Team: Graeme, John Ca, Andy, Kevin, Tim S and Simon
We all but crushed the only other unbeaten team with a team of 5 and a half players, given that Kevin could hardly breath due to a cold. That was aside from from three deliveries in our innings when we all too nearly came off the rails.
For the first time in 4 games I won the toss and decided to bowl. Also for the first time this season, we produced a quality bowling performance. John Ca and I opened the bowling and in the first over they were 4 for 1 and by the end of the 6th they were only 40 odd for 3. On a cold night the were heaters on and this aided John’s rather useful inswingers and also for the first time this season, I managed to bowl consistently. Kevin and Tim then kept things tight, with Tim taking the 4th wicket courtesy of a fantastic stumping from Graeme. We took the 5th wicket with two overs still to go via a runout, but we could not quite finish them off, leaving them at a rather poor 92 for 5.
Tottenhoe were not level top for nothing and bowling is their main strength. However, Tim and Andy got us off to a fantastic start with 50 off the first four overs. Then Andy was fantastically runout at the bowlers end backing up just too far. Graeme came in and carried on the good work. However, the start of the 6th over very nearly saw us fall apart. Tim had just retired having reached 25, when first Graeme fell runout. He hit a fine drive to extra cover that would have been four ourdoors but indoors he ended up neatly hitting it straight back to the bowlers stumps via the side wall. I then faced my first delivery and according to my team mates received a rather useful inswinging yorker that I missed! Enter Kevin who also managed to miss his first ball and was bowled. So that left us tottering at 64 for 4, having lost 3 in 3 for no runs. However, John Ca batted very calmly given all the balls remaining along with Tim to see us home without any further problems.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Win v Long Marsden Thurs 10 November 2100
Team: Neil, Trevor, Simon, Mike, Tim S, Don
Excellent win last night to avenge our defeat to Long Marsden in the Cup, although they pushed us all the way. I lost the toss again and we were inserted. Mike and Tim S opened up and had good start getting to 25 off the first two overs, but then Mike tried an inelegant stroke a rather wide delivery and was stumped. Enter Don who with Tim really pushed the score along with some tremendous drives and pulls to the far wall. This took us to 60 odd after 4 overs, when Tim retired. Enter Neil who was in fine form again and we pushed the score on further still getting to 80 after first 6 overs, so we were looking for a big total. Unfortunately we then had one of typical collapses, with Don out on 19 having looked good, then I followed an over later caught off the roof, then Trevor, in his first game of the season, went first ball going for a single to which Neil never quite reacted. So we now 90 for 4 and Tim returned to join Neil. We then saw a great stand pushing the score to 140 when Neil perished, leaving Tim to see out the final over, however, another run out saw the innings draw to a close with 4 balls to spare on 147. Not bad, but we should have made 160+.
Mike and I opened up and for the first time this season our bowling started to look reasonable. With a target of over 12 an over, then score after the first two overs was less than 12 and Tim held a great catch off the roof to remove one of the openers to put them under pressure from the start. By the end of the first 6 overs, they had one other openers retired on 25, but they were only 50 odd, with the required run rate up to 15. We was some excellent cricket from both sides as they kept close to the run rate with some fine batting but against some accurate bowling and some fine stops from straight drives down the pitch. However the tough run rate just became too much and the wickets fell through run outs and catches. As they ran to the final over, their opener had returned and they needed an almost impossible 33 off the last over, which Tim drew quickly to a close by working their opener, leaving them finally on 114 all out.
Excellent win last night to avenge our defeat to Long Marsden in the Cup, although they pushed us all the way. I lost the toss again and we were inserted. Mike and Tim S opened up and had good start getting to 25 off the first two overs, but then Mike tried an inelegant stroke a rather wide delivery and was stumped. Enter Don who with Tim really pushed the score along with some tremendous drives and pulls to the far wall. This took us to 60 odd after 4 overs, when Tim retired. Enter Neil who was in fine form again and we pushed the score on further still getting to 80 after first 6 overs, so we were looking for a big total. Unfortunately we then had one of typical collapses, with Don out on 19 having looked good, then I followed an over later caught off the roof, then Trevor, in his first game of the season, went first ball going for a single to which Neil never quite reacted. So we now 90 for 4 and Tim returned to join Neil. We then saw a great stand pushing the score to 140 when Neil perished, leaving Tim to see out the final over, however, another run out saw the innings draw to a close with 4 balls to spare on 147. Not bad, but we should have made 160+.
Mike and I opened up and for the first time this season our bowling started to look reasonable. With a target of over 12 an over, then score after the first two overs was less than 12 and Tim held a great catch off the roof to remove one of the openers to put them under pressure from the start. By the end of the first 6 overs, they had one other openers retired on 25, but they were only 50 odd, with the required run rate up to 15. We was some excellent cricket from both sides as they kept close to the run rate with some fine batting but against some accurate bowling and some fine stops from straight drives down the pitch. However the tough run rate just became too much and the wickets fell through run outs and catches. As they ran to the final over, their opener had returned and they needed an almost impossible 33 off the last over, which Tim drew quickly to a close by working their opener, leaving them finally on 114 all out.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Win v Outlaws Thurs 3 November 2100
Team: Kevin, John Co, John Ca, Graeme, Simon, Tim S
We had another good win last night against the Outlaws, even with an under 35 in their team. We lost the toss and were inserted. Tim S and I opened and quickly the red mist descended. Tim charged their off-spinner (one of his HCC first team mates) 2nd ball and departed stumped. I then ran out Graeme all within the first over. However, Kevin and I then started to right the ship, with both us reaching 25. The two Johns then pushed on gradually until an outstanding catch off a smashed drive, low and to the right of silly mid off, removed Mr Cowan. John Ca and I then took the score up to over 100 when John reached 25 too. We had a bit of collapse over the last three overs and were finally all out in with one ball to go at 136.
Outlaws had a reasonable start as again our bowling failed to inspire. Tim bowled a tight first over before succumbing to a couple of wides, then I followed with a much less accurate over. With things not looking good, the one constant aspect of our performance this season, namely our fielding, saved us again. I removed their first opener with a direct hit under-arm throw, which was quickly followed by another from John Ca. Another run out kept the pressure on them and started to push down their scoring rate, particularly after their 2nd opener retired on 25. John Co got our first bowling wicket late on, but they were still in the hunt with two wickets remaining. They only required 40 off the last three overs, but then Graeme performed a smart stumping to get rid of their slowest scoring batsman to bring back their opener (not what the doctor ordered). Kevin was now feeling the pressure and duly delivered with a couple of wides, but again our fielding came good with two smart run outs to finish the game off with an over to spare with Outlaws 20 odd short.
We had another good win last night against the Outlaws, even with an under 35 in their team. We lost the toss and were inserted. Tim S and I opened and quickly the red mist descended. Tim charged their off-spinner (one of his HCC first team mates) 2nd ball and departed stumped. I then ran out Graeme all within the first over. However, Kevin and I then started to right the ship, with both us reaching 25. The two Johns then pushed on gradually until an outstanding catch off a smashed drive, low and to the right of silly mid off, removed Mr Cowan. John Ca and I then took the score up to over 100 when John reached 25 too. We had a bit of collapse over the last three overs and were finally all out in with one ball to go at 136.
Outlaws had a reasonable start as again our bowling failed to inspire. Tim bowled a tight first over before succumbing to a couple of wides, then I followed with a much less accurate over. With things not looking good, the one constant aspect of our performance this season, namely our fielding, saved us again. I removed their first opener with a direct hit under-arm throw, which was quickly followed by another from John Ca. Another run out kept the pressure on them and started to push down their scoring rate, particularly after their 2nd opener retired on 25. John Co got our first bowling wicket late on, but they were still in the hunt with two wickets remaining. They only required 40 off the last three overs, but then Graeme performed a smart stumping to get rid of their slowest scoring batsman to bring back their opener (not what the doctor ordered). Kevin was now feeling the pressure and duly delivered with a couple of wides, but again our fielding came good with two smart run outs to finish the game off with an over to spare with Outlaws 20 odd short.
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