Match report V Crabtree

First into bat, we lost wickets early with Trevor getting a faint nick to the keeper and Neil firing a sharp return catch to the bowler who clung on to the ball via his elbows! Tim had remained as an interested spectator whilst accumulating uneventfully and was joined by Laurie. Together they moved the score quickly to, statistically, a rather uninspiring 40 odd for 2 although only off 3 overs or so. Tim batted with the back lift of Lara but the touch of a surgeon to find the gaps retiring on 25 and was replaced by Steve Ball who, greeted with a high full toss first ball, only managed to ping it back to a grateful bowler. Every thing was going right for a delighted although somewhat disbelieving Crabtree. Their captain was beginning to froth in the anticipation. For the Colts, a second, and potentially even more, embarrassing defeat was looming. Enter skipper Tim Murphy to stem the tide and after Laurie, having batted well, was unluckily run out (correct me if I’m wrong), Tim S was last to return with the score on a rather worrying 60-4 albeit with 7 overs remaining. A disciplined and prolonged session by Tim^2 engineered the score up to a more respectable 130. Tim M playing his accustomed nurdling strategy laced with a refreshing straight six, and Tim S refraining from the usual trying to leather it until he also received a full toss well above the eye-line and managed to miss it completely. Tim M craftily continued the run gathering and got us to 149 before debatably being run out. Not bad give the earlier proceedings.

Crabtree innings never got going to be fair. After 3 over they had only managed 17, and after a series of run outs their captain was left on his own at 60 for 5. All bowlers bowled tightly – new recruits Steve and Laurie stepping up nicely. Whilst Crabtree managed to stay at the crease until the final over they did suffer the humiliation of being bowled at with all Colts fielders in the slip cordon in a blasé tribute to Crabtree’s likelihood of getting nowhere near our score and a blessed win.