Fine win at the furnace of LLanrwst. Well done everyone and we all contributed to put in another stellar all-round team effort.
In the blazing sun as we mustered just after high noon temperatures were 29 degrees. So, winning the toss we took the only sensible decision – bat and make use of the shade of a generous chestnut tree.
Andy & Siv as 1&2. First two overs were maidens. Although the track looked prime for batting, the bowlers managed to get some late swing despite the blue skies. A few of their fielders tried to run a bit of needle. After the first few overs, we started to motor on a bit, some good running but it was hard work. Drinks at 10 and we were 48 without loss. After drinks the bowlers got a bit looser and more boundaries came. Skip fell to a catch driving at long off for 33. 98-1. In came Abs. Abs took a while to get going – let’s just say Fordyesque for the first half of his innings. Siv carried on motoring by this point, boundaries on or behind leg being a particular favourite. Having reached his 3rd 50 he carried on to 66, before trying to cart a yorker and got bowled. PB for Siv in MIMCC colours.
Their skipper was rotating their openers without much relief, so we suspected the second string was a bit weak. Tom in and he didn’t take long to get going, but again boundaries were not plentiful. He started to give Abs some shot and running coaching – Abs started to open up. At 30 they came in for drinks when we were at 136. Skip said push on now – and they did. Abs threw off his Fordy mantle and started hitting behind, to leg, cover and boundaries started to flow. Tom at the other end was picking up more runs too, until he danced down to cart their spinner and got bowled for 34. Probably a relief given the muck sweat he was in by then. Will joined Abs, getting into his stride quickly, hit some good boundaries including the only 6 of the game to square. Both finished not out (Abs 57 and Will 18). Abs first 50 for MIMCC and a once he got going after 30 just lit up. Great knocks all to post 223-3.
At tea we shuffled chairs out of the moving sun. Heckler in Chief Gray arrived with family but there was not much to pull apart here. We knew we had done plenty, but could we grab all 15 points?
It was still very hot when we went out at 3pm. Tom and Dave opened with 2 overs each. Both tidy – no wickets but they were 6 after 4. Prasad and the hitherto unmentioned Jonty took over and bowled 3 each. Still really tidy, with Jonty picking up their useful opener by bowling him. It’s clearly a deep imprinted release for Jonty to utter a primal scream as he ran down the track in celebration. And is that a hint of a tashe after my comment last week? But a job well done.
With the wicket at 8.5 overs, they offered us drinks – Fordy accepted far too quickly and marched off. Nearly at the boundary Skip called him back to finish the over!
Drinks at 9 – Jonty carried on but was getting more expensive -the heat clearly was an issue.
So further rotation was required, with Matt coming on, Tom and Dave having another brace of overs (with Dave getting a wicket – lbw) and Fordy having an over to the point of 20 overs.
They were at 51-2 after 20.
Those of you (bald, jinxed by female bowlers and with a very clean set of gloves) might be interested to know Sanath kept wicket well. With just his glasses on throughout, he showed his usual panache behind the timbers – but his comedy missed stumping (gloves rushing through to cart the stumps over – only to realise the ball had trickled out of the back 2 seconds earlier) spoiled an otherwise solid bid for another outing.
And he was well out.
Interestingly Prasad told me in the car he used to keep wicket to a very high level in his youth.
Back to the bowling – Prasad and Matt took over from 20 to 28. More wickets – but they had a batsman dug in who eventually got to 50. Anything short he leaned back and tonked, else we shipped quite a few boundaries to leg. At 35 overs that reached 123 and got their point – on the back of a comedy of errors 4 byes. Sanath was blameless, but I imagine the plasticine doll of Sanath won’t know that.
Dave had their 50-scoring bat caught by Will and having secured a point, they finished at 130 odd.
Hot and bothered we wrapped up and sped home. A fair result as we couldn’t close them out in the second half and this was no absolute pushover. We all wilted, but again a great effort boys, so thanks to all.