Positioned nicely at the top of the table, Bearsted 3rd XI should have been full of confidence for their trip to Horton Kirby 2s. Then they remembered that they were only there because of one walkover and they were missing several key players. In addition, skipper Skinner had been under the surgeon’s knife on Thursday and was not supposed to be playing.
The situation got worse when there were two “no shows” and we were playing with 9 men.
We lost the toss and were asked to bat.
Tim Lush and James Tank opened up against a very accurate attack. Tank looked like a proper cricketer, moving his feet well and getting his left elbow up well.
The pitch though was a little slow and unreliable and the opposition bowled very few lose balls.
Lush, having taken the advice of Skinner, had changed his contact lenses and could see the ball this week and looked untroubled.
The pair lasted well until the 9th over when Tank slipped back into his old habits and straight armed a catch.
Angus Kenny was in at 3 and immediately looked composed. He proceeded smoothly to 12 before falling to a good catch.
Jacob West was next to arrive and looked decent. He was out to an excellent caught and bowled from a good low drive. The bowler rightly was abused for having put down several easy chances off his team mates’ bowling.
James Skinner was making his debut. Fortunately he gets his sporting talent from his mother, not his father, and despite not having played for 5 years, soon looked comfortable. He was out for a duck though when a ball stopped on him and he hit it to their best fielder.
Tim Lush scored an excellent 37 before trying to hit a bad ball that slightly held up and he was caught
Isaac Marriner came and went quickly for a duck. Rather too quickly for the liking of his captain who had only just finished his stint of umpiring and was desperately getting his pads on.
Skinner himself was nervous about his stitches opening up and did not look at ease. Having decided to try and see if a sweep would be ok, he got half way down and realised that was not the right thing to do. Bowled for 2.
Charitha Palipane was also making his debut, having been snapped up at nets for looking like a cricketer. He scored 3 before being bowled.
Jamie Baker was left unbeaten without scoring. We were all out for 90.
At one point in the innings the young off spinner bowled his second beamer. Having already been warned, 5 penalty runs were awarded by the officious umpire.
Tim Lush had though cleverly guided the delivery for 4. A no ball was also called. Lush was heard desperately claiming that 9 runs were his.
After tea, we opened with Jamie Baker and Isaac Marriner. Baker was nervous, having been harshly treated last year by their opener, but stuck to his task. He went for 23 off his 4 overs.
With Skinner hiding behind the stumps and refusing to dive, there were more byes than usual.
Marriner bowled some good deliveries with his left arm over but again needs to work on his consistency. He went for 23 off his 3 overs.
Charitha Palipane replaced Marriner and looked sharp. He bowled a few more down leg than his elderly skipper would have liked, but only conceded 13 off his three overs.
Tim Lush was brought on and had the same figures. He did induce the opener to get a thick edge but Skinner was standing up and only got a thumb to it.
Jacob West looked the pick of the bowlers and is clearly more handsome, talented and less stroppy than his brother. (Bet James doesn’t read third team match reports now he’s up with the glamour boys in the Firsts). He only conceded three runs from his two overs.
James Skinner, having looked useful in the warm up, bowled a decent over and looks like he could be a useful addition to the squad, when we can persuade him to play.
Some of the fielding was excellent with Kenny, West and Skinner (yes, the younger one) looking switched on and athletic.
But we lost by ten wickets in pretty quick time.
It was good to see some new faces and we weren’t too despondent.
James Tank bought a round of drinks and naturally thus gets the Man of the Match award.