Following the humiliating defeat last week, the 3s travelled the short distance to Boreham to play Spartans, who had a similar record to the 3s. The 3s were fielding first, on an intersting looking wicket, detemined to bowl better than last week, when we gave many scoring opportunities to the batsmen. As a pre-match tribute to the 3s, we had a fly past by the Red Arrows & a variety of other planes on their way to London for the King's birthday celebrations. Although we didn't bowl too badly, we did bowl some loose deliveries, which the openers hit to the boundary &, before we knew it, we were in a similar position to last week. There were no chances to take, so we couldn't blame poor fielding, but, nevertheless, we were definitely second best. A couple of bowling changes & disaster! The batsmen really opened up & were finding the boundary at will. Spartans acclerated rapidly & they were scoring an average of 7 per over. One of the openers skied a ball from Sam Yeates & Sam Moon took a good catch on the boundary. John & Owen combined after drinks to tighten things up & the batsmen found scoring more difficult. John bowled the other opener, &, reminiscent of a 70s disco, the stumps flashed fluorescent, flashing red lights on being struck! At the other end Owen started to clean up, a catch for James, one for John & 2 clean bowled gave Owen 4 wickets & Spartans were not as dominant as before drinks. Owen has the chance for a 5fer, the batsman skies one, Owen calls "Owen's ball". It's a dead cert, to reach that 5fer, until Owen does a little juggle followed by a drop to everyone's amusement!
A few minutes later Owen shows he can catch, from Jamie's bowling. Ted took a skier from Max & Jamie bowled the final wicket. Spartans ended on 251-9. The fielding was a game of two halves, pre-drinks = pretty average, post-drinks = much better.
After a tea of whatever you brought with you (or went to the convenience store for) we went to chase the runs. Spartans had an endeless supply of bowlers who chucked it down fairly quickly for this division, which caused us some problems. Dicko adopted the Sir Alaister Cook approach to opening & Sam went for BazBall. Dicko was out first, caught at mid-wicket, Sam continued to plunder, with 30 of his 37 coming in boundaries. The highlight of Sam's innings was a full toss clipped towards square leg, which smashed the little finger of the fielder into an unusual shape. John lasted a couple of balls, Sam not too much longer. Billy continued to show promise, by playing sensibly & Tickle tried to copy Dicko's approach. Then Owen & Jamie had a very productive partnership, hitting a number of boundaries & defending the good balls. Jamie took one in the face, that reared up off a length. Owen fell in an attempt to replicate Joe Root's scoop shot at Edgbaston, but it failed!
Ted, Max & James tried to manage another batting point, but we were all out for 182, defeated once more.
Batting was generally good this week, reaching a score that will win games in Division 9, but bowling gave the opposition too much freedom to score.Next week, we play fellow strugglers Gt.Waltham
