Full Fixture Information

Result Descriptiom

Draw

Man of the Match

Ollie?s 79 and display of how to catch cricket balls in the field (more to follow!)

Champagne Moment

Captain Andrew being battered for six runs the ball after his dismissive remark (more to follow!)

Teddy Bear Moment

Josh and Aaron for abysmal communication leading to a crucial drop.

Full Match Report

As we turned up to a very arid looking but picturesque ground at Bentworth, Jimmy made the comment that this ground has been memorable. We watched Jack Leach and Stokes? historic innings after a game and Mooro earned his cap in recent years. The memorable moments of this game mostly centred on how it is possible for the ball to not land in the hands of fielders soo many times.

Andrew lost the toss, no shock there, and was put into bat. Ollie and Ali W opened up. Ali seemed slightly idle, perhaps still thinking of his holidays in Ibiza. Ollie was in a hurry with the mantra of ?get the runs quick before I am finally caught and so I can go cough merrily on the sidelines?; a victim of the recent Atkinson COVID strain. Definitely not chanceless, but the scoreboard read 125 at the fall of the first wicket. A pleasant change from some poor batting from our club recently.

Jimmy entered, determined to make hay at a small ground. Not to be, caught for 4. Rupert, self demoted to 4 came in. Off the back of a golden quack he again succumbed and it is debated if it was another duck or the leg bye was never given by Aaron. Haslett made up for a few low scores with a great partnership with Ali Wheeler and Andrew. Ali falling for a tidy 41 and Andrew whipping it around for 28. Josh and Lakh held their bats with 56 and 7 respectively.

The innings ended 232 which was a decent score on a dusty turning pitch. Yet with a 27m boundary one side, all to play for.

After tea, Wayne and Aaron opened up. Both tidy with Wayne taking a wicket but largely, the opposition ticked over the score at just under the required rate. All results possible. Seemingly, the pitch was deteriorating and bouncing high and turning. A perfect sub continent wicket for our resident Aussie. Tim bowled a super spell of 7 overs, two wickets for just 7 runs.

Joined by Jimmy, who was a bit excited by the pitch conditions, they set about the middle order and James ended with 11 overs 4 wickets for 30 odd. ?Overbowled? was murmured but good to see him taking as many wickets as runs in the game!

By this point, the possibility of a loss was gone and the oppo shut up shop. On came Lakh with his dibbly dobblys and Andrew tossing them up to entice catches. One beautiful moment was listening to Andrew set his field for a newish bat ?leave him in, the bat will top edge it?. Next ball slapped for 6 into the road. Captains Curse? Josh had a go but alas it seemed that 8 wickets was all that we could muster. Ollie finished with some moon balls to cement the ?hamlet cricket? vibe.

I would like to highlight the fielding that day, which probably prevented an allusive win once again. The opposition dropped some but East Meon gazumped them with drops all around the park, balls over the head, balls at the feet, not walking in and two calamitous cases of NO communication between fellow players. Must do better?

All in all, a hot day with a great batting performance, lots of laughs, tidy bowling and no Loss; topped of with hefty fines at a real life Village Public House with Sam Meyer virtually purchasing some medium sized jugs of ale for us?.