After our early successes, we welcomed Locksbottom to Hollingbourne with a sense of optimism. Another strong line up was available with a raft of experienced all rounders.
The pitch looked good although the “wide lines” were not marked and the skipper forgot to put out the 30 yard circle.
We won the toss and after last week’s successful chase the captain asked the opposition to bat. A decision that split the camp somewhat. Mr Dampier is still moaning!
Damps opened the bowling. The bounce was rather inconsistent from the top end. His first delivery yorked the keeper on the second bounce and went for an ignominious bye.
Ben Lush bowled up the slope. A highlight of his first over was a stunning full length dive and stop by Joe Millen in the covers. He continued to field well throughout the innings.
It was apparent that the opposition were very happy playing on the back foot and could hit the ball very hard. Some of the shots were reminiscent of Matt Klimcke at his brutal best.
Damps looked in discomfort and quickly had to leave the field for treatment. Lower back issues.
Ben Lush looked envious at the sympathy Damps was getting. A few balls later he went down after delivering a ball. Lower back issues.
Jenny Filmer kindly rushed on with first aid. However Ben could not move. When though, Jenny erected a Green Screen around the prone cricketer and started loading her pistol, Ben decided it was perhaps wasn’t that bad and got to his feet.
However he had to leave the field. The fitter Lush finished off the over. Tim was thus to finish with an impressive run rate of 0.0
Charitha who was on standby to replace Damps, took over from Ben.
Damps struck first with a one that angled back and went through the opener’s gap.
Charitha got the next wicket with a slightly short ball that was met by a very hard hit square cut. Norton somehow got two hands on it, away to his left. A wonderful catch.
Damps struggled manfully through his 9 overs 9-1-40-1
Keagan Luke replaced him. The key was pitching it up, and when he did he got some lovely swing. However there were a few too many short balls that got punished. He did get the opener out with a long hop that got top edged to Dave Latter. 4-0-41-1
Ben was back on the field doing his best but in practice we were fielding with 9 able bodied players and two limping. And the age of many of the others was starting to show. Kudos to Keagan who fielded very well throughout
The next pair put on over 120 in quick order.
Horrocks and Latter slightly slowed the run rate. Horrocks eventually got the number 5 out with a good catch from Millen. 9-0-47-1
Latter clean bowled the next bat 7-1-39-1
Charitha bowled one at the death and finished 8-2-44-1
Their number 4 was unbeaten on 96.
An impressive total of 242 for 5 by Locksbottom.
We did though have lots of batting.
Tim Lush and Norton opened up for us.
The bowling attack was slow but steady. It made it hard to score runs.
Lush fell first, a bottom edge into his stumps for 6.
Keith Robertson was next out. He looked slightly out of form but kept playing his shots. He went on the charge, missed the ball and stumbled. Their unorthodox keeper safely took off the bails. Stumped for 8.
Joe Millen was in next and looked focused. He and Norton looked good for a while. North played some lovely shots before stopping on a drive and lobbing a catch to the bowler, gone for 22.
Horrocks hit the ball hard but was also feeling a little decrepit and played an unusually lax shot, being bowled by straight one.
Latter replaced him and hit four lovely boundaries before being stumped for 21.
Millen fell the same way for 19.
Keagan Luke played some really nice shots and ran well before having an ugly heave and being bowled for 10.
Charitha feathered one behind for 4.
The captain Skinner was in at 9 and realised we weren’t going to win but needed to try and accumulate some batting points. It would have been helpful if the useless bugger knew the points scoring system and what we actually needed.
Fortunately the umpire was a long standing league committee member and his sage advice was sought. He had no idea either. The blind leading the blind.
Damps came in and announced he wasn’t able to run for anything. It transpired that what he actually meant was, he wasn’t willing to run when his partner had hit the ball, but it was game on when he was facing.
An entertaining nonchalant knock of 24, at a run a ball, followed with some really lovely shots, before he was caught out.
The partnership of 36 was the highest of our innings.
Ben Lush hobbled out and was unbeaten on 4. Skinner finished not out 9.
155 for 9 from our 40 overs. A solid defeat.
Best news of the day was hearing that the mightier 4th team had won their first ever game. Congratulations to Tanky and his lads.
PS Someone please remember for the aged skipper next time. Batting points depend on when you bat.
First innings 75,100,125,150,170,180,190,200 (max 8)
In second innings 75,100,125,150,170 (max 5) but 5 extra points if you get 90% of target, or 3 extra if you get 80%