Season starts
with damp squib
The season is off and running. We blew away the cobwebs at Sandhurst in a strange, low scoring game, played on an artificial wicket which surprisingly had very little pace, together with a very slow, large outfield. When we entertained this side at Send last September they made 232-6, and we responded with 234-2. This time they made a modest looking 124 all out, but we struggled to 107-7 to earn a deserved but somewhat deflating draw.
We started badly, with six of our team failing to arrive in time for the scheduled start at 2pm for various reasons. The 2.35 start, ultimately cost us when we only had one hour and 20 overs to get the runs, although 34 overs should have been time enough to make 124! Sandhurst won the toss and elected to bat. Matt Hallam and Robin Linnecar shared the new ball which soon lost it's shine on the artificial surface, and after 10 overs the hosts were 40 without loss. However the introduction of Edgar and Toby brought a change of fortune and the wickets started to fall with the score suddenly changing to 67-4. It was soon apparent that scoring was proving very difficult with the slow wicket and boundaries were at a premium. The writer, Jerry Wright, Alex and Cuddington guest Tony West, all had tidy spells and we finally dismissed them just before tea. Fielding was generally good for the first game of the season with Matt Hallam shining, and we took several good catches with two excellent takes from Alex, and a Stockers diving effort at cover point. Unfortunately, at least five other chances went begging.
Bowling figures were as follows:
Matt Hallam 5-0-20-0, Robin Linnecar 5-1-22-0, Edgar Fernandes 6-2-13-3,
Toby C.6-2-19-2, Jerry W. 5-1-13-0, Alex C. 5-1-5-0, Tony West 4-1-22-0,
and
myself 5-3-3-2.
When we batted Edgar started where he left off last season, looking assured and in control. Unfortunately Alex C., opening for the first time, top edged an attempted hook shot into his face in the third over, and had to leave the field with a split eyebrow. Jerry Wright joined Edgar and they seemed to be steering us slowly but surely to victory at 40-0. However Edgar then unluckily played on to a dubiously high full toss, but Jerry S. helped Jerry W. to take us to 72 before the latter was well caught at mid on for 22. We still should have walked it, but with the overs ticking away we suffered the usual late collapse as we struggled to score at 5 an over. When Tony West was caught with 25 needed off 14 balls, I decided to bat it out with Toby for a slightly empty draw. I know some of you would have preferred us to throw the bat to the end, but I can't stand losing games we should have won. The most embarrassing fact is that extras were our top scorer with 30, followed by Jerry W. 22, with Edgar and Stockers both making 14.