at Rawreth Lane, June 2nd 2013
League Game
Team: Adam Bailey, Joe Barnett†, Jamie Coleman, Aaron Golstein, Jack Hadlow, Tom Lopez, Kian Norton-Reeves, Craig Smith*, David Watts, Edward Wright .
Once again 10 players. This time because Tom King fell ill during the night before the match. Here’s hoping Tom recovers quickly.
Craig won the toss and chose to bowl feeling we are better chasing than setting a target. The opening bowlers were Tom Lopez and Aaron Golstein. Both started a little loosely both conceding 2 wides in their first overs. Tom followed this with a maiden and ended with 4-1-14-0. Aaron also improved and ended with figures of 4-0-18-0.
Jack Hadlow and Jamie Coleman were next up and both kept the scorers busy. Jamie took a wicket in his first over whilst Jack took 3 as well as causing a run out during his spell. Two of Jack’s wickets were stumpings showing how important the wicket keeper is. Jack ended with figures of 3-0-15-3. Jamie bowled three and was rested.
Kian Norton-Reeves and Craig Smith were the next pair to bowl with Kian having the misfortune to bowl to Hadleigh’s captain and most successful bat on the day – four 4s in a row making quite a dent in his figures (2-0-27-0) Craig was a more fortunate in who he bowled at but was a bit short and wide, allowing the batter to throw his hands at the ball, and ended up with 2-0-14-0.
The final two overs saw a new bowler from one end, Adam Bailey, and Jamie return for his final over. Both bowled very well. Jamie conceded 1 run for a wide whilst Adam conceded the same number of runs whilst taking a wicket. Adam finished with 1-0-1-1 whilst Jamie had 4-0-16-1.
Hadleigh having scored 100 for 6 the required ru rate was just over 5 an over (even I can do (100+1)/20).
Umpiring for the first time this season I was impressed by the communication in the field. Hadleigh kindly lent us a fielder since we only had 10 men and it was noticeable to me that the Rayleigh players were backing up and generally more alert and active then in the past.
Craig and Joe Barnett opened our batting with Craig facing. Craig had a look at the bowler, and went for a drive on the 5th ball. He was a little early on the ball and hit it slightly uppish and it just carried to the fielder at cover who took a pretty good catch. 2-1 from 1 over.
In the second over Joe took a different approach and hit the first ball (a full toss above waist height) for 6. Given 2 runs for the no ball a handy start. He tried to do the same again to a similar, but legal, delivery a bit later, missed and was bowled leg stump. 14 for 2 from 2 overs.
Adam batted number 3 and David Watts number 4. It all looked good with both running quick singles until David hit one in the air, got caught by the same cover fielder and we were 19 for 3 after 3 overs.
Kian joined Adam at the crease and settled in quite well. Adam was trying to move the score on but kept missing the ball. Oliver Ilett bowled a solid over with 5 dot balls and a wicket – Adam bowled for 2. 19 for 4 after 4 overs.
Kian and Edward were now batting. The opening bowlers were still on and after a maiden Oliver struck again. Edward out for 0. After 6 overs we were 22 for 5 and definitely in trouble.
Kian hit some cracking boundaries when the bowler strayed down the leg side but wickets kept falling, mainly bowled. At 10 overs we had scored 50 runs so the run rate was okay. The loss of 6 wickets was the issue.
With the first ball of the 14th over the inevitable happened, our ninth wicket fell and we were all out for 66 – still meeting the required run rate.
Next week: Away to Rayleigh Fairview.