This match was our most accomplished yet with a great effort by all concerned. Josh won the toss and invited Preston to bat. For a short time we were under the cosh but a great catch on the run by Zach off Sam S bowling got rid of one of their dangerous opening batters. Our fielding remained steadfast limiting the opposition to the odd single here and there. On comes Sam B and bowls their No 3 with a beauty pitching middle stump and just drifting away to clip off stump. A great delivery and would have got a lot of batters out. Due to the pressure of our bowling and fielding a Preston batter took an ill judged single and Will C threw a direct hit to the stumps to run him out. Anything other than a direct hit and he would have made his ground. Josh threw the ball in from the boundary edge straight into Benedict's gloves (our last minute stand in for a wicket keeper) who proceeded to catch the ball and whip the the bails off in a split second...out! Sam B picked up another wicket in his second spell of bowling. Then enter Daniel who mopped up the tail with 3 wickets in 4 balls. (One bowled, 1 catch by Sam W and another by Zach.) Sensing the end of their innings was nigh our team relaxed and as a consequence we gave away 12 unnecessary runs off what otherwise would have been a very good over from William S. We can't afford to relax when we we've got a team down...we have to learn to finish them off. (Learning point for future games.) It was left to Isaac to get their last batter out with the last ball of the innings bowling a good delivery to hit middle peg. Maximum bowling points for the 'Lane'...something that we haven't done so far this season.
Now to the batting with 81 to score in 20 overs. We set off like a train with Sam B hitting a quick fire 30 before he had to retire. (Sam B hit 7 fours and obviously doesn't like running between the wickets and why should you when you can hit boundaries!) Will E was run out by a direct hit from their keeper. Unlucky! Benedict steadied the ship with nudges and hurdles for ones with a couple of 4's thrown in for good measure. 16 he acquired before getting caught and bowled. Josh supported well with 8 and it was left to our middle order again in Zach and Will C to knock off the remaining runs with nearly 3 overs to go.
Well played everyone.
Thanks to all the supporters, Pete for scoring, Pete, Graham T and Glenn for putting up the screens Colin for photos and to those others who helped pack everything away.
4 out of 4...keep going.... there's still a long way to go.
Match Stats
Bowling Daniel - 3 wickets for 7 Sam B - 2 wickets for 8 Josh - 1 wicket for 4 Sam - 1 wicket for 6 Isaac - 1 wicket for 7
Batting Sam B - 30 retired Benedict - 16
Magic moments
Daniel's 3 wickets in 4 balls...Great effort. Zach's catch off Sam S's bowling.
What we did well
Our steadfast fielding and bowling put the opposition under pressure only being able to grab the odd single. Fantastic team effort by all.
What we could improve
To keep the pressure on the opposition right up to the very end...don't relax just because things are going well.