The Redbourn winfest sadly seems to continue, so with only two games to go for them, they have to lose both for us to overtake them (assuming the won on Tuesday, and they had notched up over 150 by the time we left). With that in mind, these last few games for us seem somewhat secondary and combined with the general economic mood there is less than really serious competitive spirit.
With the opposition running late, the game was already reduced to 11 overs per side. We lost the toss and were asked to bowl and Mike opened the bowling with Dave. Mike bowled to good first overs beating two of their first three for pace in castling them and they lost a wicket to run out in opening over. We had them under serious pressure at the half way point of 40 odd for 4 after 5 overs. With Mike's tail up, he went for broke but lost some of the earlier control, testing Graeme's keeping, spraying it down the legside and getting the ball to lift to the extent that he conceded a chest high no ball. They lost their 5th wicket with a few overs to go, but there last batsman did well pushing the score up to 107 for 5 at the end of 11th over.
Batting was a bit of procession, there was no real incentive to push the run rate, which we kept just on the right side of with Mike and Graeme opening. I went in three and pushed a few quick singles, but became are only wicket loss to a somewhat dubious run out. Dave and Neil finished things off with more than over to spare.
We will need to bowl more accurately and bat with more purpose I feel if we are to topple Redbourn in the final this year.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Colts 146 for 5, Park St Dads 108 all out
There is no point in trying to upstage Graeme’s last strictly come dancing match report, so this will be a more factual straight-bat style report.
Well my expectation were low for the evening as we were playing the bottom side who have lost every game so far this season. We were on a hiding to nothing as a victory was the least that could be expected and total ignominy if we some how even came close to losing. All did not auger well, when there skipper politely asked if we were any good, as this might affect what he would do if he won the toss, which he did. They also asked to borrow Trevor’s son as they only had 5 players. So were inserted, which is what I would have done if we had one the toss anyway. Andy and I opened the batting and my expectation dropped even lower as the first two balls made it nowhere near the matting, along with another two in the first over. A similar pattern emerged over the first few overs interspersed with a few legal deliveries that somehow seem quite hard to hit. As the overs went by, the bowling straightened but our ability to score worsened. Finally somewhat frustrated Andy clipped a nice drive towards the back wall, where Trevor’s son pounced and in Gary Pratt style rather too expertly threw down the bowler’s end stumps to run out Andy. Steven then joyed me but only for a short innings, when I limply drove straight back to the bowler for Steven to be run out backing up. Trevor and JohnCa quickly came and went for little addition to the score, leaving us at 90 odd for 4 off 9 overs. All this time I had scratched around and retired on 25 but quickly had to return to join Tim. The tide started to turn at this point when as usual Tim and I combined to run many quick singles and steal extra runs off their wides. All went well until the last ball of the penultimate over when Tim and I went for another quick single and Tim’s hamstring went. The last over was a real let down after the carnage in the previous two, with Tim succumbing bowled off an inside edge aiming for a 10. However we just got full bonus points finishing on 146 for 5. Compared to Redbourn last week though this was poor, they managed 208 again PSD.
Bowling was going to be a headache, I was counting on Tim to be one of our 4 bowlers, but he really couldn’t walk let alone run. So I turned to Trevor and Andy to work out who was the best to fill in, Trevor volunteered and took the 2nd over after a steady start from JohnCa. Trevor’s start could not have been scripted, being on a hat-trick after his first two deliveries. The first was a superb return catch taken high to his left hand side (from a ball that pitched off the carpet) and the second a fierce drive straight at me at silly mid-on to which I could only react by letting it hit my chest and arm, but I reacted better to the rebound that I snaffled. Trevor’s night just got better when he took another two wickets, a smart stumping from Andy and a possibly even better caught and bowled catching the ball just above the carpet to his left-hand-side. He was a bit generous though when his son came in last man and threw up a few dollies until his last ball when there was some attempt to take a record breaking 5th wicket. At 60 odd for 4 after 6 we thought it was all over, but Trevor’s son stuck around with their opener and they kept the score ticking over. I finally bowled Trevor’s son but their opener went on an all out attack but square rather than straight. He finally succumbed with an over to go to a suicidal single, leaving them 108 all out. An easy win in the end, but it didn’t feel like we played well.
Well my expectation were low for the evening as we were playing the bottom side who have lost every game so far this season. We were on a hiding to nothing as a victory was the least that could be expected and total ignominy if we some how even came close to losing. All did not auger well, when there skipper politely asked if we were any good, as this might affect what he would do if he won the toss, which he did. They also asked to borrow Trevor’s son as they only had 5 players. So were inserted, which is what I would have done if we had one the toss anyway. Andy and I opened the batting and my expectation dropped even lower as the first two balls made it nowhere near the matting, along with another two in the first over. A similar pattern emerged over the first few overs interspersed with a few legal deliveries that somehow seem quite hard to hit. As the overs went by, the bowling straightened but our ability to score worsened. Finally somewhat frustrated Andy clipped a nice drive towards the back wall, where Trevor’s son pounced and in Gary Pratt style rather too expertly threw down the bowler’s end stumps to run out Andy. Steven then joyed me but only for a short innings, when I limply drove straight back to the bowler for Steven to be run out backing up. Trevor and JohnCa quickly came and went for little addition to the score, leaving us at 90 odd for 4 off 9 overs. All this time I had scratched around and retired on 25 but quickly had to return to join Tim. The tide started to turn at this point when as usual Tim and I combined to run many quick singles and steal extra runs off their wides. All went well until the last ball of the penultimate over when Tim and I went for another quick single and Tim’s hamstring went. The last over was a real let down after the carnage in the previous two, with Tim succumbing bowled off an inside edge aiming for a 10. However we just got full bonus points finishing on 146 for 5. Compared to Redbourn last week though this was poor, they managed 208 again PSD.
Bowling was going to be a headache, I was counting on Tim to be one of our 4 bowlers, but he really couldn’t walk let alone run. So I turned to Trevor and Andy to work out who was the best to fill in, Trevor volunteered and took the 2nd over after a steady start from JohnCa. Trevor’s start could not have been scripted, being on a hat-trick after his first two deliveries. The first was a superb return catch taken high to his left hand side (from a ball that pitched off the carpet) and the second a fierce drive straight at me at silly mid-on to which I could only react by letting it hit my chest and arm, but I reacted better to the rebound that I snaffled. Trevor’s night just got better when he took another two wickets, a smart stumping from Andy and a possibly even better caught and bowled catching the ball just above the carpet to his left-hand-side. He was a bit generous though when his son came in last man and threw up a few dollies until his last ball when there was some attempt to take a record breaking 5th wicket. At 60 odd for 4 after 6 we thought it was all over, but Trevor’s son stuck around with their opener and they kept the score ticking over. I finally bowled Trevor’s son but their opener went on an all out attack but square rather than straight. He finally succumbed with an over to go to a suicidal single, leaving them 108 all out. An easy win in the end, but it didn’t feel like we played well.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tottenhoe 131-2 Colts 132-3
It was a somewhat depleted Colts VI that warmed up (well stood around) before the league match against Tottenhoe. No "Frank" Spencer, no "Frankie" Howard, no "Richard" Whiteley and no "Charlie" Williams. It was like a night at the Comedy Club but without the comedians. Anarchy was also in the air (there was a suspicion that Tim Murphy had eaten a curry) as different plans were hatched at bewildering speed: bat first, bowl first, Graeme to keep wicket, Andy to keep wicket. The list went on and on like an American election. Dance Captain Graeme called correctly and decided to bowl and the Colts took to the carpet with Andy in the gloves and Johnca & Johnco waiting to perform the foxtrot as the first couple on to the floor. Johnca was in a stunning red, satin off-the-shoulder dress and Johnco was looking forward to getting his newly acquired leg extension in to his delivery stride. Graeme stood at the back net like a kindly, benevolent but less agile Bruce Forsyth. In a certain light (i.e. pitch dark) Tim Murphy looked a bit like Tess Daly.
The Totts started slowly and in truth the first few overs lacked action and a bit of snap in their routines. Johnca was mixing good balls with a few odd wides chucked in here and there like a Rumba but without the rum. Johnco was rusty like an old accordion at the back of the garage but there's many a fine tune played on an old instrument (so they tell me) and the run rate was well below the desired 10 an over. The openers were making a heavy Craig Revel Horwood of it as Johnco finally trapped one dead in front for a plumb lbw and celebrated by chucking the next 4 balls down the American Smooth-side for plenty of wides. The introduction of Murphy and Ball changed the tempo of the innings. Murph is now thought more desirable by his superiors when he is away from his money markets computer console rather than when he is sitting at it clenching a stress ball between his teeth and unlike the markets recently he began straight and true. Bally was as reliable as ever until a sharp direct hit run out brought the genial "Woody" to the crease. "Woody" holds his bat like a frustrated frontier woodsman who hasn't seen a tree for a week and he had decided that Bally was the man to take on. A 6 and an 8 followed before Bally adjusted his range-finder and pinned "Woody" back for the rest of the over. The score was mounting and no more wickets fell as the Totts closed on 131-2 with the Colts leaving a few bonus points to go begging. Bruno Tonioli in the upper gallery thought the target was gettable if the run chase started well.
Graeme & Andy (who had already kept wicket very well) started as if they had been born to tango together since those early days at the Italia Conti Drama College. Runs came easily despite a fair Tottenhoe bowling attack and Andy got us well ahead of the run rate with a brace of 6's. At this point, the Len Goodman fell off. The calling had been good up until now but a mis-judgement left Andy doing a quick-step in mid-pitch whilst Graeme was break-dancing after tripping himself up. A shimmy followed a shake and either batsman could have been dismissed but in a fitting tribute to Armistice Day, Andy (who was on 19) sacrificed himself for the team and allowed Graeme to receive tug assistance and a crane barge in order to get to safety at the striker's end. Bally then came in and whacked it to all parts ending up retired with 28* but Johnca was run out without even getting to sniff the air at the striker's end. He had called for a suicidal quick one that most people thought wasn't even a dot let alone a single and he rather gave the game away that he was struggling when he yelped "Oh no !" as he was barely in to the first 4 bars of the overture let alone the final chorus. Johnca reported that his moment of madness was due to a dislike for being "in the cage" - an argument also trotted out over the years by discontented lions at London Zoo. Johnco was then bowled by a delivery that he reported swung both ways, pitched, yorked and left him all at the same time and it was left for Murph with 10* and Graeme with a cheeky 40* to waltz the Colts in to next week's cha-cha-cha with plenty of time to spare.
The Totts started slowly and in truth the first few overs lacked action and a bit of snap in their routines. Johnca was mixing good balls with a few odd wides chucked in here and there like a Rumba but without the rum. Johnco was rusty like an old accordion at the back of the garage but there's many a fine tune played on an old instrument (so they tell me) and the run rate was well below the desired 10 an over. The openers were making a heavy Craig Revel Horwood of it as Johnco finally trapped one dead in front for a plumb lbw and celebrated by chucking the next 4 balls down the American Smooth-side for plenty of wides. The introduction of Murphy and Ball changed the tempo of the innings. Murph is now thought more desirable by his superiors when he is away from his money markets computer console rather than when he is sitting at it clenching a stress ball between his teeth and unlike the markets recently he began straight and true. Bally was as reliable as ever until a sharp direct hit run out brought the genial "Woody" to the crease. "Woody" holds his bat like a frustrated frontier woodsman who hasn't seen a tree for a week and he had decided that Bally was the man to take on. A 6 and an 8 followed before Bally adjusted his range-finder and pinned "Woody" back for the rest of the over. The score was mounting and no more wickets fell as the Totts closed on 131-2 with the Colts leaving a few bonus points to go begging. Bruno Tonioli in the upper gallery thought the target was gettable if the run chase started well.
Graeme & Andy (who had already kept wicket very well) started as if they had been born to tango together since those early days at the Italia Conti Drama College. Runs came easily despite a fair Tottenhoe bowling attack and Andy got us well ahead of the run rate with a brace of 6's. At this point, the Len Goodman fell off. The calling had been good up until now but a mis-judgement left Andy doing a quick-step in mid-pitch whilst Graeme was break-dancing after tripping himself up. A shimmy followed a shake and either batsman could have been dismissed but in a fitting tribute to Armistice Day, Andy (who was on 19) sacrificed himself for the team and allowed Graeme to receive tug assistance and a crane barge in order to get to safety at the striker's end. Bally then came in and whacked it to all parts ending up retired with 28* but Johnca was run out without even getting to sniff the air at the striker's end. He had called for a suicidal quick one that most people thought wasn't even a dot let alone a single and he rather gave the game away that he was struggling when he yelped "Oh no !" as he was barely in to the first 4 bars of the overture let alone the final chorus. Johnca reported that his moment of madness was due to a dislike for being "in the cage" - an argument also trotted out over the years by discontented lions at London Zoo. Johnco was then bowled by a delivery that he reported swung both ways, pitched, yorked and left him all at the same time and it was left for Murph with 10* and Graeme with a cheeky 40* to waltz the Colts in to next week's cha-cha-cha with plenty of time to spare.
Thanks to Graeme for the write up.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Semi-final v Bamville
Having squeaked through in the quarter finals off the last ball, we were now in the semi-final against a full strength Bamville, looking to take their first victory against us. I won the toss and decided to bowl.
After Mike’s last indiscretions with the balls, he was clearly determined to make amends as I threw him the ball to open the bowling. He had a very unfettered approach and was just going to go for it without any fear of wides. The method clearly worked and he tore in making the ball climb alarming at times. I took the second over and whilst taking no wickets, after first two overs the score was well below par. By the third over, Bamville were in real trouble, with Mike bowling their opener with great ball that cutback and just clipped the top of the stumps. Neil then completed a run out to take them two down. In the fourth over, I produced an unplayable leg break pitching just outside leg and bouncing to take the shoulder of the bat with Neil taking the catch at gully. With 3 down only 50 on the board after 6 overs Steve and Neil took over the bowling, twirling away and keeping the runs down. The wickets tumbled though in Neil’s last two overs, firstly with a sharp stumping from Graeme, then in the 11th over, a catch to short mid off and the last man fell a couple of balls later trapped lbw, leaving Bamville 97 all out. So Neil had had a hand in all but one wicket to fall, having taken 3 for not many, completed a run out and taken the catch of my bowling. What a performance!
To even things up, poor old Tim had not been given a bowl, so he opened with Graeme. They made an excellent staff, with Tim nurdling the ball to the side walls and Graeme striking it as cleanly as usual. For once Graeme failed nearing 25 when he hit a good but aerial cover driver that was cleanly taken off the wall. Mike had the same unencumbered attitude to his batting, striking his first ball so fiercely that still smacked into the back wall for 6 having hit the leg of the short mid-off fielder. Mike had a couple of other close calls, being dropped at leg slip, but all the time was pushing the score along at a good rate. Both Tim and then Mike retired, leaving Steve and I to knock off the few remaining runs in the 8th over to complete an emphatic victory.
After Mike’s last indiscretions with the balls, he was clearly determined to make amends as I threw him the ball to open the bowling. He had a very unfettered approach and was just going to go for it without any fear of wides. The method clearly worked and he tore in making the ball climb alarming at times. I took the second over and whilst taking no wickets, after first two overs the score was well below par. By the third over, Bamville were in real trouble, with Mike bowling their opener with great ball that cutback and just clipped the top of the stumps. Neil then completed a run out to take them two down. In the fourth over, I produced an unplayable leg break pitching just outside leg and bouncing to take the shoulder of the bat with Neil taking the catch at gully. With 3 down only 50 on the board after 6 overs Steve and Neil took over the bowling, twirling away and keeping the runs down. The wickets tumbled though in Neil’s last two overs, firstly with a sharp stumping from Graeme, then in the 11th over, a catch to short mid off and the last man fell a couple of balls later trapped lbw, leaving Bamville 97 all out. So Neil had had a hand in all but one wicket to fall, having taken 3 for not many, completed a run out and taken the catch of my bowling. What a performance!
To even things up, poor old Tim had not been given a bowl, so he opened with Graeme. They made an excellent staff, with Tim nurdling the ball to the side walls and Graeme striking it as cleanly as usual. For once Graeme failed nearing 25 when he hit a good but aerial cover driver that was cleanly taken off the wall. Mike had the same unencumbered attitude to his batting, striking his first ball so fiercely that still smacked into the back wall for 6 having hit the leg of the short mid-off fielder. Mike had a couple of other close calls, being dropped at leg slip, but all the time was pushing the score along at a good rate. Both Tim and then Mike retired, leaving Steve and I to knock off the few remaining runs in the 8th over to complete an emphatic victory.
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