2s we’ll beaten at Sherwood

Report by DAN SKINNER

With skipper Tim Croom unavailable, Bearsted 2s were led in their first match of the season by the younger and better looking of the Tim’s, Mr Lush senior.   Selection difficulties meant we only travelled with 10 for this friendly, away to Sherwood.

The opposition won the toss and chose to bat on a track that looked in good condition despite all the recent rain.  The sun was shining and decidedly warm.
Harry Slevin opened the bowling up the slope and looked in good form.  Ben Lush opened down the slope and both swung the ball.  Unfortunately the opposition were clearly rather good and their top batsman all played themselves in before scoring cleanly.

Lush junior found the edge of their opener only for Lush senior to put down the easy chance in the slips.  Like all good teams, Bearsted followed the inspiring example of their leader and put down another 8 or 9 chances in the innings.

Simon Barker bowled well taking a couple of wickets and Dave Vant looked in good form.  Richard Sargent reappeared after a year’s absence and bowled some good deliveries.  Lee Harris making his debut showed unyouthful promise.

A late mini collapse slowed the opposition scoring rate.  Skipper Lush took wickets in consecutive balls.  The next delivery, the crucial hat trick ball, landed on the adjoining strip and was rightly called a wide.  Such a blatant example of “avoidance” has rarely been seen and his jug is eagerly awaited.

Fielding highlights included a near faultless performance by Slevin and ..er.. that’s it.
The opposition set us an imposing target of 243.

It became apparent when the opening bowler came down the slope bowling some pretty rapid, unerringly accurate deliveries regularly hitting the seam that the target was going to very difficult indeed.  When he was taken off after 5 overs his replacement was almost as good. The two of them did not bowl a bad ball in the first half of the innings.

The bowling up the slope was not as good but a slowish track and long boundary made scoring tricky.

Opener Stroud departed early and Skinner was joined by Lush senior.  The two steadied the ship but Lush departed for 14.

Simon Barker arrived and hit a couple of hefty blows before being caught behind. Controversy then ensued when formal complaints were received from nearby Rochester prison that the inmates were upset by his colourful language when querying the decision.  Sadly his earnest belief that he had not hit the ball was not shared by the 11 opposition players, the umpire and his batting partner who had rarely seen or heard such an obvious edge.

Harry Slevin arrived and played some talented shots before getting out.  Ben Lush replaced him and showed a good eye and technical promise.

Throughout this, Skinner was accumulating slowly in a style worthy of “our Geoffrey”. When he eventually announced to his partner and the skipper that he was going to give the other lads a bat he departed for 26 with an ugly hoick.   Expecting a rousing ovation for his lengthy innings he was disappointed to find that half the team was asleep and the rest had chosen to watch some paint dry on the other side of the pavilion.

Ben Lush (26*) and Richard Sargent (11*) hit some swift boundaries to take us into three figures but we fell a long way short with a total of 108-5.

The opposition were, apart from being too good, great hosts and played the game in an excellent spirit.