2s well beaten

After a run of two defeats last week’s win meant the 2s travelled to this fixture with renewed confidence.  The ground in Plaxtol looked in good condition albeit with a fair slope.

The skipper lost the toss as usual (the ability to cut and paste that sentence saves much time for your match reporter).

We were inserted on what looked a good track.  The two Tims, Croom and Lush, opened the batting.

The opposition had a distinctly lithe and youthful look to them.  Later research revealed that what they had been doing before the game is apparently known as a “warm up”and “fielding practice”. It seems a distinctly immoral and unpleasant activity and it to be hoped that such behaviour does not catch on.

The opening bowlers were useful.  One was fairly rapid and the other naggingly accurate.

Skipper Croom quickly edged one behind.  He departed looking fed up and the Welshman was shortly after seen gazing wistfully over the boundary fence at a field of sheep.  His later justification that “it reminded me of home” was not particularly reassuring.

Martin Daly strode in at 3 and after one fine boundary he struck a glorious looking cover drive and immediately called a single.  Unfortunately the opposition fielder took off like a gazelle, covered a lot of ground and threw himself full length to stop the ball.  Whilst prone he then threw down the one stump he could see.  Daly was run out by a fair distance.

Dan Skinner arrived at the wicket earlier than he had hoped. Having seen Daly run himself out Tim Lush decided to do the same.  He pushed one to mid on and assumed the opposition’s one elderly player was a safe bet.  He was not.  He fielded well and also threw at one stump.  The ball grazed the wicket but did enough to dislodge the bail and Lush was one his way back to the pavilion, shaking his head in disbelief.

Simon Barker arrived, hit one lovely straight boundary and then edged one behind attempting a cut.

Steve Horrocks played an absolutely majestic looking lofted drive to their quick bowler.  Unfortunately by the time his bat arrived on the scene the ball had already clattered into his stumps.

At this point we were 21-5 off about 10 overs.

Skinner was joined by Paul Tinker. Skinner decided we needed to take in some sails and steady the ship.  He hung around for the next twenty overs doing what he does best.  Playing forward defensives.  He was reassured that his tactical approach met with the approval of his teammates when he saw several of them mouthing “you’re such an anchor” at him.

Fortunately Tinker was having none of this.  Always a talented stroke player he started dispatching the ball over the boundary at regular intervals.  One such shot was greeted with a cry of “catch it”.  Which might have been relevant for someone two fields away, as the ball soared a long distance clearing a very tall tree.
Tinker eventually departed for a gorgeous 58 runs, the pair having put on a much needed 83.  Surprisingly this was Tinker’s first ever 50 and the only disappointment was he later ran the “poor student” line and failed to buy the traditional jug after the game.

Skinner realised he might now actually have to score some runs and promptly was caught behind after playing the second attacking shot of his innings.
Ian Gutteridge steered us towards a valuable batting point before being caught.  Slevin played a few nice shots before being bowled.  Ben Lush hit two sumptuous back foot fours before he was last man out, leaving John Savage 1 not out in his first innings of the season.

We were all out for a rather paltry 129 off only 36 overs.

After tea the clouds came over and the weather looked miserable.  As did we, especially when it started raining.

Ian Gutteridge (9-3-11-1) and Harry Slevin (6-2-22-0) opened the bowling.  Gutteridge was magnificently tidy and deserved more than just the one wicket.

 Having bowled the opener he then had their young number 3 caught plumb in front when he stepped back and missed the ball.  Whilst this match reporter knows how tricky umpiring is and is loath to criticise officials, this was a not a decision the umpire should look back on fondly.  He probably did not help himself by then giving a series of different and increasingly unconvincing justifications for the decision.

Frankly though it made little difference to the result of the game.

Steve Horrocks (6-1-17-0) bowled well in two spells.

Paul Tinker (2-0-28-1) came on to bowl after his success with the bat.  Unfortunately he pitched it a little too short and their opener made hay, hitting several lovely sixes over the shortish boundary.  Tinker did manage to get him to steer one into the hands of Tim Lush at square leg, thus earning us a bowling point. Generally though, what chances we had did not go to hand and it was not to be our day.

Ben Lush (4-0-23-0) bowled well, getting good movement but by that stage the batsmen were full of confidence.  He also fielded very well.  The opposition’s young no 3 was showing a classical technique eventually ending up undefeated on 53.

Martin Daly (5-1-20-1) took a third wicket but we were always going to struggle to defend such a low total and were well beaten by a good side.

Next week sees the last League game in what has become a must win situation.