Tues 30 Oct v Long Marston: Match report

The words of that hideous song “Things can only get better” used by New Labour during their first election victory sprung to mind after last week’s loss (and the gut wrenching image of “two jags” Prescott trying to ‘dance’ and the embarrassed face of marmite masher Mandelson who no doubt would have preferred a shirt-lifter like Schubert to Chumba Wumba).

Well what a difference a weekend makes. Clearly after some soul searching, of a depth only equalled by our failed English rugby team following their thrashing by SA, we returned in a much stronger frame of mind. This time I lost the toss and batting- wise we started almost as badly as we did in the Q-final. Graeme and Dave opened and had an excellent first over of 17, including a lovely straight drive for 5 by Dave. However, Dave quickly departed run out to a close call in the second over. Tim S joined Graeme and as usual looked all grace and timing, dancing down the wicket to several of his first few deliveries. Sadly he missed what would have been a leg side wide during one of these sorties, but the keeper didn’t and completed a smart stumping. Enter new boy Mike who started well, but sadly as Graeme approached 25 he hit an uppish drive and was smartly caught off the side wall. I then joined Mike and we had moved the score on only a little before Mike hit what probably would have been six outdoors, but sadly it hit the roof before returning conveniently to the bowler. This left us at 80 odd for 4 with just Tim M and myself and 5 overs remaining. As ever, Tim delivered as only he can, frustrating the bowlers by consistently dabbing the ball into inaccessible places. The number of mid wicket conferences increased as we increased the number of singles, Tim gradually going a deeper shade of red. We approached the 2nd bonus point when I ran Tim out with 4 balls to go and 9 still required for the final bonus point, but this we managed off the last ball. So 140 for 5, a good result from 80 odd for 4, with Tim on 26 and me on 38.

We were still on the upward curve, well most of us, as we came out to bowl. Dave opened and with his first ball caught their opener plumb in front as he walked across his stumps, what a start! Well, new boy Mike soon brought us back to earth mixing unplayable deliveries with mix of wides and no balls (some a tad unfair IMHO), so from 7 for 1 after the first over, they went to 25 for 1. Dave continued to bowl well as did Tim S. They lost their second wicket to a run out but had kept their run rate up at around the asking rate. After a great spell from Dave, I started with immediate results courtesy of a great stumping from Graeme. I then bowled their captain having dropped him shortly before. Graeme then produced a lightening legside stumping, but I can’t remember who off. At this point they were really struggling behind the run rate and 5 wickets down. Tim M finished the game off bowling their final batsman, all out for just 74. I fine victory against last year’s league champions.


Ooo, and dropping that catch looks like it has broken my thumb.