I’m pretty stoked to be sitting here tapping out the match report for the 1st teams first league win for the season.  It took place against South Harrow on their rather picturesque home ground.

Skip won the toss and decided to bat first.  A decision based on the opinion that our batters have less pressure on them if batting first, and our in form bowling attack can then, hopefully, defend that total.  And that’s how it went!

We were all out for 113 after about 40 overs.  The innings was a bit short on runs for what we would have ideally liked and we also aimed to bat out more of the 55 overs on offer.  I think it’s pretty fair to say that our batting has not reached its potential yet this season.  I’m a little lost as to why this is.  Are we trying too hard?  Putting too much pressure on ourselves?  Shot selection need adjusting?  Tom was the only batter to really get in, stay in and put a decent score against his name (30 not out).  We’ll need at least 3 or 4 bats to produce innings like his against the top teams in the league and then I’m sure we’ll be giving them a good fright as well.

Matt and Noodle opened for us and Nick got out before too long when he missed an attempted drive and was bowled.  Swaps came in and joined Matt for a wee bit before being bowled trying to turn a straight ball around the corner for a single.  Dyll went in and at this stage we were hoping that he and Matt could form a partnership and wear out their opening bowlers.  Unfortunately Matt got a leading edge off the zippier opener who bowled swaps - the long haired and rather chatty one.  He also kept wicket for a while and batted at about 4.  A genuine all rounder!?  It has to be said that it was a pretty bloody good catch.

Scrawny went in at 3-15 and to his credit put his head down and batted very sensibly with Dyll.  The runs off the bat were a bit slow but the byes were keeping us ticking along nicely.  Extras top scored with 42 by the way.  Well done.  The fellas were putting on a much needed partnership and looking comfortable until Scrawn was given run out in a rather unlucky and highly debated umpiring decision that involved much deliberation, player involvement and huffing and puffing.  Tom joined the middle and lost his partner Dyll soon after caught behind.  His concentration may well have wandered after the run out controversy. 

After this the tail tried their hardest to support Tom who was mixing solid defence and aggression very well.  Feeney and yours truly didn’t last as long as they should have or would have liked to.  Jacko and Reedy who stepped in to the first team both did much better jobs at hanging around and giving Tom the much needed opportunity of getting us to 100 and beyond.  They both showed the value of staying in and playing a supporting role.  A real lesson for anyone batting at the low end of the order.  When Gillers was bowled we were all out for 113 with skip left not out and probably saying to himself ‘shit guys.  If I can do it like that with ease, why can’t the rest?’

I thought the tea was pretty bonza and particularly enjoyed that rather spicy dish on offer.  Jacko said there was too much corn.

We knew these guys were going to try and belt us around the park and try and win in about 20 overs.  The simple game plan was to restrict the boundaries, bowl tight, frustrate them and let them give their wicket away.  Simple and deadly effective!

In the first over no. 1 bat swung and missed at the first two balls before mistiming another aggressive shot and spooning a caught and bowled to Gillers.  Game on.  The pattern after this was pretty similar.  Gillers and Tom put the pressure on the batsmen with accurate line and length bowling and kept to the plan when the odd boundary was hit.  The batters continued to get themselves out playing big shots. 

Our fielding was very impressive.  We took all our catches, Chris threw himself around all afternoon in a fine keeping displays in difficult circumstances.  Dyll avenged his ‘lack of reflexes’ for the run out by pouncing on everything that came in the gully’s direction.  Tom’s wicket of the chatty all rounder was a master stroke as he’d placed Perv at fly slip anticipating an edge from an attempted drive.  Waving him off the field was a nice touch.  We were aggressive in the field, as we needed to be.  However, we must always ensure we keep within the spirit of the club and, indeed, the fine game itself.  Some of Reedy’s comments on the field were priceless as was Perv skipping down the pitch, after their skipper had played and missed, with a large and loud ‘alriiiiiiiiight!!.’

Our opening bowlers took the first 6 wickets with Tom 4 and Gillers the other two.  At this stage they must have been about 6-65.  Matt Ridgway and I came on and proceeded to take out the tail with two wickets apiece.  Not sure of their final score but I think it was around 80.

And so it was that the first team racked up a much needed 30 points with a dramatic and action packed win.  It really was an all round team effort and it was good to see the smiles on the lads faces as we came off the pitch.  By this stage we’d heard the 2nds had just won their first game as well so we all raced to join them at the bar at Old Actonians where we all proceeded to get pissed.

MA