An excellent all round display
from Chris Sharpe and some unplayable line and length
bowling from David "El Presidente" Railton
showed the drinkers that it's not perhaps as easy as
it seems!
A
warm Sunday afternoon greated allcomers to Oak Meadow,
with many taking advantage of the conditions to catch
the sun and take in some food and drink. The Sunday
XI "won the toss" and elected to bat first.
Kiani played some terrific test match style defensive
strokes in this 30 overs per side game, before Woolford
set about providing a sound platform for the team to
defend. The pair put on an excellent 68 before putting
on a comedy show for the spectators! Woolford played
crisply off his legs straight to mid-wicket, who misfielded
- Woolford having called the run and was halfway down
the track with his compatriot watching clouds still
in his crease was sent back and, with a disparing dive,
run out for a well made 37!
Thankfully this brought to the
crease the in-form Chris Sharpe, fresh from some destructive
boundary hitting the day before. Contrastingly today,
he started with a "Bevanesque" pinch-hitting
role, rotating the strike with ease and giving Kiani
the chance to hit the boundaries he needed to avoid
being retired early. Drinks came and went and Kiani,
who had seen a few hit his pads creep closer and closer
was caught on the leg "in front" and
umpire Woolford raised the slow finger of doom faster
than the eyes could identify.
From there, waltham lost a bit
of momentum, with James Cox bowling some good pace and
with the next 4 wickets all going for single figure
scores. However, Sharpe at the other end was moving
the score on nicely, accellerating his innings at just
the right time until he was out paying one too many
shots for a scintilating 31. Sunday XI finished off
with a few boundaries to post a commendable 188-9 off
their 30 overs.
The drinkers started their reply
watchfully with Johnson finding some erratic bounce
and Connor bowling some raking inswingers until Monon
launched him over the sight screen for six and then
4 straight after. Johnson and Connor bowled out without
much incident, Johnson picking up the wicket of Hall
for a worthy 10. On Came Thomas and then Railton, who
bowled a maiden over first up, proving too difficult
for the impressive Monon to get off the square. Thomas
at the other end took a caught and bowled - a carve
and copy of one he had dropped the day before - under
much pressure.
After drinks, Burge brought himself
on, partnered from the other end by Smith. They both
took some heavy punishment in their opening overs, until
Smith got the breakthrough they needed, clean bowling
Monon for 33, who tried to cow a straight one into the
dog training field! This brought James Cox to the crease,
who hit some punnishing boundaries until Sharpe came
on to tie them down, with Railton returning at the other
end. Cox retired for a brilliant 41 not out, while Sharpe
and Railton ensured the drinkers couldn't accellerate
enough to chase the winning runs.
The game was played in excellent
spirits (some of which were inside the drinkers) and
Mouth Nebbett raised his season average to 8 derrogatory
comments per match thanks to some blatant B grade sledging.
Mouth assures us that he will be returning from a scratched
finger on the next month or two.
Well done to the drinkers and
many thanks for a fine match, with the club profits
looking rosey for the day!. |