Concorde Hang On
I am pleased to report another very creditable performance at Witley, which has not proved a happy hunting ground for us in recent seasons.
In 85degree heat, we lost the toss and were asked to field. The home
side had their usual strong batting line up with most of the Saturday
league side on duty. By contrast, we went into the match with only four
bowlers, missing Jerry Wright who was away, and Matt Hallam. I only
played myself as we were struggling to get eleven but was unable to
bowl due to the swollen ankle sustained last week. It clearly was a
case of sod's law - most of this season we have had seven bowlers every
week and I have struggled to give everyone a go. Both Ashley and Robin
bowled good opening spells, but a lightning fast outfield, sloping ground,
and aggressive batting saw Witley race to 98-1 off 17 overs despite
losing a wicket to the second ball of the match. However, H. then took
a good tumbling catch, and the first change bowlers, Edgar and Toby
both then produced their best spells for the club. I had intended to
give them seven or eight overs each before recalling the opening bowlers
but didn't need to. Toby bowled a tight consistent line on a slow pitch
ideally suited to his nagging length, whilst Edgar produced a superb
display of leg spin which had all of the home batsmen in trouble and
deserved to capture several more wickets than the one he got.
Fielding was generally very good in searing heat and on a difficult
fielding ground. H. took two catches in a competent return to the side,
Doug Michael was superb in the covers and Ashley, and Robin L. excelled
despite their bowling exertions. Witley closed at 206-5 at tea. Bowling
figures were Ashley W. 10-0-72-2, Robin L. 7-0-34-0, Edgar F. 13-2-38-1,
and Toby C. 11-0-47-2.
In reply we started well with Edgar and Dave F. soon blunting the Witley
opening bowler who had destroyed us last year. Having reached 20 with
4 fours Dave was unexpectedly bowled, and Ashley soon followed, unluckily
caught behind down the leg side. Rob Symondson briefly showed his class
with three lovely boundaries but then got caught behind flashing. The
middle order crumbled in the chase for runs as the target became over
8 an over, not helped by Witley's ruling of 20 overs from 6.15! Bill
Cripps added a bright 16, helping to put on 37 with Edgar, but when
he was bowled in the penultimate over, it fell to 'old straight bat'
here to nurse us to a respectable draw. We closed on 184-7, some 23
runs short, with Edgar undefeated on 81 n.o.