Indoor Cricket ... IBMSHCC B vs Purbrook C
Just 1 weekend off and it's the start of the indoor cricket season. John selected the team in my absence (Center Parcs holiday etc) and we did have a bit of a struggle due to unavailabilities / late injuries etc. However, 6 players were gathered for a game against Purbrook C ... it may be there C team but we always expect Purbrook teams to be good and this was no exception.
I lost the toss and we were asked to bowl ... which I probably would've done anyway, had I won, so all was good.
Tom opened the bowling and kept the runs down to just 7 and 6 of those were from wides ;) Tadd was up next and limited them to 9 runs. Tom then bowled a very tidy over for just 2 and then Taddy got whacked for a couple of sixes. Purbrook on 34-0 after 4 overs.
I came on to bowl and took a wicket in my first over, enducing their number 2 bat to loft one to Tom on the back wall from the off cutter delivery. James White was on to replace Taddy and went for 18 off the over. My next over went for 16, including some more wides and then James went for a further 16 from his 2nd over. I finished my 3rd over which went for another 12 runs.
Matt Stride had an over, with 3 wides first up and then it got better and then Taddy and Tom finished up, Taddy going for 18 and Tom, going for 13 but getting a wicket, via a catch from me and a run out.
They ended on 144-3 from their 12 overs. A pretty good score for them ... we coulda had another wicket, but I dropped one that was drilled at me. However, our real downfall was wides, as we conceded 50 runs from wides alone! *gulp*
Anyways, we set about the target , with me and John opening the batting. I took first ball and managed to eek 8 runs from the first over, via the odd single and a few no balls. John then had to face a rather handy bowler but managed to eek a further 6 runs.
I decided to take the attack to their bowler in the 3rd over, bashing him for 18, including 2 sixes and a four from a no ball. John then faced the good bowler and snuck another 5 runs.
1st ball of the 5th over went for 4 and I had to retire on 26 not out. It took a while though, as the umpire gave it as a single at first as the ball hit the back wall almost in the corner. All the fielders had to help me convince the umpire it was a 4! hehe
Tom was next in and hit a single before being caught off the side wall. Taddy was in next and got 2 runs before being bowled. James was in and out in the space of 1 ball, being bowled by a yorker first ball. Matt was in next and they batted out the remaining 6 overs, getting us to 91-3 in the process.
With hindsight, it might have been an idea for one of them to hit out or get out and get me back in, but who's to say I would've got any more runs coming back in?! I was amused that John was in for 12 overs and only got 15 runs, but hey, there ya go ;) He was not out, so that denied them a point. Anyways, we got 6 points from the game and Purbrook got 21. I think they'll be tough to beat this year.
Not a bad start, all in all. I think everyone had fun and with a bit of luck our results will pick up as we go through the season. Just a shame I'm not available for the next game :(