Sunday 17th July 2011
Team: Harry M., Charlie T-N., Jack T-N., James C., Matthew P., Craig S., Toby C., Thomas M., Adam B., Alex D. (capt.)
This game was a friendly against Rayleigh Fairview at their ground with our team a mix of A and B players. Alex was captain for the day, won the toss and decided to bowl first. Matt turned up at the last minute so 10 players took the field from the off. Would the game complete before the rain started?
Craig and Toby opened the bowling and started well. Their line was good if a little short initially, and the batters couldn’t get after them. Rayleigh Fairview had put the boundary quite far out which combined with the longer grass after the rains meant 4s and 6s were going to be rare and running would be crucial.
212 for 0 after 4 overs.
Jack and Tom were the next pair and again were solid without being spectacular. There were a few more run 2s and no wickets.
232 for 0 from 8 overs.
Adam and Harry took up the cudgels and Adam picked up the first wicket in his first over. Both bowled well bringing some good batting out of the Fairview batters.
247 for 1 from 12 overs.
Matthew bowled a couple of overs with Craig and Adam sharing an end against the 4th partnership for Rayleigh Fairview. Craig picked up a wicket but Rayleigh Fairview managed a couple of boundaries. Someone had mentioned this was their best pair as they come out to bat. The two 4s suggest they may have been.
261 for 2 after 16 overs.
Alex and Charlie bowled the final 4 overs. Alex picked a wicket up in his first over (with Jamie taking a good looping catch as wicket keeper) and gave little away. Charlie was also parsimonious but waited to the final over to get his wicket – another catch, tis time by Toby.
268 for 4 after 20 overs, net score 248.
Set 249 to win Craig and Jack started the chase. Craig hit a couple of nice 2s but also managed to get caught. Jack scored less but kept his wicket.
16 for 1 after 4 overs.
Toby and Thomas batted next. Toby lost his wicket early on and after that both batted carefully. Rayleigh Fairview were bowling accurately and were difficult to get away.
23 for 2 after 8 overs.
Adam and Harry were the middle pair. Initially they were gifted a number of wides but the bowlers settled down and restricted them from scoring. There was one run-out which looked to me like ‘I hit a good shot so I should run’ without the batter spotting the ball had gone straight to the fielder.
40 for 3 after 12 overs.
James and Mat were the penultimate pair and they batted solidly, keeping out some good deliveries, still without being able to score freely.
48 for 3 after 16 overs.
Alex and Charlie came out needing 4 an over to win. A challenge given the run rate to date but achievable. The first over yielded 2 runs as did the second. With 12 needed from 2 overs Alex apparently said to Charlie to run everything. Two wickets falling in the 19th over meant that the target receded further and a good finishing over from Rayleigh Fairview meant that the final scores were:
Rayleigh Fairview: 268 for 4, net 248
Rayleigh: 261 for 5 net 236
Rayleigh lost by 12 runs
It was a good match played in good spirit by both sides. There was some good cricket and we came close. Given the size of the boundaries we needed players who could hit through the field and run 2s. We didn’t have enough. Maybe next time.