I wasn't going to play this game, half expected to not be fit enough, but after the game on Saturday I felt fine and remembered Michael Gray saying something about the team being short or he'd swap for someone, so decided I'd play with no idea of who would be in the team or where it was being played. Late Saturday I secured a place in the team and got a lift to the venue, wasn't till I got in the car I found out that it was at home Mopsies and the opposition was 'Leyton Orient Supporters cc'.
Having arrived early, I then watched as the team wandered in... Dan, Reece, Elliott, Jeandell, Rouse, Kirby, Sri, Arlsan, Keagan, Tom Tonnison all decent players given the opposition is a side with no ground. By the time everyone had arrived it looked to me as though this was probably going to be a one-sided affair and I heard that the opposition had said they felt they had a decent bowling attack, but wasn't as strong with the bat. In which case for the sake of a decent game, in terms of being there for the best part of the day, I was hoping however the toss played out, we'd end up batting first. Thankfully, that was the case.
Weather Sunday - Cooler than yesterday, more cloud with patches of sunshine and bit more of a breeze. The forecast was that this was the end of a very long spell of almost continuous blue skies and warm days we've seen throughout the whole of April and May.
We were put into bat and after the expected initial look at the bowlers the runs started to come. One of our blokes went cheaply... Keagan for 6 with Jeandell next on 35, chipping an easy one to a fielder on the edge of the ring having made a good start.
Thereafter in no rush (It seemed) a few people made their way to their 50's meaning that had to retire. I wasn't expecting to bat, but the 50's came at a rate that the bowlers then started to make an appearance and then their bowlers started to take wickets and I found myself in for the last 5 balls. The main objective was to see the last 5 balls off so that one of the real batters didn't have to get their pads on again. As I left some of the blokes said 'Do your thing where you run down the wicket at them' A la Tammy Beaumont (England Women opener). Which for me on some occasions is far more positive than defending and getting bowled for 0. I saw off the first four balls and to a big cheer I ran at the bowler in his gather and tried to put the ball into the road behind him only to hear my stumps clatter having completely missed the ball.
The pick of their bowlers being 'Franklin' with 8-1-58-3 with the maiden being a double wicket one, cleaning up the tail.
So then it was to the bowling. Dan Gray the captain asked me to open with Reece. Reeece taking the first over the new ball. I'd done this with Basav in the 6th XI a couple of games ago and it didn't go that well, but this was with an Orange ball which felt larger in the hand.
Despite it feeling marginally better it didn't go that well, it looks as though Reece may have had the same problem, but I'm not sure if he was even trying to spin it, or it was that we were bowling against their better bats?
None of the quicks were used at and all the bowlers were slow. I took a wicket with my first ball... LBW, but generally struggled with the grip and consequently my length. With my deliveries on the full being hit as per the diagram below.
The others did better and I like to think that was down to the fact that increasingly the ball was easier to grip 'Super Kirby' did really well, although she wasn't happy with her bowling, going for 5-1-8-3 with a wicket maiden. Arslan bowled nice and tight for his 1... 5-3-11-1 and Reece was happy with his 5-1-27-2. I think that left him in the leading position for most wickets for the club so far this season. Just checked he's at No.2...
I'm currently nowhere near the top at the minute languishing down at 26, just above Joe, but we've both had a slow start to the season having missed out on three games at the start of the season.
All in all a decent game and well captained I thought by Dan and allowing for everyone to have a full day in the field. It could have been so different.
Boundaries conceded against this team
On reflection and at the time I wasn't happy with the field, but at the minute I don't feel like I'm bowling well enough to use the field, I'd prefer. But these boundaries would have pretty much been covered with my field if given the right fielders. But overall, it could have been a lot better if I'd had bowled better, but I think that'll come.
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