After last week’s narrow loss, we travelled to Hartley with a strong side. Excitingly, the Mightier 4s also had a darned good team out.
Hartley is in the middle of nowhere but a lovely venue. The pitch looked in good nick, with a big outfield. In the heat, we were pleased to win the toss and bat.
Baker snr and Norton opened up. The bowling attack was a mix of youth and experience. One was bowling very tidy away swing with some balls coming back in off the seam. The other was a young lad who generated pace and movement. Fortunately for us, he lost control of his run up and conceded a large number of no-balls, with a soupçon of wides. He was also running down the track, but the umpire didn’t have the heart to make too much of a fuss about that as well.
The Hartley keeper stood up to the wicket and looked very useful all game. He kept all our batsmen very honest. Apparently his son is a lot better. Scary.
Baker went first, after hitting one lovely boundary, he didn’t quite get to another drive and fell to a good catch in the covers for 6
Norton was out after edging one to slip on 9.
Olly Patton joined Robbie Fowle in the middle. Olly looked in good nick but got one from the young tyro that jagged back in and found a narrow gap between bat and bat. Gone for 6
Joe Millen ambled out. At times he looks like a teenager who has just been woken up after a fairly heavy night. He looked bemused to be out there and took a while to start playing shots or moving with any focus. He certainly didn’t seem to realise he had to call. He would have run out Robbie if the oppo hadn’t messed it up.
But at some point the on switch was flicked and he started playing. The track was good and it meant you could play your shots. He certainly did that, especially with anything short of a length.
The Hartley skipper got a nasty ball in the neck after it bounced up off his boot. He had to leave the field for a while, after his vision was affected. Later on one of their bowlers turned his ankle nastily while in the field. He was off and we made good use of the gaps.
We had only scored 47 off the first 10 overs but accelerated nicely.
Millen reached 50 first. At one point they were both on 80 but Fowle promptly helped one to backward square leg and the catch was held.
A partnership of 168. Wonderful stuff.
Oscar Hollis looked in good nick despite a late night celebrating the end of exam season.
Everybody played their shots and ran hard. Hollis went for 2.
Vening hit the ball hard for a swift 16
Millen made his century before departing for 101
Damps played some nice shots and finished unbeaten on 6
Slevin attacked with intent but was stumped for 5
Ben Lush scored at a run a ball (1 not out)
We finished 265 for 8 and hadn’t even had to call on our best looking and most devastating attacking batsman. (Someone hasn’t taken his medication).
After tea, we opened with Damps and Slevin. The opposition had some decent batsmen who had clearly played at a much higher level. We needed to be on our toes and certainly were. With one notable exception, the fielding from the team was exceptional. (“Name names”, I hear you cry. “Sod off”, I write the match reports.)
Norton started things off with a great dive to his left at point. The batsman thought it was past him and was advancing well down the track. Norts threw it back from the deck and Patton, who was keeping, took the bails off. Run out.
Damps couldn’t get his usual wickets and after bowling a rare one down leg, asked to be taken off. 7-0-31-0
Slevin similarly didn’t have much luck. 6-0-25-0. Impressive figures on a very good track
Vening started well with two maidens in his first three overs. He was to get the breakthrough in his 5th over when he forced the batsman to play on. 5-2-21-1
Ben Lush was on as well. 5 tidy overs but it wasn’t easy bowling on a flat track against good batsmen 5-0-39-0
Robbie Fowle bowled his offspin from the far end. He got the big hitting opener after Slevin held onto a wonderful catch at long on.
Robbie took two wickets at the end of his second over, the first courtesy of a super catch by Patton standing up behind the stumps.
That was immediately followed by a clean bowled.
Hat trick ball. Everyone in? Not for our Norfolk boy. “Stay out lads” he vehemently argued. They clearly don’t like buying jugs out in East Anglia.
He got a fourth wicket after Skinner held onto a rocket at mid on. Fortunately he didn’t have to move for it.
Oscar had injured himself in the field. Clutching a bag of ice he made sure everyone knew how bad it was. Serious thumb injury. Possibly life threatening. Certainly career ending. Obituaries were being penned. “Fancy a bowl, Oscar?” asked the skip. “Yes please, all fine here”. Against the odds he bowled really well generating some very tidy pace. 5-0-27-0
The opposition were out of the chase now but determined to reach 200 and playing some big shots.
Fowle, realising he was one wicket away from a jug suggested one of the youngsters should get a bowl. Norton jumped at the chance and bowled some decent stuff. Ok, he had a brief wobble but after reverting to spin got back on track. 4-0-34-0
Skinner had taken over the gloves, which allowed Patton to bowl a couple of overs. He got some turn and flight but the opposition captain was brutal on him, with some straight sixes that went miles.
Skinner was hopping around nervously. It’s a useful life lesson for the youngsters. When you rush off the field to take over keeping duties, do NOT forget to put your box in. It seriously plays with your mind once you realise the omission.
Hartley finished on 216 for 6.
A really good win against a very good side.
Millen and Fowle laid the foundations with their batting, the bowling was great and the fielding outstanding. Chivvied on by the effervescent Fowle we kept going all game.
A week off in the league next Saturday. Skinner is earning some Brownie points and Nigel Bad Boy Baker is skippering a t.b.a friendly.