden a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Dusty struck first in 8-ball, and managed to hold off a dangerous attack from the Spiders' Shadow. Dusty then converted a four-ball run-out, her highlight being a kick on the 15 to the bottom right from range. Dusty's win puts the Pilots ahead 2-0. Dusty made sure to prevent Shadow from getting to the table in 9-ball, shattering the break in just the right way for the 9 to drift into the bottom right for the win. Golden's series lead extends to 3-0 as they take a firm grip on the series. Sparkles had a decent break in 10-ball, leading to Ted kicking in the 1 but finding nothing to work with on the 2. Sparkles took over from here, unleashing a nine-ball run-out on her second turn filled with perfectly executed cut shots. The Pilots are on the edge of the semifinals with their current 4-0 series lead. Dusty picked up solids on the break in 12-ball, but she looked lost as the game progressed. Shadow had an easy time getting onto his last ball, but Dusty arranged a well-positioned play to defend. Dusty then fired off a four-ball run-out when Shadow couldn't sink his last ball on his one good chance. Dusty's win secured Golden's advancement with their 5-0 series lead. Strut had a great start for the Pilots in Rotation, making five balls over two turns, but he only potted one more, allowing Shiny to rally back for the 8-6 win. The Spiders won't be swept, but remain down 5-1. Shiny had the better of offense in 15-ball for Web City, showing creativity early on but losing her touch later. Strut managed a late four-ball run to threaten for the win, but he missed the 14, and Shiny made the last two shots to cut the series down to 5-2 in favor of Golden. Strut and Shiny remained perfect deep into Accuracy, with Strut holding the advantage from his ball on the break. Strut would miss first, but Shiny missed twice late, giving Strut the 1-2 win for a 6-2 Pilots series win over the Spiders. Golden will have plenty of time to rest before the semifinals this afternoon.

Terrace City Knights v. Pacific Volcanoes. After the lunch break, the second quarterfinal is set to go. Neither player immediately grabbed control in 7-ball, but Terrace City's Kiwi saw her cold stretch last longer, while Pacific's Ms. Kitty eventually got the win and 1-0 series lead on a four-ball run-out. Kiwi scratched once on the break and again late in the 8-ball game, making it far too easy for the Volcanoes' Leonette to launch her attack. Leonette defeated the Knights captain with a three-ball run-out, giving her side a 2-0 series lead. Terrace City got on the board with Quincy making three balls over two turns to start in 9-ball. Quincy double-potted on the break and converted a 1-9 combination to the top right on the next shot to keep Pacific's Ms. Kitty away from the table. The series is now at 2-1. Kiwi looked much better in 10-ball for the Knights, capitalizing on a pair of missed contact plays from the Volcanoes' Twinkie I. The second of these plays led Kiwi to finding a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 2. Oreo made her first appearance for Terrace City in 12-ball, and she had the better of play initially, but there was nothing she could do about the miracle four-ball run-out Twinkie I assembled for Pacific. Twinkie I made three of the four shots from low-percentage situation, practically stealing the win to put her team ahead at 3-2. Leonette burst ahead after a slow start in Rotation, holding off an early attack from Quincy and the Knights. Leonette had to repel a second attack from Quincy near the end, holding on for an 8-6 win that gives the Volcanoes a 4-2 series lead. Quincy provided pressure in a slow 15-ball game for Terrace City, but he scratched while trying to position himself on the 15. Ms. Kitty converted her shot for the win, securing a series win for the Volcanoes at 5-2. Oreo slipped behind initially in Accuracy, but the Knights veteran persisted to the end, getting Twinkie I to miss a few times late in the game. Oreo won 2-3, but Pacific claimed the 5-3 series win to send them to the semifinals.

Oceanside Waves v. Stonebridge Wolves. Teams built on youth play in the third quarterfinal. Oceanside's Celestia pushed in 7-ball, but she faltered on the 7 at the end, and Stonebridge's Vladimir ended up taking it on a tap-in for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Josie put in a five-ball run at one point in 8-ball, countering an earlier run from the Wolves' Vladimir to pull herself ahead. Josie played patiently at the end, weathering a slow attack from Vladimir before poking the 8 to the top left for the win, which tied the series at 1. Celestia again had something missing from her game in 9-ball for Oceanside, leading to Stonebridge's Vladimir taking his second win on an 8-9 combination to the top right. Vladimir's late-game success has his side up 2-1 in the series. Celestia had a positive break leading to a three-ball run in 10-ball. She added a pair before Cobalt fired back with two pairs for the Wolves on his next two turns. He just missed on the 10 at the top left, and Celestia tapped it in for the Waves, retying the series at 2. Josie played well on the 12-ball break for Oceanside, but she gave away a wild-card ball later on her first turn. Juno couldn't do much with it at first for Stonebridge, but she eventually unraveled a path forward, easily taking the win as Josie couldn't get her shots sorted out. Stonebridge returns to a lead at 3-2. Josie started off pretty well in Rotation, but suffered a four-ball run against her by the Wolves' Cobalt. Josie fired back, tying the game, and then pulling away with two pairs of shots staggered around another make from Cobalt. Josie would win 8-5, helping the Waves get their third equalizer as the series sits tied at 3. Jason V. stepped up for Oceanside in 15-ball, battling in a choppy start with Stonebridge's Cobalt before the two players exchanged three-ball runs in the middle. Another short spar occurred after that, and then Jason found a four-ball run-out to give Oceanside their first series lead at 4-3. Jason stayed on in Accuracy for the Waves, and again had to battle with the Wolves' player, this time keeping an even fight with Juno for awhile. Eventually, Jason pinned Juno back, holding on to win 2-5, which in turn gave the Waves a 5-3 series win after some nervous starts. The Waves will take on the Golden Pilots in the semifinals.

Queens Flames v. Modernistic Union. The last quarterfinal sees the top-seeded team take on a dangerous underdog. Violetta put in a couple of good shots for Queens in 7-ball, but she blew it with a missed 5-7 combination toward the bottom left. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy converted that same shot for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Hannah had a terrible start in 8-ball, scratching on the break. Daisy looked good for the Union for awhile, until she got down to her last ball, which proved quite troublesome. Hannah roared back at this point, taking the win with a five-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Violetta put in a majority of the offense in 9-ball, but the Queens star was again denied the win with her miss on the 9. Ms. Puppy took a bank attempt at it and found the bottom right corner for the win, restoring Modernistic's series lead at 2-1. Daisy had a nice three-ball run early on for the Union, but she had to battle evenly with the Flames' Violetta right up to the end. Daisy found a pair of shots at the end to set herself ahead for the win, giving the Union a 3-1 series lead. Crystal looked good in her first appearance for Queens, but her offense faded late in 12-ball as she tried to pick at the side pockets. Daisy capitalized for Modernistic, aligning and converting on a four-ball run-out to grab the win that extends their series lead to 4-1. Crystal burst out to a nice lead to start Rotation for the Flames, but she lost the lead on a four-ball run from Puff I, as the Union veteran made a late counterattack. Crystal replied with a pair of shots for the 8-7 win, cutting the series back to 4-2. Puff I continued a strong offense for Modernistic in 15-ball, but even a pair of three-ball runs early in the game didn't deter Hannah. Queens' sophomore charged back at the end, taking the final two shots for the win to pull Queens closer at a 4-3 deficit. Crystal made a pair on the break, but her inability to stick Ms. Puppy with a bad position at the end of the Accuracy game caused the Flames to take the loss. Ms. Puppy had a tap-in on the final ball to seal a 2-3 win that secured the series for the Union at 5-3. Modernistic has no time to bask in the glory of this win, as they play in the first semifinal.

Modernistic Union v. Pacific Volcanoes. The Union are right back at it in the first semifinal. Ms. Puppy had two errors early in 7-ball for Modernistic, but sealed the game at the end after Pacific's Ms. Kitty lacked a decisive attacking pose. Modernistic holds a 1-0 series lead, much as they did from the previous series. The Union's Daisy began with a five-ball run early in 8-ball, staking out a significant lead. Leonette made a valiant effort at a comeback for the Volcanoes, but her four-ball run ended by potting Daisy's last ball, and Daisy cut the 8 to the top right to take the win. The Union move to 2-0 ahead in the series. Ms. Puppy had a dangerous break in 9-ball, and she controlled the offense for much of the game despite Ms. Kitty's good chances. Modernistic fans would be disappointed to see Ms. Puppy's bank on the 9 come up short at the top right, where Ms. Kitty tapped it in to give Pacific a win, which cuts the series deficit to 2-1. Daisy and Twinkie I engaged in a pitiful excuse of a 10-ball game, both players potentially showing some fatigue in the two-day tournament. The Union got the win when Daisy found a three-ball run-out after a bad miss from the Volcanoes' Twinkie I on the 8. The Union are up 3-1 in the series. Daisy started on the break in 12-ball for Modernistic, but she came up short with a couple of her shots. Twinkie I used defense to slow Daisy, and she would have won the game even faster without a scratch in the middle. Twinkie I removed the defense and outran Daisy for the win, pulling Pacific back within a game at 3-2. Puff I gave no opportunity for Leonette to be comfortable in Rotation. Puff I converted a pair of three-ball runs very early in the game, and while Leonette chipped back with a pair late in the game, her missed contact on the 10 allowed Puff I to claim the 8-2 win from ball-in-hand. Puff I's win puts the Union on the brink of knocking out the Volcanoes at a 4-2 series lead. Ms. Kitty seemed fine for Pacific at the start of the 15-ball game, but she would crumble early, and Puff I took over on a standard-setting ten-ball run-out to win the game and the series for Modernistic, as Puff I's remarkable attack gave them a 5-2 advantage. Ms. Puppy played a near-perfect Accuracy game for the Union to finish the series off, winning 1-3 with her only miss coming at the end with the result firmly in hand against the Volcanoes' Twinkie I. Modernistic won this one 6-2, making them the first City Cup Finalist as they await the winner of the next series.

Oceanside Waves v. Golden Pilots. The new favorites take on a resilient veteran team in the second semifinal. Celestia started well in 7-ball for Oceanside, but her continued inability to close out games surfaced with a narrow miss on the 7. Golden's Sparkles opportunistically converted at the bottom side, taking the win to give her team a 1-0 lead in the series. The Waves' Josie began with a pair on the break in 8-ball, an assertive start from the rookie. The Pilots' Dusty answered on a three-ball run, trying to shake Josie, but she replied with a six-ball run-out, a turn that secured the win for the Waves to tie the series at 1. Dusty stayed up for Golden in 9-ball, sparring with Oceanside's Celestia in a sloppy start to the 9-ball game. Dusty found an opening for a three-ball run-out and ended the game by splitting the cue off the 5 to bump the 9 to the bottom right for the win. Golden's ahead 2-1 in the series. Sparkles followed a similar formula for the Pilots, weathering a slow start to frustrate the Waves' Celestia before beating her on a three-ball run-out capped by a 4-10 combination to the bottom right. Sparkles' win puts the Pilots up 3-1 in the series. Dusty struck first in 12-ball for Golden, picking the stripes for her suit, but she lacked a decisive run to set herself apart. Josie again challenged her successfully, getting the better positioning with each player down to two balls, and Josie patiently waited until she could convert both shots, earning the win to get Oceanside back to only a 3-2 deficit. Strut started with a four-ball run in Rotation for the Pilots, but he was quickly overtaken by a pair of three-ball runs from the Waves' Josie. Strut got a point back, but Josie won the game 8-5, tying the series once again at 3 games apiece. Jason V. entered the fray for Oceanside in 15-ball, looking pretty good with a four-ball run over the middle of the game to supplement earlier offense. Strut waited patiently, and then struck a three-ball run-out at the end to give Golden a 4-3 series lead despite a lacking performance on offense. Jason V. continued against Strut in Accuracy with his team's season on the line. Jason put in nearly a perfect performance, faltering once with the lead but holding on for a 1-3 win to help the Waves retie the series at 4. The tiebreaker is in 13-ball, and Jason played again, striking on the break. He soon gave away some collateral damage, but Sparkles was pinned at the bottom left corner with four balls for Golden. She tried to navigate out of that, but not in time, as Jason's four-ball run-out secured the win and 5-4 series win in favor of Oceanside. The Waves have lived dangerously on day 2, but the #2 seed is into the City Cup Finals.

Oceanside Waves v. Modernistic Union. This is the final series of the City Cup and the 2018 Tournament as a whole. Oceanside's Celestia showed up with a four-ball run in 7-ball, but she missed on the 5 and missed contact at the 6. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy made the 6 and 7 to take the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Josie had an empty break in 8-ball, but she fired back on a six-ball run to assert herself. The Union's Daisy had a four-ball run later in the game, but missed on the last stripe, allowing Josie to pound the 8 to the bottom right for the win, which tied the series at 1. Oceanside's Celestia opened with a seven-ball run in 9-ball on her second turn, a decisive attack from the struggling sophomore. Ms. Puppy gummed up at the end of the game, eventually taking the 9 on her third try for the stolen win to regain a 2-1 series lead for Modernistic. Celestia had a frustrating break in 10-ball for the Waves, leading to a chippy game with most of the balls along the bottom rail. Daisy broke through at the end, kicking the 9 to the bottom right before putting the 10 in the top right to extend the Union lead to 3-1. Josie struck for a pair on the break in 12-ball, and the Oceanside rookie played well from here, defending two pockets from Daisy's attacks for Modernistic. The defense held, giving Josie enough time to do a three-ball run-out for the win after Daisy surrendered a wild-card ball. Modernistic remains ahead 3-2 in the series. Puff I gave the Union a good start in Rotation with a three-ball run, but Josie fought back over two turns to pull ahead. The two players were tied late, but Josie walked away with the 8-6 win on a three-ball run-out, tying the series again at 3 games each. Jason V. had a decent performance for Oceanside in 15-ball up to his scratch while potting the 5, which gave Puff I an irresistible ball-in-hand on the 6-15 combination. Puff I converted, putting Modernistic up 4-3 in the series to assure them two chances to win the City Cup. Ms. Puppy battled with Jason to the tune of a draw through regulation, but Ms. Puppy did have the last shot advantage. Jason's overtime break went empty, and with it the Waves' hopes of the title died, as Ms. Puppy made her one shot for the 3-4 win to seal the series at 5-3. Ms. Puppy was named the City Cup MVP for her 10-2 record with three series-clinching wins in the competition as the Union are named City Cup Champions in 2018.

The 2018 Tournament year is over. The blog will be going quiet as I work on a myriad of tasks in the next few weeks, most notably with record-keeping and the upcoming 2019 UPCL Draft. I will likely publish a list of available players in the next two days, as well as any completed trades for the league. Official announcements about December activities should be coming as well. After the draft, I will be working on updating player pages and other administrative tasks, as well as improving the back-end of matchup tracking by going through the old documents. I would expect Qualifiers to begin some time in January, but everything is subject to change.