Saturday 9th September 2006

When we played Port Lemon CC in the first match of the season, you will recall that they scored 213-10, runs we knocked-off for the loss of only 5 wickets. Since then, Port Lemon have only won two matches, and are currently next to bottom in our division. So having won the toss, I decided that we would bat, having re-arranged our batting line-up slightly, into a more aggressive formation. I encouraged you all to go out and enjoy yourselves – and aim for a total of at least 400.

Tom and Vicus had a good slog, Vicus knocking off his half-century very quickly; however this seemed to make him over-excited, and set off for a run which proved to be suicidal – for his old pal Tom, who was run-out. 81-1

The score had pushed on to over 100, before Vicus edged a ball to the slips: 104-2.

Richard and I scored a quick 40, before he fell LBW: 144-3.

Jona and I enjoyed a stand of nearly 100, which ended when I hit the ball hard to square leg: 236-4.

Another stand of nearly 100 followed, with Jona and Carol knocking the bowling all over the field; shortly after Jona had reached her century, Carol was given LBW: 333-5.

Another twenty runs, and Jona was bowled, having scored a magnificent 132: 354-6.

Medusa didn’t stay around for long, being given out LBW when the score had reached: 368-7.

400 looked a little less likely when Phil fell for just 3 runs: 376-8.

Lisa however supported Frangelita (who had been slowly piling on the runs) before she was bowled: 395-9.

Frangelita and MinCat put on a magnificent last-wicket slog, pushing us on to a super total by the time Min finally fell: 414-10.

Nice tea guys. The fairy cakes that Vicus bought along were much appreciated.

Our opening bowlers struggled for quite a time, before Frangelita held a catch in the slips off my bowling: 55-1.

We moved on to our second pair, who again struggled, until I finally held a catch at gulley, off Vicus’ bowling: 98-2.

We moved on to our third pair, who had some bad luck: Richard dropped a catch from Phil’s bowling, and Lisa dropped one of Jona’s balls. We were really struggling now, with our first and second pairs unable to make any further headway and the score over 200 – but finally Phil’s luck returned, when Medusa took a catch in the slips: 203-3.

Another long wicketless spell followed, before Tom got the batsman to edge the ball to Frangelita in the slips: 316-4.

Although we only had a hundred runs to play with, our fortunes took a positive turn now, as our second pair made the big breakthrough we needed – with his first ball of a new spell, Vicus got an LBW: 318-5

His next over saw him taking another wicket as Tom held a catch: 318-6.

Two overs later and Vicus achieved another LBW: 322-7.

Their spell ended when Carol also got an LBW: 330-8.

I returned to our openers to see off the tail, taking a wicket myself: 342-9.

Tom finished the match with yet another LBW: 342-10.

We won by 72 runs!!