IBMSHCC vs Broadhalfpenny Brigands
Having had a wash out of last Sundays game, this game was the first outdoor game of the 2008 Sunday season and my first as the new Sunday Captain. No finer place to start that I guess - at least in terms of history, if not the pitch (i'll come to that later).
Arrived a little later than planned due to shitty traffic in Gosport, but I wasn't late so it's all good. It was even better news when I discovered that we were due to play on a normal grass wicket as opposed to the all weather track, although it did mean another torrid day of no bounce, but hey, that's safer than the head high bounce you'd get from an astroturf track!
Having had a quick chat with out-going skipper about usual tactics at this venue, I walked out to the middle with their captain and did the toss. Amazingly, I won and decided to put them into bat.
Now, let me tell you about Brigands ... they *always* play at home and *really* don't like to lose, so they know their pitch well and are quite happy to bat for as long as they think they need to, unlike most (if not all) other oppositions who go with the change over of innings at tea, even if it's a timed game!
So, it wasn't a surprise to say that progress was slow in terms of runs scored, although we didn't get a breakthrough until there 43 runs on the board, despite tight opening spells from James White and Rob Tate. The first wicket came courtesy of a run out, via a diving stop from me at mid on and then a good through to the other end from Bob Tate. Their batsman really should've been in by miles but he failed to ground his bat and was given out. 43-1
By this stage, our debutant, Peter Hicks, was into the attack and he took no time in knocking the off stump over for their number 3 bat, leaving them on 43-2. He was bowling very nicely and with Kev Hewitt at the other end we continued to restrict them to a low scoring rate and sneaked another wicket via Kev and a fine catch at slip from John Lowe to leave them on 49-3 after 17 overs.
A good partnership of 45 was built over the course of the next 13 overs, but that was broken by Matthew Stride who cleaned bowled their number 4 bat to bring an end to a fine 5 over spell. Shripal also struck after some fine bowling, getting the batsman to sky a catch to point and Gleavsie held on well.
Shrip struck again with a caught and bowled to leave them on 96-6 in the 33rd. However, I was having no luck at the other end and as such I decided on a bowling change, bringing back Kev and Peter Hicks, with Kev getting all my luck, cleaning up their number 6 and getting a catch via Shripal. Their final wicket fell via another run out and they were all out for 114 just before tea. Perfect timing.
Tea was the usual affair ... no plates as usual, but it appears they have invested in an oven as their sausage rolls were hot and they also seemed to have discovered pizza! Wonders will never cease! ;)
Our reply starting brightly, with Foz looking in good nick, ably supported by John. First wicket fell on 29 ... and then the 2nd wicket and after 4 more runs from Foz, wickets number 3 and 4 also fell, all to their young opening bowler! One of those wickets was me, falling for a golden duck, courtesy of the usual low bounce which we get here!
Shripal was next in and he ably supported Foz who eloquently strode on to his 50 before Shripal was eventually out for 3 in a partnership of 41! This saw Rob Tate to the wicket and he built another good partnership with Foz until Foz was out for a well made 64 ... the ball just tickling the bails as it went past. Still, we were just 9 runs short of the target at this stage with plenty of time left.
Rob and James White saw us home for a well deserved victory, built on a fine bowling and fielding display and a well made knock from Foz. Obviously I was delighted to get a win in my first game and also to avenge the 10 wicket defeat we had been handed last season! That being said, it could all have been so different had both teams held onto their catches a bit better, but hey, that's nothing out of the ordinary!
Let's hope the weather stays dry enough to get a game in this coming weekend! :S