Saturday 28th June 2008

After last week’s shambles, I must admit I was concerned to learn that we were playing South Africa this week. My worries deepened when they won the toss and decided to bat.

The match started quietly enough; a gentle accumulation of runs until the 8^th over, when Christopher managed a clean bowled: 14-1.

The first change of bowlers saw MinCat get an edge to Richard; 16-2.

They attacked us during the next eight overs –Tom in particular not looking his usual aggressive self – finally Phil held a catch off Mincat’s bowling: 46-3.

Three more expensive overs from our openers, and the score had risen to 72, and so I decided it was time to risk spin, in the hope that we might slow them up. A maiden over from me seemed to be doing the trick, but two sixes off Phil’s next over rather undid my good work.

They attacked Phil’s second over too, but one of their aerial balls failed to cross the rope and was caught by Ivy: 94-4.

I wasn’t sure we could afford to buy wickets, so brought Mincat and Vicus back – Christopher held a catch off Vicus: 123-5 and Richard one off the next ball: 123-6.

I held a catch off Mincat’s bowling: 124-7.

Vicus’ bladder problem was hampering his run-up, so I brought myself back on, taking two quick wickets: 132-8, 132-9.

Christopher polished them off, with an edge to Richard: all out for 132.

Ostrich egg sandwiches for tea were, apparently, someone’s bright idea to make our visitors feel at home.

After last week’s dismal batting performance, lots of time had been spent in the nets, and I promised a few people the chance to bat a bit higher up the order – particularly as 133 didn’t seem an impossible target.

Carol getting herself run out in the first over was not part of the plan: 1-1.

Ivy scored a creditable 11 against hostile fast bowling, before being bowled: 13-2.

CB’s was the next wicket to fall, caught behind: 36-3.

Phil was caught and bowled, having scored a valuable 16 runs: 43-4.

Steg was bowled soon after: 48-5.

Chris and I managed to hold the ship together, and steadily amassed the runs, until he was
bowled: 74-6.

I was then unfortunately given out LBW, trying (stupidly) to sweep the first ball from their spin bowler: 78-7.

Mincat was run out: 80-8.

In desperation, Richard, our last remaining recognised batsman, struck a magnificent six, but was then caught and bowled the next ball: 88-9.

Our innings ended when Tom was adjudged LBW: all out for 90.

We lose again. Extra work in the nets, I feel, will be required this week.

Saturday 21st june 2008

Pakistan won the toss, and elected to bat, on a hard, dry wicket – presumably expecting it to break up by the time they bowled. For the same reason, I reserved spin for the second half of the innings, hoping we might have some cracks, or at least dusty patches, to aim for.

Tom took the first wicket, as an edge flew to Richard: 16-1, and then followed with one of his trademark caught-and-bowleds: 24-2. I realised then that, however many wickets I might eventually take, it would be fewer than last week.

Christopher achieved a caught-and-bowled in the next over: 28-3.

Their next pair, however, settled in and started to score relatively freely; 20 overs through saw the score at 78-3, and I decided it was time to introduce spin. My decision was justified when Mincat took a fine catch off my bowling: 78-4.

Vicus held a catch off my next over: 79-5.

Ivy dropped a catch during my next over, but Phil managed to bowl the chap shortly thereafter, so no harm done: 95-6.

Two balls later and Ivy held a catch: 96-7.

I polished off the tail with a hat-trick, and a five-fer: 96 all out.

I must apologise that I failed to take a photograph of the bowling statistics. I can tell you that Christopher got one wicket, Tom took 2 for 41, Phil 2 for 9 and I managed 5 for 9.

Over tea Vicus was heard loudly complaining that he had bowled fewer overs than the other pace men, and therefore had less chances to improve his statistics. I decided, therefore, that it was only fair to allow him to go out first, on this wicket which was now looking distinctly unfriendly, to face the Pakistan fast bowlers.

The first ball hit him in the ribs. The second one struck him on the elbow. The third one split his box in two. The fourth one did the same to his middle stump. Out, after having faced rather fewer balls than he might have hoped, albeit that his injuries were less than we had expected: 0-1.

Two balls later Carol followed him back to the pavilion: 1-2.

They really were bowling very fast, as CB found when she too was bowled the next over: 1-3.

Eventually Steg and Christopher managed to get their eyes in, and whilst essentially playing defensively, did manage to score a few runs, until Steg was caught-and-bowled: 19-4.

I had delayed coming in myself, as I do not relish fast bowling. I had no choice now, so came out at number 6. Christopher and I stayed together for several defensive overs, hoping to see the fast bowlers off, before Christopher edged to the slips: 28-5.

Richard was clean bowled: 30-6.

Eventually the slower bowlers were brought on, and I felt I had no choice but to attack, and try to push our score along – sadly I edged a ball to the keeper: 42-7.

Phil was given out LBW: 44-8.

Mincat edged the next ball to the keeper: 44-9.

Our last wicket fell when Tom was bowled. All out for 45. Not our greatest performance.

Saturday 14th June 2008

We played Canada. Possibly not the strongest opposition we will ever face. I won the toss, and on what looked like a good batting wicket, with short boundaries, I decided we’d bat. I also felt fitter than I have for some time (I’ve been dieting hard for a couple of weeks now, and am starting to lose some weight) and so decided I would open the batting myself.

My first 50 runs came up quite quickly.

Our first wicket fell with the score on 117, when Carol was given out LBW.

CB didn’t seem comfortable, and was out when the score had reached 143.

The next over saw me achieve my first century this season.

Christopher was caught out going for a six on the short boundary: 167-3.

My 150 was the next landmark.

Steg was caught when the score had reached 253-4.

My 200 came up at the same time as our score passed 300. With Richard’s assistance I reached 250 the over before he achieved 50.

We batted nicely in tandem, my 300:

Being followed closely by his century:

Two balls later Richard pushed our score to over 500, and I gave him permission to keep the strike, and go for a slog. A series of sixes saw his score leap to 156 before he was finally caught. 573-5.

Ivy seemed to be dreaming as she played – perhaps she thought she was on holiday. Certainly a lack of concentration on her part saw me run out with only a few overs of our innings left – I was a little disappointed, as I was hoping for a not out to help my batting average – still, I suppose my score of 330 may boost my figures anyway. 578-6

Ivy’s daydream continued, and saw her run out too. 604-7

MinCat was bowled: 608-8.

Phil scored quickly, and our 40 overs ended with our score on 625-8.

I must admit I went for a lie-down during the tea interval, so I am unable to comment about the quality of the catering. I understand, though, that the scones (with a choice of raspberry or strawberry jam and clotted cream) were very nice.

With a target which I thought we could defend, I promised everyone a chance to bowl – with the proviso that I would bowl my overs first, so that I could then go out into the deep and have a snooze.

Needing to score fast, I think the Canadian batsmen saw my gentle spin bowling as an opportunity to slog – and so perhaps played a little rashly, as the first wicket fell to me. And the second. And the third. And the fourth. And the fifth. And the sixth. And the seventh (a hat-trick). And the eighth. And the ninth. Oh, and the final wicket too.

We won by a mere 613 runs.

In the bar afterwards there was much heated debate about who should be given the man of the match award. Modesty forbids me from commenting, but I will note that this is my highest score with the bat (to date) and I suspect these will be my best bowling figures ever (well, I can’t quite see how I could improve on them, other than getting the wickets in slightly less overs).

Saturday 7th June 2008

We played Sri Lanka this time, and just for a change I won the toss, and decided we’d bat. Defensive play against strong bowling saw us reach 27 before CB’s wicket fell.

Carol’s wicket fell when we’d reached 42.

The same bowler took Steg’s wicket, soon followed by Christopher’s. Two balls later he got Richard’s wicket, along with his five-fer: 62-5.

Merilitherin then came on, with his sneaky spin, and bowled me with his first ball, and had Ivy caught and bowled. At 66-7 we were into the tail, who subsided fairly quickly (fortunately a large number of wides were bowled, to help our score, which finished at 82-10).

The least said about the behaviour of some of our players at tea-time, the better.

Clearly with such a low target to defend, tight bowling would be the order of the day. We could only afford to give away two runs an over, and I warned all our bowlers that anyone not keeping up with that standard would be dropped forthwith. Given last week’s performance, Phil’s face fell somewhat.

Tom and Vicus opened, and Tom (as he so often does) managed a caught and bowled after only one run was on the board. Sadly, Vicus dropped a similar chance the next over.

Our second pairing brought some youth into the attack, as Christopher and I had a go. Christopher held his caught and bowled chance.

We finished the opening spell from our key bowlers, with 16 overs bowled, and just 14 runs on the board. Could Phil and MinCat be as economical?

Phil showed us that last week was an aberration, with three maiden overs, while MinCat took a wicket.

I returned to our openers, who were slightly more expensive, as was Christopher when we moved to our second string attack, although I was continuing to bowl maidens, so I stuck to spin and brought Phil back – he dropped a caught and bowled chance in his first over, but took a wicket in his second, so that’s OK.

I took myself off with one over of my spell left – I said I’d bowl the final over, and risk being hit for sixes as the run chase hotted up.

Vicus took a couple of wickets in his final spell, and with two overs left our tight bowling plan had worked, as they still needed 33 runs – not an impossible target of course, and full attention from the whole team was still required.

I took a caught and bowled with the final ball of the match; Sri Lanka finished on just 54-7 and so we won by 28 runs!!

As the scoreboard shows, every bowler had an economy rate of below two an over, as I had requested. Well done to all concerned.

Saturday 31/5/08

Having beaten New Zealand last week, some bright spark thought it would be a good idea to play Australia.

They won the toss and decided to bat.

Tom made the first breakthrough, with a clean bowled: 26-1.

Several overs later, Carol held a catch off Tom’s bowling: 47-2.

A top edge off Christopher’s bowling gave me a catching opportunity: 59-3.

Two overs later Richard took his first catch of the season (a fine dive to his left): 64-4.

Our pace bowlers were looking very tired by this stage, having bowled most of their overs; I turned to spin, but when Phil was hit for three sixes off consecutive balls, had to take him off – and Christopher got his third wicket as Ivy held a catch: 86-5.

Another edge to Richard off Christopher’s bowling: 98-6.

The next ball sees Christopher clean bowl his man, and get a five-fer in the match: 98-7.

I took the last three wickets.

Christopher’s cakes were, sadly, too heavy to transport over from France, so it’s a good thing ILTV had baked some fairy cakes, which went down a treat. I think the Aussies got the point.

We made a good start against aggressive fast bowling, our first wicket falling at 29. I was feeling a little unwell (too many fairy cakes I suspect) so Ivy went in next, and came back soon after: 30-2.

Christopher, our next batsman in, played a nice little cameo, before their spin bowler winkled him out: 62-3.

Fancying the idea of some spin bowling, I came in, in time to see Carol clean bowled: 66-4.

Steg’s wicket soon fell too: 71-5.

Could Richard and I make the sort of stand we had done last week? No. I was given out LBW (Hawkeye later showed it was not out): 73-6.

We were down to the tail now, particularly when Richard was bowled; 82-7.

Phil too was bowled: 82-8.

As was MinCat: 87-9.

Once again it was left to Vicus and Tom to save the day. The Australians kindly bowled a few no-balls and wides, to push the scores a little closer, but when Tom’s wicket fell we had only reached 94, and so lost the match.