A trip again for the first team to not so sunny ingatestone but a very flat looking pitch, two changes to the side with Liam and an injured DK missing out, Phipps and Slats returning. JH won the toss and decided batting first was the way to go.
Nob and Phipps opened the batting, but the opening bowlers both bowled very well, with tight lines and good fields making scoring difficult, and the running not quite being in tune. We did however, not give wickets away easily, and battled through the first 15 overs, but both batsmen being undone by change bowlers, Phipps caught and Nob bowled. Henge and Slats continued in a watchful manner, Slats getting a couple of boundaries before the left arm spinner accounted for him as he pushed one back, and left us 86-3, but nearly 30 overs in. FGA and Joe acknowledged this and started trying to move the board along, Joe showing good use of his feet, FGA sweeping nicely and pushing us along at 6 an over and through batting points. Their 50 partnership came essentially at a run a ball, only ended when Joe pushed FGA for 2, but the throw from the deep was good enough to lose the bear. Mutton joined Henge who passed his 50 and then departed, to leave Pooky the last push. The last partnership made 60 in quick time, running between the wickets well and Pook striking 3 sixes before being dismissed from the last ball, but giving us a total of 213-6, excellent acceleration in the last 15.
Tea Rating: N/A as it was a BYO special, slight jealousy for the Tommy Wheeler Cheesecake, it's what the true athletes eat.
Pook and RK took the new ball, Ingatestone choosing to send out a pinch hitter to try and get off to a flyer, while he got a couple away, Pook got the genuine opener, caught at square leg by Mutton, he being the most surprised of us all. A bowling change bagged the second, Henge enticing the drag on, but the scoreboard rattling round too quickly, not aided by our inaccuracies with the ball, and two ropey overs from JH replacing Pook. It was Tommy Wheeler replacing Jonny that got us back in the game, removing the ingatestone captain first ball, swept to short fine leg where FGA trundling round to make the grab, 100 more runs for the win, 7 wickets needed for us, but plenty of overs to work in. Tommy's spell was brilliant, he nearly had another in his first over, and the ball just dropping short continuously of close fielders, but his control was brilliant. RK came back after drinks and bowled a far better spell, grabbing two wickets, a mis hit to Henge at cover and then a genuine snick with Tim doing the rest. RK nearly had a third with the new bat, everyone up for a caught behind not given, but Tommy made sure we weren't made to pay, getting the bat to push one to Jonny in close to grab 172-6, still overs to play and balance possibly shifting out way, ingatestone relying on a youngster to see them home. Our problem was running out of bowling, Pook and Henge came back to finish their spells to no avail, Jonny replaced the impressive Tommy and took a caught and bowled, but too late and the next over the game was finished as we lost by 3 wickets.
Undone by Ingatestones control with the new ball not allowing us to get away, although we did catch up later in the innings, and too many wides and unthreatening deliveries in our bowling display.
Next week and on the road again to Writtle, as the halfway approaches a couple of wins are much needed.
