Saturday 1st July 2006:

[Let me stress once again that the report that follows is a completely honest description of the game played yesterday. I haven’t changed any of the scores. It is genuinely quite amazing how the performances I might have anticipated from some players were reflected in what actually happened in the game.]

Well, that’s the first match under our belt: Bowl Movement CC versus Comfrey by George CC.

Under an effulgent sun we lightly tripped onto the field, and by jove what a fine body we were! Whites freshly laundered, boots polished, bats oiled, club colours blazing.

Six hours later saw us a little careworn, but heads held high as we clapped the opposition off the field, and shook hands with a hearty ‘well played!’.

I started our season on a high, by winning the toss, and deciding to bat.

Our openers set off steadily, and had reached 49 before Vicus was caught by gulley. Next in was Richard, who played a dashing innings, scoring the only six of the match. Unfortunately he was bowled next ball, on 35. I was dropped by the keeper when I’d reached 60, but was out shortly after that, having reached 61 (a lifetime best).

Our middle-order continued to score steadily, Tom being the next to fall, caught in the slips after a dashing 89. Phil, sadly (perhaps we can see this as an example of art following life) was run out on 6, as he waddled up the wicket.

Our vice-captain, Interpreter played a steady, classy innings, but the fall of his wicket (bowled for 25) signalled a collapse of our tail: Jona was bowled for 2, Carol for 1, and Frangelita LBW for 6. MinCat had played steadily through this collapse, and was our last player out, caught on the boundary for 28, leaving Ivy not out on 2.

We scored a grand total of 287.

There followed a splendid tea (well done ladies).

Their opening batsmen scored steadily against our attack bowlers (Vicus and Tom). Too many cakes, gentlemen!

Eventually I brought on our slower bowlers (myself and Interpreter) and made the breakthrough when I bowled one of their openers (art/life conjunction again – regular readers may recall that three-quarters of the wickets I took last year were opening batsmen) and then had the other opener and their number 4 both caught behind by Richard, our keeper.

I took myself off at that point, and brought our openers back. Tom took the next wicket, bowling their number 5, bringing the score to 82-4. A win appeared to be easily within our grasp, but sadly they now went on the attack, their number 3 eventually going on to make a century.

In an attempt to shift them, I tried a radical experiment, and brought Phil and MinCat on. Neither they, nor either of our other two bowling combinations achieved anything, as the runs steadily mounted.

Finally, Vicus made a breakthrough, although by now the score had risen to 216-5. I got the next wicket (221-6) and Tom the next (227-7). Our openers then bowled steadily, but without success, so I brought myself and Phil on and achieved the collapse we needed – I bowled their centurion, number 3, which gave me another first, a five-fer. The score, though, had reached 246-8 and nails were being bitten in the stands.

Incredibly, Phil took the last two wickets, bowling them out for 258.

We won by 29 runs!!

Well done, everyone, for your contribution, without which, etc…

For those who like to keep a note of their statistics, and will bore us all with details of their average at the annual club dinner and prize-giving, I have copied our team’s score-sheet: