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.