After the selection gods smiled upon us last weekend, they took a big fat steamy one on us this week, with more than fifteen players unavailable throughout the club for varying reasons. Punching a wall for a broken wrist and falling over railings, breaking an elbow in front a crowd of people were amongst the best excuses.
So a side featuring a few two’s regulars and some familiar three’s regulars took to the field this weekend, looking to continue our fine early season form. After losing the toss and being asked to bat, Nob made the worst possible start, nicking off to the third ball of the game. Some poor shots and some batsmen not willing to knuckle down meant we were 98/7 and facing the prospect of the game being over before sampling DQ’s tea. Ethan and Sam Yeates finally showed some match awareness and built a partnership, Ethan finding gaps, with Sam taking the hitting role and finding the boundary regularly. Hope had been restored in the pavilion and people were now speaking to eachother, apart from DQ who had to go to the shop for some haribo after being run out without facing by Banny. George Davis produced a short cameo of 21 after Sam (48) had dodged his jug and we finished on an under par 186. We were in a game, but at least 30 short of what we felt we needed.
DQ and Mother Q did tea this week, very lovely it was. Cracking cake, good sarnies but carrot stick with no dip? 7.5/10
We started very well with the ball, Matt and DQ bowling with pace and intent with very little for the batsmen to hit, 34/0 off 10. The introduction of the old boys John and Olly further stifled the run rate, John’s first over a wicket maiden after a sharp catch from Nob. Two more followed shortly afterwards, one each to the old timers and for the first time in the match we were on top. Rayne number 4 & 5 consolidated and began to get comfortable, finding gaps with the occasional boundary. Matt was brought back in to the attack and as he so often does he broke the partnership, removing both players in a three over spell. The run rate required was now seven an over and the game was in the balance. Olly (2-23) and John (3-43) both took an extra wicket, Dan Allen with a run out too, to leave the visitors eight down. Hughes and Williams then batted well, hitting regular boundaries and the game swung again back to the visitors, before Hughes was put down on the boundary and the ball trickled for four. The visitors now needed 7 from the last 12 balls and squeezed home with 5 balls to spare, Totham defeated on their own ground for the second time this season.
We were much improved in the field this week, very few midfields and a much better attitude was pleasing. We bowled well on the whole too. But scoring 186, on a small ground with a short boundary with a lightening outfield, left us too much to do. Too many soft dismissals and a lack of application has cost us. Tough to pick a star Man, so Matt with 2 important wickets and 29 runs, Olly with 2-23, John 3-43 and Sam with 48 runs can take a quarter each.
Rainham away next weekend. Lovely.
