Rusty start to season
What a strange and unexpected pleasure to find the sun shining on the first day of the season. Normally, we can count on this one to be rained off but not this year. This was a low scoring game and could be described as a tale of two batsmen, though this is not to denigrate the role played by the bowlers.
On winning the toss, the opposing Captain asked us to bat and with what appeared on paper to be a strong order, I accepted the invitation with confidence.
Once John Cardy had gone for 2, Ash for 10, Justin for 0, Alex for 9 and myself for 1, my confidence was at a low ebb.
Fortunately, Rob Symondson was steady at the other end and was mounting a one man batting display passing 50 but not without some alarms. Not until Ian joined him did any sort of stand develop and together they steadied the ship, Ian at one point surprising himself and particularly the slumbering Alex, by smiting a ball over mid wicket for 6 narrowly missing Alex as he dreamed happily of snapping on the cuffs with the time honoured words 'your nicked'.
Upon Rob's demise for 67, a smart stumping, and Ian falling for 23, the innings subsided to 137 all out. This at least looked competitive on a low slow wicket.
Alex, bowling within himself, and Matt bowled a testing early spell and runs were hard to come by but success also was slow in coming until a caught behind was accepted by H off Alex.
Myself and Ian relieved the openers and the change of pace started to do the trick as I bowled the Vivian Richards look-alike with my 3rd ball and Ian began to weave his spell with two quick clean bowled. The opening batsman however was hard to shift and whilst he was at the crease they always had a chance but it became clear as we worked our way through them that they had very little batting left. Ian, after 11 overs departed exhausted to the outfield with 4 wickets, Ash bowled a good spell of 3 overs and then Alex and Matt came back to mop up the tail. Matt obliged with 2 wickets which together with a run out meant that the game finished with everyone around the bat trying unsuccessfully for the last wicket with the opposition 30 runs short.
A winning draw was an acceptable end to a game which at 3.30pm we looked like losing in ignominious fashion.