Catches win matches
"Howzatt?"......"Naah, I hardly
touched it!"
We
chalked up our 10th win of the season in a low scoring match where both
sides lacked depth in batting, the bowling was tight and the catching
exceptional, particularly ours.
We won the toss and I elected to field first. We opened with Matt H. and
Robin L. who made the breakthrough when Jerry S. took the first of three
catches, with a superb diving effort at second slip. Matt H. then sent
back their No.3, having him caught behind and a smart one handed catch
above his shoulder by Mike Stockbridge at gully off Robin reduced them
to 35-3. Edgar and Toby took up the attack and bowled 18 overs in unison
during which Ed took two in two, and nearly made the hat trick when the
batsman was dropped at the wicket (although the umpire wasn't sure anyway),
and we witnessed probably the best of many great catches this season,
when Matt Stockbridge pulled down a screamer from above his head at deep
square leg in front of the scoreboard. Toby took 3 wickets, one with a
beauty which lifted off a length to have their skipper caught behind first
ball, and the others with diving catches by H. and Jerry S. I bowled the
last batsman and Albamorphics were all out for a disappointing 92. On
reflection I could have bowled the occasional bowlers but our fragile
batting line up without Rob S., Jerry W., Ash, Alex or Mike Pearmain told
me to stick to plan A. Bowling figures were Robin L. 7-1-24-2, Matt H.
7-3-8-1, Edgar 9-3-28-2, Toby 11-3-18-3, and myself 1.4-0-6-1. Both Jerry
S. and H. took three catches.
With a modest target to get in over an hour plus 20 overs, I dropped Ed
to No.5 and we opened with Jerry and Matt S. who put on 17 before Jerry
fell to a catch at point for 4. When Matt was bowled two overs later for
16, we were 21-2 and wobbling a little. Doug made 14, and Mick 17 including
a couple of vintage cuts, but at 57-4, I joined Ed with 36 needed. Whilst
I blocked and left, Ed pulled and cut and when I gloved a fast riser to
the keeper at 84-5, Ed and Robin saw us home with 14 overs to spare, Ed
finishing with 35 n.o.