At last, following 18 months without a game, Great Totham Indoor team were in action again. Drew wasn't/was available, so was rested until later in the season. Late withdrawl by new boy Jack Ridge (selected on the back of carrying his bat for 48 off 40 overs for the 3s at the end of the season), due to a football injury (whilst refereeing?). So, Joe Davis was drafted in, but Joe's batting rate isn't too dissimilar to Jack's!
John carried on the great Great Totham tradition of losing the toss, Galleywood, with only 5 men, elected to bowl. Nick & Joshua looked like they last played yesterday & were scoring at a rate of 20 per over, Joshua scoring 38, Nick 28. Pooky, in next, kept the momentum going with Nick, showing excellent running & awareness of the gaps, until Pooky tried a lob like a grand slam tennis player & was caught millimetres from the back wall boundary for 11. Joe came in & the run rate kept on going well, a huge score on the cards. John came in to bat, first ball despatched for 4 (the slow full toss helped!). John & Joe beneffited from a number of wides & no balls, but the run rate was not so high now. Joe gets out, Cheesey plays a quick cameo & Joshua returns for the father & son combination, in which the son plays the leading role. Joshua smashed a few more boundaries, then was caught out off 2 walls & the ceiling. Galleywood then brought the opening bowler back, soon after a run out ends the innings, with 2.3 overs to spare.
Bowling saw Cheesey start off his shortened run, with a very economical over including a wicket, Great Totham were definitely on top. Pooky & Joe limited the runs & Pooky appealed every time Nick caught the ball to the bemusement of everyone in the sportshall. One Galleywood batsman retired & John came on to bowl, allowing the run rate to rise. Pooky took a catch to increase the pressure.
John then bowls a great delivery, edged softly, gently, tenderly up, so that Nick can use his mangled fingers & thumbs to let the ball fall into his gloves in slow motion. Yes, you've guessed, a dropped catch follows. 2 balls later Cheesey swoops to run out the same batsman & Nick hits the wickets with his gloves when the ball is elsewhere. John eventually gets him caught & bowled. Great Totham still on top, but not certain of victory yet. Good bowling & fielding kept the runs down. Joe bowls out one player then Cheesey takes another wicket to finish any chance of victory for Galleywood.
Galleywood were always behind the score, due to the first 6 overs, so they were 15 runs short at the end. Great Totham probably shold have won by a bigger margin, but, it was an excellent start to the season. Next week sees South Weald face the might of the Indoor team.
