I've neglected my match writing duties somewhat at the start of this season, as kids, work, life and all the associated vagaries of the world. Having said that, I love writing, and the biggest barrier is time, as these things take so chuffing long to churn out. So, this season, some weeks I will write a magnum opus, and some weeks, I'll go abbreviated, but I will get the things published in a timely fashion.
We've had two games so far and one called off, so this is a precis of how they went based on my hazy jane of a memory and some creative licence.
I'm also going to choose a man of the match based on pub chat.
Village People
Jags 102-7 (P Cooper 16, Brolia 15, Parrish 15, Nair 2-7), lost to Stapleford 103-5 (Minter 28*, Everson 26*, Purton 2-22 I think) by 3 wickets
MOTM - Ant
We went to a new ground in Stapleford, it had that village-y feel with a green and random kids playing football on the boundary and what not. The wicket was a bit odd, not terrible by any means, but some incredibly variable bounce which saw us lose a few wickets unfortunately. Light was a big factor as it was early May. We played a shortened format of 14-8s.
Matt and Ant opened and faced some challenging bowling on a variable wicket, so took a cautious line. They then both spanked it for a 4 and 6 before falling. Matt I think fell to a ball that randomly popped up for no reason and went to short square. Ant absolutely nailed a shot, straight at an off side fielder. I was in for a bit, scoring cheekily behind square (where else) before trying an awful mow to a straight one on middle and getting bowled.
Dan and Phillips moved around a bit, and did some things. I recall some very keen running between the wickets, and it was lovely to have Dan back. Both were bowled, I cannot recall the details to be honest. I'm getting old. My brain tells me that Phillips might have been a horrid ball that stayed at ankle height for no apparent reason. Brett was in then bowled, probably doing something technically perfect.
Then Toby and P Cooper (now solely of this parish in cricket terms) put together a rescue job on a fast fading innings, scoring some nice shots, including a mammoth 6, preserving their wickets, and getting us where we needed to be. Cooper fell, and Savage popped in and scored a lovely edge to third man 4 and we got all the way to 102. 100 had looked out of reach mid innings, so this was something.
Brett started by bowling the first batsman for a golden duck, with his body held together with hope and dreams. Tyler partnered him with some good fast stuff. 2 and 3 batsmen were contrasting. One was very good, cultured and what not and the other survived somehow for ages, with both retiring with similar scores, but very contrasting visuals.
Tyler went wicketless but had been respected. Savage twirled it about a bit next and bowled number 4. Purton came on and was, a bit more than rusty. He got a couple of wickets, including a golden though, so maybe rust is the way to go. I should add that Toby was so notable he is in the scorebook in two separate places as a bowler, once as "Purton" and once as "Toby". If they were two separate people and the scorebook is to be believed (always a tough one), 'Purton' had an awful bowling spell, but 'Toby' bowled pretty well.
Get some WD40 for Purton
Stapleford were on the rate. Cooper managed to bowl a pretty tidy spell, but they were home and hosed. The only other thing I vaguely remember was a batsman nailing a reverse sweep straight to one of our fielders.
I cannot recall the name of the pub, but it was a fine fine village offering. Nice beer, carbohydrate laden food and old furniture that looked like it had been pinched from a church.
Jags 121-7 (Parrish 25*, Brett 19, G Baker 18, Coslett 17, Mani 2-15) beat Sharks 91-6 (Hugh 17, Marc 16, Jim 15, Jonathan 10-3) by 30 runs.
MOTM - Brett
Playing old friends at Kings, we were a tad short on numbers so Sharks kindly gave us Jonathan to help make it a nice game. Light was a factor again, so 15-8's was the order of the day. It was one of those days as an organiser where you spend all day getting messages about the weather, there was no way it should have gone ahead, and then it did.
Parrish and Ant started proceedings. Ant, before walking out, said something about not getting out to Mani. He then got out to Mani early, with a pre-meditated mow to the legside. Matt got to 25 in some very small amount of balls, 15 or so, was dropped once and just generally beasted it all around. Purton was in then caught. I did a little before being given out LBW by Mr Bennett, to a ball that possibly, maybe, in some alternative universe with different laws of physics might have possibly grazed a tiny bit of the leg stump bail. His finger went up, as it does, before anyone had even had a chance to appeal.
The badge Tyler wears whilst umpiring
If I could hit the ball with the wooden thing that help avoid this being an issue. Baker played some very nice stuff to help move things along, joined by Coslett who, as ever hit some absolutely classy shots for our first partnership. I think Coslett fell bowled to bring back Cob, who had un-retired himself from cricket like some sort of movie cop, for one last crack at the big time.
He and George kept it all moving, before I think Baker was stumped dancing down the wicket. Brett then put on a classy display of correct shots, Cob clubbed a sweep to cow corner for 4, and was shortly after just out going for a tight second (sorry mate, but you didn't make it). Tyler hit a nice legside backward pull 4, before falling bowled. Brett and Jonathan brought it home to 121 - which felt about par on a stodgy wicket.
Pat and Hugh opened for the Sharks, Pat hitting the ball nicely, and Hugh not doing that at all. Toby and Tyler had a great opening bowling spell, Toby having managed to shake off the cobwebs and returning to economic ways of being threatening. There was a nice run out of Pat, and our substitute then bowled a load of overs and was the pick of the bowling figures. He was joined by Brett who defied his aching bones to put on a great display, bowling two with balls that must have been hard to play as they bowled the batsmen. If you can remember the details, then well done you.
Sharks were a long way behind, the light was closing in, Jim hit some shots for them, and Jonathan bowled a maiden. These are all things I can tell you from reading the scorebook. Parrish stumped someone and Hugh finally got out after eating up 30 something balls for 17 runs. We then cruised home in economic style, mainly as Sharks never managed to push the scoring rate up. Many thanks to Jonathan for joining us.
Ant was notable in the field for saying "look, I'm smiling this is fun", and also as he wore a giant coat and clothes that made him look like an extra from TopBoy.
The Red Bull was visited and pizza and beer were consumed. The menu has changed, and Matt had a hotdog which was significantly more bread than sausage, which doesn't feel like a great decision on the part of the chef.
Leys School Cancelled
This is a giant boo and sadness, because it's a lovely fixture, but mother nature indicated that we could not play this one on the allocated day.
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