Date: 15th May 2011
OS&S: 116-7 (20 overs)
Rayleigh: 61 all out (17.5 overs)
Rayleigh team: Ben L, Ben E, Callum B, Joe P, Matthew A, Liam H, Mark B, Harry D, Sam C, David W, Cameron M
Without captain Callum Bthrough illness and a few late call-ups to the A team, the Bs took to the field for our first league game of the season against Old Southend & Southchurch.
For many of these lads it was a step up to “proper cricket” after being used to several years of the “Terrier” version of the game. A steep learning curve now awaits but it is one that many of them will hopefully adapt to quite quickly.
Stand-in captain Joe won the toss and we fielded first.
We were up against a much better team and that was evident as soon as the game started. There would be no first match win, so plan B was to take the positives out of the game, of which there were several.
We have some useful bowlers at this level. Cameron bowled a good line and length without reward. Harry D returned very impressive figures of 4-0-21-4 and Liam H got one wicket and bowled a beautiful line and length and could easily have had 4 wickets as well with a little more luck.
Sam C struggled for his first two overs, but when he came back on near the end, bowled two people out in the same over.
So there are grounds for optimism there. The fielding wasn’t bad either and the lads were looking to back up all the time.
The positives taken from our batting were Ben E reluctantly opening and batting sensibly (especially defending a yorker superbly).
When we were four down for 12 runs, Liam came to the crease and with Ben E, started to move the score on with good running between the wickets. And then Liam and Harry did the same. Liam scored 9 runs and Harry top scored with 12 not out.
This gives us hope for future weeks and we shall attempt to build on it.
No game this Sunday (22nd) so next fixture is May 29 away to Canvey Island.