Result: Colts 116 all out, Outlaws 56 all out

The score line might suggest an easy win, but having lost the toss for the first time, 116 was a well below par score, due to some excellent bowling from the Outlaws. Our total was also only as high as it was thanks to an excellent 49 from Mike, who was heading for his 50 off the final ball of the innings with an 8 when it was cruelly caught right next to the back wall.

Our innings did not start well, with Don falling early again, this time to a somewhat dubious LBW, putting Dave in. Dave and Andy made steady progress before Dave fell to a good catch somewhat frustratedly thrashing a slow ball straight to their short mid off. Andy was making his usual good progress and retired on 25 after only the 4th over, leaving Neil and I to build a decent partnership. However, neither of us could really get after the bowling, both trying too hard to hit straight, given their undefended back wall. Neil finally succumbed as did I; both caught trying to hit their slower bowling to the back wall. Our inability to hit the back wall, had led to a poor run rate at this point, but this did leave Andy to return with Mike. Given our attempts to hit straight, we had failed to take the sensible approach of hitting the side wall, which finally Mike and Andy tried. Sadly this did not last long before Andy was run out after a mix up. This left Mike with 3 overs to bat on this own but he did this sensibly mixing some fine attacking shots coming down the track with some deft deflections. So we moved from 80 odd for 5 to 116 all out off the last ball of the innings.

Having not done well with bat, we all felt the pressure of defending a low score, which clearly pushed up our level of competitiveness. Dave opened the bowling with a very aggressive and accurate spell (must be something in the genes of small people ;-), dismissing their opener off the 2nd ball of the match and conceding just 1 off the first over. I bowled the 2nd over and again kept the runs down. Their 2nd wicket fell in the 4th over, from a steeply bouncing top spinner with Mike taking a fine catch off the side wall. Dave completed his fine spell with an LBW decision which he richly deserved after several earlier close calls. After the first 6 overs they were really struggling on 33 for 3, leaving a steep target of 83 off the last 6 overs. This quickly went to 33 for 5 in the 7th over when first Don completed an easy run out off a leg glance that neatly returned to him and then Mike bowled their incoming batsman first ball. The over then took a turn for worse with 22 coming off the next three balls. However, this aggression did not last long, when in the next over a firm straight drive to me on the back wall and a fast flat return to Don ran out their final batsman.

A first class performance in the field last night in thrashing the team Gary felt would be our closest rivals, well done all.


Played: Neil Berry, Don Farenheim, Mike Hughes, Andy Lynes, Dave Whitely, Simon Williams