Our first game in the East of England Virtual Cricket League, Bowl Movement CC versus Port Lemon CC. Once again I won the toss. I elected to field, to shouts of delight from the team, who just fancied a few hours in the sweltering sun. I pointed out that I was only listening to what my team-mates requested (last week Phil complained that we had batted first, while he was weak from hunger). Phil was pointedly ostracised by several members of the team for the rest of the match, including his friend, Lisa, who had nobly done the scoreboard for us last week, and so I thought it only fair to give her a game this week.
Another factor in his less-than-warm welcome could have been the pink kit that half the team wore thanks to Phil (see yesterday’s comments column) – fortunately some of us had our own whites.
Tom made an early breakthrough, getting one of their openers out LBW, with the score on 11.
After that, however, our opening bowlers toiled in vain, and with the score on 57-1, I decided to bring myself and Interpreter on, making a breakthrough almost immediately when I had the other opener (see last week’s note about my real-life ability against opening batsmen) caught by Vicus in the slips: 61-2.
After a few more wicket-less overs, I kept myself on, and tried first Phil and then MinCat at the other end – they didn’t achieve anything, but I eventually got their number 3 out, caught and bowled: 102-3.
I brought the openers back, and Tom made an immediate breakthrough, with an LBW: 104-4.
Vicus bowled the next man whilst the score was on Nelson: 111-5.
He also took the next wicket, caught by Ivy at Square Leg: 123-6.
After a while I brought our slower bowlers back on, and a brilliant spell of spin bowling saw Interpreter get his first wicket for BMCC: 156-7.
I took myself off, trying out Phil and MinCat again. Then, in an inspired piece of captaincy, and remembering her mutterings as she left the changing-rooms last week, I invited Carol to bowl an over – after facing two looping balls from her, the batsman danced down the wicket and mis-hit a catch straight to Jona at Long Off: 168-8.
I brought the openers back to finish off the tail – Vicus bowling their number 10: 186-9.
We could not winkle out the last pair, and with the score moving ominously beyond 200, I asked Interpreter to bamboozle them with his spin – clean bowled! 213-10.
Tea (provided this week by the opposition) bore no comparison to the excellent quality of the catering from our ladies.
I, however, may have had slightly too many cream scones. Perhaps, too, the days I’ve spend standing by the church door, greeting visitors to the flower festival may have taken their toll (my knees ache, for sure). Whatever the excuse reason, as we started our innings, I played a couple of defensive shots, and was then caught out by their keeper for a duck: 4-1.
Fortunately Vicus and Richard got stuck in, and both pushed on, so well in fact that they had both scored half-centuries, before Richard was bowled, with the score on 114-2.
Tom never really got settled, and was out before he’d got his eye in: 128-3.
Interpreter, sadly, was hit in the box area and had to retire hurt.
At this point, having reviewed the batting order in the light of last week’s performance, I promoted MinCat to number 6. She scored a steady 20, and had helped us almost to a winning score, before she was bowled: 206-4.
Vicus had achieved his century by this time, and now attempted to hit the ball for six, to win the match. Sadly he was comprehensively bowled: 208-5.
It was left to Phil and Jona to bring us home, which they did safely: 214-5.
We won by five wickets.
So, two wins in two weeks. Real cricket was never this good. We currently top the league table. Keep it up team. See you all at nets I hope.
Our score card, for those who want the statistics:
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