Satruday 13th June 2009.

Those who have been following this series closely will have noted that whenever we bat first we are always bowled out. In other words, we don't make full use of the 30 overs at our disposal. Before today's match a Mr Boycott dropped into the changing room to criticise our technique. He pointed out that we were wasting the opportunity to build up a really big score.

We promised him that we would concentrate on our defensive strokes, and refuse to give our wickets away easily. I won the toss, and decided we would bat first, to show Geoffrey what we could do, against a fairly aggressive Pakistan bowling attack.

Their very fast opening bowler hit Christopher twice, before getting the ball past him, and knocking his stumps over: 2-1.

In his next over he peppered Ad, before forcing an edge to 1st slip: 9-2.

ILTV edged to the keeper: 10-3.

Mr Boycott had started chewing his hat.

Mincat was next in, but she knows how to deal with a fast bowler, hitting a six and a four off the first over she faced - however he won the battle in the end, with another edge to the slips: 30-4.

Richard and I saw off the opening bowlers, but their second pair were just as crafty, and eventually Richard was bowled: 41-5.

I was given out LBW (Hawkeye shows that was a mistake): 65-6.

Fortunately their third string bowlers weren't quite as good, and Carol and Ivy were able to push on, until Ivy was out LBW: 91-7.

Rob was caught in the slips: 96-8.

Eventually they brought back their pacemen to finish off the tail, and Phil was bowled: 111-9.

Carol was finally winkled out, after a dogged 32: 131-10.
We had actually batted for 26·4 overs, which wasn't too bad (despite Mr Boycott's devastating criticism of our batting technique).

Tea was bread and cheese (Z's speciality).

Their first wicket fell with a caught-and-bowled to Vicus: 4-1.

Phil did the same: 8-2.

There were no further breakthroughs in the first 15 overs (after which teams usually start to attack) - but they were well behind the run-rate, on 27-2.

They did indeed start to attack, but eventually in the 22nd over I tempted Al Huq to hit a ball in the air, where Rob held onto it: 56-3.

Two overs later another of my balls flew to Ivy: 62-4.

In their penultimate over, Rob got their top batsman caught-and-bowled: 86-5.

Despite batting through their 30 overs, they finished on 94-5, and so we won.New Zealand lost another game, and so we're now clear on top of the league.Next week (the halfway stage in the league) we're away against Sri Lanka.

Saturday 6th June 2009

Well, after England's defeat by the Netherlands on Friday, clearly any result is possible in cricket. New Zealand had cunningly played an extra game mid-week, to try to ensure they would stay above us, even if we beat them today - sadly for them they had lost that match, thus at one stroke both foiling their plan, and giving us hope that they were not invincible.

New Zealand won the toss, and decided to field. I decided to use the same batting line-up that had performed so well last week and I aimed to set them a target of 150 (ie setting the opposition a run-rate of 5 per over).

Our hearts were in our mouths when Christopher was bowled first ball: 0-1.

Ad was run out: 8-2.

So was Mincat - we were starting to realise what sharp fielders the Kiwis are: 20-3.

ILTV and I settled down, and saw us past the 50 mark, until she clipped one to the keeper: 52-4.

Richard was bowled: 66-5.

Our target of 150 looked rather unlikely now.

Carol too was bowled: 81-6.

Well, at least I reached my half-century before we were all out.
Ivy and I pushed the score past 100 before she was caught: 127-7.

I too was caught, by a diving first slip: 136-8.

We were relying on the bowlers to get us up to 150 - they had plenty of overs to play with, but did they have the ability?

Phil was caught by the keeper: 139-9.

Vicus was bowled - but not before he and Rob had taken us past our target: 154-10.
Tea involved various combinations of stuffed emu.

With a competitive target we knew their batting line-up would feel under pressure, which intensified when Vicus took a wicket in the first over: 0-1.

Rob took the next wicket: 6-2.

They scored odd singles, but were steadily dropping behind the run-rate - after 10 overs they'd achieved just 18-2, and at 15 overs (the halfway point) they had dried up completely, on 21-2.

Finally they started to try to hit out - but that just gave our fielders more chances, the first being a ball struck firmly off Vicus, straight into Mincat's hands: 24-3.

Next ball Vicus held a sharp caught-and-bowled: 24-4.

Rob took the next wicket: 26-5.

I had a go too: 28-6.

And in my next over I achieved a hat-trick: 32-9.

Rob finished them off: 33-10.As you will see, we now head the league table. Huzzah!Next week we are at home to Pakistan.

Satrurday May 30th 2009

After last week's humiliation I was determined to show no favours today. Kenya have a fairly good bowling attack, but are probably a little weak in their batting line-up. I felt that putting our strongest batsmen in first, and building a good total, should completely demoralise them. Winning the toss was the start of my game-plan, which I duly did, and elected to bat first.

The sun was beating down from a clear blue sky at The Oval as Christopher and I made our way to the wicket.

We shared an opening stand of 69 before Christopher was run out: 69-1.

My 50 came and went, before Ad nicked a cut to the keeper: 93-2.

Mincat was run out: 103-3.

ILTV was bowled: 120-4.

Richard was caught in the slips: 133-5.

Carol was also caught: 151-6.

I was getting a little concerned that I was running out of partners, and was having to do a lot of work in very hot conditions (Christopher was the only other batsman to score in double figures) - still, eventually my century arrived.Ivy was then caught in the slips: 160-7.

Rob was adjudged LBW on his first ball: 160-8.

A tired shot saw me bowled: 160-9.

Our tail wagged a bit before Vicus was caught and bowled: 171-10.

I am afraid I failed to photograph the relevant page of the scorebook. It showed:

Christopher: 18
Dave: 101
Ad: 6
Mincat: 8
ILTV: 5
Richard: 7
Carol: 6
Ivy: 4
Rob: 0
Phil: 6 not out
Vicus: 5

As we tucked into our clotted cream tea we felt we had set a sufficiently daunting target.

This soon became obvious - Christopher took a wicket in the first over: 1-1.

I took one in the second over: 1-2.

Vicus got one in the next over: 5-3.

And Phil took two in his first over: 6-5.

I came back on and took 4 wickets, giving me a five-fer to add to my century: 6-9.

Rob knocked over the last wicket, with an edge to a diving Richard: 6-10.
We move back to second place in the league, with a vastly superior net run rate to everyone else. This will be important, for next week we play New Zealand, away. If we win, that run rate should put us top of the league table.

Saturday May 23rd

I must admit that I rather expected today's game would not stretch us, and so I thought I'd shuffle the batting order, to allow our lower order players a chance to bat higher up - and I also thought I'd let everyone have a bowl. This may have been a mistake.

Bangladesh won the toss, and elected to bat.

Carol took the first wicket: 17-1.

ILTV made the next breakthrough, Ad holding a sharp catch in the slips: 30-2.

Phil got a clean bowled: 45-3.

Vicus' pace removed an off stump: 48-4.

Ivy held a catch off Phil's bowling: 69-5.

Phil managed to knock another stump over: 69-6.

I achieved a hat-trick (in my third maiden over): 77-9.

Rob finished their innings, with a ball clipped to Richard: 78-10.Tea was some kind of curry. This may have had an effect on our side's desire to get back into the pavillion as quickly as possible.

Ivy was our first player to be run out, going for a second run: 1-1.

Ad and Richard responded with three sixes, before Ad was bowled: 22-2.

Richard was caught by their keeper: 34-3.

Phil was caught, trying to hit a six: 36-4.

Vicus was run out: 44-5.

We needed just 35 more runs, but had lost half our wickets. Still, we had our main batsmen left, so no-one was unduly worried.

Rob was clean bowled: 45-6.

So was Christopher: 54-7.

Carol was run out, and we were in deep trouble: 59-8.

Which worsened when I was caught-and-bowled: 63-9.

I'm afraid Mincat threw her wicket away, going for a suicidal single: 65-10.
As a result of this loss we have slipped to third place in the league.Next week we play Kenya. I will treat them with due respect.

Saturday May 16th

We played this match in Manchester, so that Kaz could come and cheer. The West Indies won the toss, and elected to bat.

The first wicket fell to Christopher, who bowled his man around his legs: 11-1.

Phil managed the next breakthrough, with Ad holding onto a sharp catch in the slips: 32-2.

Ivy held onto a drive off Christopher's bowling: 42-3.

With his next ball, Christopher held a catch himself: 42-4.

Lara then set about our bowling - he took 19 runs off my first over, as they tried to push the run rate up.

Rob held onto a drive from one of Vicus' balls: 82-5.

I got Lara with my next over - caught by Carol: 84-6.

I achieved a clean bowled in my next over: 86-7.

Rob's pacey ball took out the middle stump: 92-8.

And another: 94-9.

And finished the innings: 94-10.Tea was a traditional dish of Lancashire hotpot and chips, followed by Eccles cakes, Manchester Tart and some parkin with a slice of Lancashire cheese. Gosh, the catering quality has gone up since Z took over.

The target looked easily achievable, and we set off briskly, until Mincat was caught: 15-1.

I had pushed Ad up to number 3, as I haven't done much in the last two innings, he and Christopher continued the attack, until Christopher was caught: 26-2.

Ad was striking the ball nicely, but eventually edged to the keeper: 40-3.

ILTV was caught and bowled, and suddenly things were looking a little shaky: 43-4.

Richard and I steadied the ship, until he was caught and bowled: 78-5.

I persuaded Carol to take some deep breaths, and play steadily, and between us we saw the side home: 95-5.As you can see from the league table we're still second, with New Zealand leading by virtue of their extra game played.Next week we're away in Bangladesh.

Saturday May 9th 2009

We flew into Sydney Airport with just five minutes to spare before the start of the match. Using Gardner Airlines may have been economical (and exciting) but not, perhaps, the speediest option.

I won the toss and elected to bat - setting a large target, which the opposition struggle to reach (and, incidentally, giving every player in our side a chance to bat) seems to have worked so far.

Mincat was caught and bowled when the score had reached 27-1.

Christopher was caught by their keeper: 36-2.

I brought Ad in higher up the order, as I know he's been working hard in the nets.

Annoyingly, I played a shot from Worde onto my pads, from where it gently rolled into my stumps: 45-3.

Carol was caught in the slips: 57-4.

Ad and ILTV took us past 100, Ad finally being caught just short of a maiden half-century: 106-5.

ILTV was run out: 121-6.

Ivy was caught and bowled by Worde: 154-7.

Rob was bowled: 155-8.

As was Phil: 158-9.

And Vicus: 163-10.Tea was a jolly affair, gathered round the glowing barbie. The taste of burnt plastic did, though, rather spoil the taste of the prawns.

After our return to the field, Vicus made a quick breakthrough with an LBW: 4-1.

Unfortunately this brought Ponting in - a player we have found it hard to dislodge in the past.

We did, however, manage to contain them to 2 or 3 an over - well below the rate they needed - until eventually they had to go for big shots - and Christopher was rewarded with a catch by Mincat: 47-2.

In his next over he tempted Ponting to do the same thing: 56-3.

Vicus was hit for three consecutive boundaries, before one fell slightly short and I was able to hang onto it: 80-4.

In his next over Rob tempted another drive to Mincat: 84-5.

And another to ILTV: 90-6.

With my final ball I got my revenge, clean bowling Worde: 94-7.

The final over of the match, from Christopher, saw just one run, and so they finished on 95-7. We win again.

Sadly I failed to photograph the scorebook before we left Australia. I can however confirm that our bowling figures were Vicus: 6 overs, 2 wickets for 41 runs, Rob: 6-2-14, Christopher: 5-2-9, me: 5-1-22, Ad: 2-0-9.

Mincat took 3 catches, and ILTV and I one each.

As the league table shows, New Zealand are going to be the team to beat.
Next week we're home against the West Indies.

Saturday May 2nd 2009

I won the toss, and decided we'd bat first against an Indian attack noted for early pace, and cunning spin later.

Sadly, the early pace bit threw Christopher, who was given out LBW before he'd had time to get his eye in. 4-1.

Mincat and I seemed set and confident - until she ran me out: 25-2.

Mincat and Carol attacked the bowling successfully - until, that is, Carol was bowled: 53-3.

ILTV was also bowled: 87-4.

As their spin bowling didn't look that threatening, I decided to promote Ad up the order, to see if the time he's put in the nets had worked - it certainly had, as he scored a brisk 27 before being given out LBW: 121-5.

After a good, steady innings, building up 43 runs, Mincat was run out: 144-6.

Ivy was bowled: 153-7.

As was Rob: 161-8.

And Richard: 161-9. Those spinners were harder to read than it had appeared.

Vicus was dropped off the second ball he faced, and bowled by the next: 161-10.
Tea was gratefully taken, the lumps of ice in the incompletely-thawed pork pies helping to cool the blood.

We took to the field with a smaller target to defend than last week, but still something that seemed achievable, although heads started to drop after their opening batsmen attacked our pace bowlers from the start. Fortunately we are not a one-dimensional side* and some tight spin bowling from Phil slowed the run-rate, and took the first wicket too: 17-1.

After 15 overs they had reached 38-1, well behind the run-rate, but with enough wickets in hand to afford to be flamboyant. They did indeed start to strike out - but balls flying in the air also meant catching chances. Our pre-match fielding practice paid dividends - and in particular our lady members, embarrassed about last week's dropped chances, did well, each of them holding a catch.

ILTV was first, holding a difficult chance off Christopher's final over: 58-2.

Annoyingly, Vicus dropped a catch off my bowling. We did appreciate that it cannot be easy for a centenarian to react with the pace of youth.

Mincat, who was having a great match (apart from the little matter of having run her skipper out) took a one-handed catch off Rob's bowling: 79-3.

Carol held onto a ball that I'd bowled: 82-4.

As did Ivy: 87-5.

We got through our 30 overs with the score on 90-5, and so we won again.
As the table shows, we are now second in the league, with a match in hand over the leaders.
*We are a two-dimensional side. Literally.

Saturday 24th April 2009.

The first match of the season saw us away in South Africa. They won the toss, and decided to put us in to bat. Our new opener, Christopher, had a baptism of fire, being hit in the box by the first two balls. This obviously irked him, as his next two shots went for four.

In the second over Mincat was bowled by their top fast bowler: 12-1.

Christopher and I took the attack to their opening bowlers, until, after a sparkling innings (he has certainly cemented his place as an opener) Christopher was bowled: 35-2.

Carol and I continued to push on aggressively, until she was caught by first slip: 87-3.

ILTV hit one magnificent six, but was caught trying for another: 104-4.

Richard was bowled: 122-5. Only 14 overs had been bowled, and already we'd lost half our team - my prediction that 30-30 matches should see our whole team bowled out looked likely to be fulfilled.

Our new team member, Ad, came in next. Frankly he struggled against hostile bowling, and was soon caught by the slips: 127-6. More time in the nets will, I'm sure, bring benefits.

Ivy came in, went for a suicidal second run, and was run out: 128-7.

This brought Rob in (to the confusion of the scorers, who now had an East at each end) just in time to see his captain celebrate the first half-century of the new season.After nearly running his Skipper out twice, Rob was caught-and-bowled: 176-8.

My wicket fell shortly after that: 180-9.

This left our tail-enders to make a magnificent stand. They failed, Vicus being caught-and-bowled: 180-10.After an interesting tea, provided by our hosts (biltong sandwiches, boerewors, gesmoorde vis and potjiekos) we trooped out to the field, confident that we had set a target that we could defend - indeed I pointed out to our bowlers that we need not bowl the opposition out, just keep them to scoring less than a run a ball, and we would win.

Our openers certainly did precisely what I'd asked - after ten overs, the South Africans had only managed to score 12 runs.

I then brought Vicus back for his second spell, and he achieved a caught-and-bowled: 12-1.

In his next over he manged to clean bowl his man: 12-2.

We reached 15 overs, the halfway point, with just 15 runs on the board - but with 8 wickets in hand, it was clear that the opposition could afford to take extravagant shots - which indeed they did, sixes starting to be struck.

After 18 overs, I brought on our final bowling pair, to the annoyance of the scorers, as once again they had an East at each end.

I deliberately gave the ball plenty of air, encouraging them to hit the ball over the ropes - I went for a few sixes, but eventually the ball flew to Rob, who held on to it: 45-3.

Sadly five more catches were dropped by the female members of our team (naming no names). Catching practice next week, ladies!

Eventually Mincat held onto a catch off Rob's bowling: 81-4.

Richard also took one: 82-5.

In the final over Rob took another catch off my bowling: 93-6.

I bowled two more batsmen, and the match ended with them on 93-8.

We won.

Saturday 26th July 2008.

As we were in Africa, I fixed up a game against Kenya. They won the toss, and decided to bat.

Vicus took a wicket in the first over: 1-1.

That may have given us a false impression of their ability, as they then started to attack our mainline bowlers, and it took some time before Tom managed to get an edge, held by a diving Richard: 30-2.

Two balls later, a yorker knocked over off stump: 31-3.

I bowled my man the next over: 31-4 And another: 31-5 And one more: 31-6.

My kidneys were troubling me, so I took myself off at this point. Unfortunately, none of our other bowlers seemed able to trouble them, and runs were flowing freely, so I reluctantly dragged myself back, knocking over all four of their remaining wickets for 2 runs (both extraordinary umpiring decisions, given as no-balls). All out for 80 – oh, and yet another 5-fer for me.

There were some heated words said about the umpires at tea. I’m not sure Vicus really helped to cool things down, when he poured a cup of tea over one of them.

Before my back stiffened any more, I decided to open the batting myself. They turned out to be quite quick bowlers, as Carol found to her cost when she nicked the ball to the keeper: 18-1.

I was then given out LBW in an extraordinary display of umpiring incompetence – the replay clearly showing that the ball had hit my bat: 25-2.

CB was caught: 38-3

As was Steg: 46-4.

Christopher was caught-and-bowled: 48-5.

Ivy was out LBW: 51-6.

Richard was bowled: 62-7.

It looked very much as if we were in for the same sort of disaster that had overtaken us last week, when finally all the hard work Phil had put in at the pie-shop, sorry, nets paid off, as he saw us home – finishing the match with a well-executed boundary. We won.

Saturday 19th July 2008

We had a match planned against Zimbabwe, but for obvious reasons I cancelled it. However the minibus had been booked to take us to Africa, so at short notice I arranged to arrange a game against the Namibian national side.

I think we all assumed this would be a walk in the park; certainly I had plenty of volunteers to bowl at them, so when I won the toss I put them in, and said that everyone could bowl one over – starting with our weaker bowlers, and leaving the heavy guns to break any resistance.

It looked as if we were right, as in the second over I bowled a man with my first ball (yes, I do consider myself one of our weaker bowlers – certainly the computer ranking shows five bowlers with better abilities than me at present): 2-1.

Sadly, Ivy dropped a catch off my third ball.

The runs slowly but steadily built after that, with no more chances being offered, until I eventually brought the big boys on – and Richard held on to an edge off Tom’s bowling: 28-2.

Vicus eventually sent a stump flying: 43-3.

Phil too bowled his man: 69-4.

I polished off the tail in seven balls, including a hat-trick and yet another five-fer. All out for 70.

There were some excited faces over tea. Our batting seemed to have steadied last week, and their attack didn’t look threatening. Certain people had great expectations that we would score the necessary runs inside ten overs.

We were soon shaken out of our complacency, when CB, looking to repeat last week’s half-century, was out for a duck when the score had reached: 15-1.

I was bowled soon after: 15-2.

Carol as given out LBW: 25-3.

Steg scored quickly, but was then caught: 42-4.

Richard was caught by the keeper: 45-5.

Christopher was run out going for a suicidal second run: 66-6.

Still, we only needed five runs to win, with four wickets in hand.

Make that three wickets, when Phil was clean bowled: 66-7.

A single and two no-balls brought the score to 69-7 – one run needed to tie.

Mincat played on: 69-8.

Ivy was bowled: 69-9.

Tom’s wicket fell too, and so we lost by one run.

More time in the nets everyone.

Saturday 19th July 2008

We had a match planned against Zimbabwe, but for obvious reasons I cancelled it. However the minibus had been booked to take us to Africa, so at short notice I arranged to arrange a game against the Namibian national side.

I think we all assumed this would be a walk in the park; certainly I had plenty of volunteers to bowl at them, so when I won the toss I put them in, and said that everyone could bowl one over – starting with our weaker bowlers, and leaving the heavy guns to break any resistance.

It looked as if we were right, as in the second over I bowled a man with my first ball (yes, I do consider myself one of our weaker bowlers – certainly the computer ranking shows five bowlers with better abilities than me at present): 2-1.

Sadly, Ivy dropped a catch off my third ball.

The runs slowly but steadily built after that, with no more chances being offered, until I eventually brought the big boys on – and Richard held on to an edge off Tom’s bowling: 28-2.

Vicus eventually sent a stump flying: 43-3.

Phil too bowled his man: 69-4.

I polished off the tail in seven balls, including a hat-trick and yet another five-fer. All out for 70.

There were some excited faces over tea. Our batting seemed to have steadied last week, and their attack didn’t look threatening. Certain people had great expectations that we would score the necessary runs inside ten overs.

We were soon shaken out of our complacency, when CB, looking to repeat last week’s half-century, was out for a duck when the score had reached: 15-1.

I was bowled soon after: 15-2.

Carol as given out LBW: 25-3.

Steg scored quickly, but was then caught: 42-4.

Richard was caught by the keeper: 45-5.

Christopher was run out going for a suicidal second run: 66-6.

Still, we only needed five runs to win, with four wickets in hand.

Make that three wickets, when Phil was clean bowled: 66-7.

A single and two no-balls brought the score to 69-7 – one run needed to tie.

Mincat played on: 69-8.

Ivy was bowled: 69-9.

Tom’s wicket fell too, and so we lost by one run.

More time in the nets everyone.

Saturday 12th July 2008-07-10

The West Indies looked like being formidable opposition, as they seemed to be the men of three years ago, with Lara at his peak. They won the toss and decided to bat. Twelve overs of mainly defensive play against our main-line bowlers saw them at 28-0, with not a single wicket-taking chance being offered. I decide to try a few of our lesser bowlers, to see if I could tempt the batsmen into doing something rash.

That tactic failed, so I returned to our main bowlers – which is when they did decide to attack. With runs flowing freely and no sign of being able to get them our, I cursed the fact that I’d agreed that we’d play a 50-over match, rather than our usual 40-overs.

Chindarpool’s 50 came up in the 29th over, with the score on 82-0.

Finally, with Goyler on 47, and a little excited about getting his half-century (yes, the computer does actually factor in nerves at times like this, it is an amazingly clever little programme) Tom managed to knock out his middle stump: 115-1.

Christopher took a brilliant catch off Mincat’s bowling to dismiss Chindarpool: 142-2.

Unfortunately that brought Lara in, and he set about our bowling – but before he got too far, I tempted him with an off-spinner, which he mis-hit, Ivy holding the catch: 157-3.

Richard held an edge off Mincat: 157-4.

Two overs later I held a catch off Mincat – her swing bowling was the decisive factor here, as it really seemed to be deceiving them: 175-5.

A few balls later I held another catch: 176-6.

The next over Ivy held another catch off my bowling: 176-7.

I knocked out the off-stump with my next ball: 176-8.

And took a hat-trick with the next: 176-9.

And another five-fer with my next: 176 all out.

Despite my five wicket haul, I would say that Mincat was definitely the pick of our bowlers.

Tea-time was quiet. I think we were all very conscious of our poor batting performance over the last month, and against an impressive line-up of both speed and spin our prospects looked hopeless. There were some very pasty faces around the table (oddly matching the Cornish pasties we were eating).

Carol and CB made a solid start, before Carol was bowled: 28-1.

Mine was the next wicket to fall, when I casually edged the ball to the slips: 49-2.

CB was dropped twice, but rode her luck to a fine maiden half-century:


Sadly, she was caught behind soon after, but not before she and Steg had pushed our score to: 104-3.

Steg had been striking the ball well, but was finally caught on the boundary: 140-4.

It looked as if Richard and Christopher would see us home, but sadly Richard was caught off a top edge: 164-5.

Within sight of the finishing tape Christopher was caught-and-bowled: 174-6.

With the scores tied, Ivy was bowled, as she tried to hit the winning run: 176-7.

The match ended in anti-climax, as they bowled a wide, and thus our 177th run came up and we won the match.

Saturday 5th July 2008

After two hopeless performances, I arranged what should have been a rather easier match. Let’s face it, the Netherlands aren’t renowned in the cricketing world.

I won the toss, and realising that we needed as much batting practice as possible, decided we’d bat first. To be perfectly honest, their bowling attack was fairly innocuous, so I can only conclude that some of you weren’t taking this seriously.

Our first wicket fell when Carol edged the ball to the keeper: 31-1.

CB sliced the ball to the slips: 43-2.

Steg was given out LBW: 72-3.

Christopher edged the ball to the slips: 83-4.

I was clean bowled: 87-5.

Richard also edged the ball to the slips: 93-6.

Phil was bowled: 102-7.

As was MinCat: 106-8.

Vicus was given out LBW: 114-9.

Tom was bowled, leaving us all out for 117.

A bowl of oranges was presented to us for tea.

I felt their batting line-up probably posed no challenges to our modest total, so said that
everyone could have a bowl, while I took the other end, and tried to keep things tight.

Vicus bowled an opener in his over: 0-1.

My first ball clean bowled the other opener: 4-2.

My second ball also took a wicket: 4-3.

Phil dropped a caught-and-bowled chance.

The next over saw me hit for four boundaries, and I considered taking myself off, but things
changed rapidly in the next over, as Tom bowled a man with his first and third balls, and achieved an LBW with his 5^th: 28-6.

I took a wicket the next over: 30-7.

Two overs later I took another, and another (giving me a five-fer) and then a hat-trick to finish the match: 32 all out.

We mustn’t crow. I anticipate stronger opposition next week.

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.