So, the Indoor team were faced with a challenge against the top of the table, unbeaten Writtle. Like Gt.Totham, Writtle have previously been in Division 1 & Gt.Totham were anticipating a harder game than in previous weeks. The skipper won the toss (yes, Rob, won the toss, you should try it sometime!) & elected to bat, as Cheesey & Pooky were both delayed due to a crash en route.
Nick & Josh opened the batting & they scored quickly, hitting boundaries & running well. Nick retired & Drew came in. A first ball 6 & a second ball 4 signalled Drew's intentions. But, he managed to give catching practice to Writtle by lofting a ball straight to the fielder a little while later. Josh retired, so Pooky & John tried to keep the momentum going, until Pooky copied Drew, caught by the same fielder. The top running-between-the-wickets combination of Cheesy & John skillfully ran numerous quick singles/3s, until a mix up led to Cheesy's demise. John was bowled, still not having retired this season, leaving Josh & Nick to finish the innings off, 152-4. This was an excellent performance against the strongest bowling attack faced this season.
Pooky & Cheesey opened the bowling. In the first over Josh managed to run out the Writtle opener, who is the top run scorer in the division. Cheesey bowled the second over & got the Writtle skipper (2nd top run scorer in the division) clean bowled first ball he faced. Follow this up, next delivery, with an LBW that had Ray raising his finger. Cheesey on a hat-trick! The field came around the bat, the batsman gets his bat onto the ball & it trickles harmlessly away towards mid-on. But, wait, Pooky chases it & gives it a nudge to push it for a 4! The over ends without any more drama, Writtle 15-3 of 2 overs. John comes on to bowl, generally wides. Josh bowls & Pooky takes a catch, Writtle are 4 down. Drew bowls & Nick drops a sitter. The 3 bowlers bowl again. John improves, Josh bowls fairly tight & then Drew bowls what could be described as not the best over he has ever bowled! The Writtle batsmen were back in the game, although a win would have been unlikely, they were doing well. Cheesey returns to the attack & 3 balls later, it's all over. 9 balls, 7 runs (4 of which were Pooky's throw to the boundary!), 4 wickets.
Gt.Totham were convincing winners by 78 runs. Excellent batting by all, tight fielding & an amazing bowling by Cheesey. Next up is Ingatestone a few days before Christmas.
