A pretty ground with character is Pontblyddyn and we gathered for our now customary Noonday start. Abs made a declaration of intent by being not the last, nor even second last to turn up – giving it plenty of time!
Pont sat top of the league and we expected a fairly unforgiving result. We lost the toss and 10 men put into field as Venkat was running late.
Tom and Jonty opened. Tom a handful as ever, with the odd boundary coming from his pace, but he forced much respect from the opening pair. Jonty was on his areas and both kept good economy. I’m not sure about respect.
Siv had the gloves today and looked a real natural. Some good leg side grabs and a total of 2 byes in the book already puts him in contention for Keeper of the year.
Tom came off after 4 and Prashad took over. Jonty had one more and then Andy came on. Prashad’s variation kept the respectometer readings very high. At the other end the needle was like a limp rag. After 2 overs for 20 runs skip made the best decision of the day and took himself off and brought on Fordy. Prashad in his third over got a wicket – bowling No2 opener for 7 who was completely foxed. Fordy had started up with his accurate mortar bombs and gave away one run in his first over and restored some containment, bowling very well all day.
Prashad got another wicket next over, Will pouching a skier at mid-wicket. After his 5 Prashad was replaced by Abs. Abs bowled through the drinks break, in his 3 overs no wickets and 19 runs. Jonty came back after drinks and first ball got their No4 Davies C&B. Squeals of excitement, arms out wide as he cantered across the square doing aeroplanes , I think he enjoyed that one. The next 11 balls Jonty nose-dived and Fordy replaced him at 24 overs. Jonty 8-1-1-30. Fordy too got a first baller as their skipper danced down the track to one of his bouncing bombs only to mistime it and see the bails go flying. Out for 53 but they were only at 115 and we felt we had contained well. Fielding mentions must go to Abs, who was a wall at short mid off, Tom who as well as his eventual 9 overs was haring around the off-side outfield to intercept boundaries, Siv already name-checked, but I feel he has a lot of promise and Venkat (who turned up after 12 overs).
Venkat was thrown the ball at 24 overs and put in some good overs, again keeping runs in check so for his 4 overs went for 9 runs.
Tom and Prashad took on the death overs, while Pont pushed harder, Dave Brilley running between wickets like he had a bungee cord in his back. A couple of catching chances went begging, which is a pity for the bowlers but they ended on 159. Tom 9-1-0-32 and Prashad 9-2-2-32. A total of 5 extras.
At tea that score looked gettable, but we were conscious that our batting line up was not as strong this week and needed caution. Abs and Siv opened the batting against two pacy and accurate bowlers. Pinned down in the first 4 overs, they started to loosen up and in one over Siv clocked 3 boundaries. Abs looked comfortable too, holding the pose to a few shots and we kicked on to 32 after 8 overs. Siv drove one back to Cliffe the bowler and out for 19.
Skip in next, and the next over of Cliffe’s did exactly the same as Siv for 0.
The crowd generously clapped us all back to the pavilion as each of us were out and it’s a rare thing these days, so we must credit Pont for that, even if their applause mismatched the display they had just witnessed!
Will next. He dabbed a few before getting off the mark. At 10 there was a bowling change at one end. A few more runs and extras too began to creep up our highest scorer table again.
Abs in the end was caught trying to launch one for 16. In came Tom. A couple of balls later he was back in the pavilion, having tried to nurdle one down to fine leg and getting caught behind. First ball next over Will got surprised by a full toss aimed at the base of his stumps and couldn’t react in time. Cometh the hour, cometh the point hunter of Tatooine. Jonty settled well but faced some very erratic bowling from Cayo Jones. Having amassed 4 runs though, got an out of the blue in-swinging yorker to clatter his off stump. But by this stage we had got a point from the game.
In comes Venkat, slowly feeling his way into some form. Fordy in too, watched admiringly by his new squeeze and a masterful batting display followed. It began in morse code. But eventually his off-side dabs connected and raced to the boundary. Another shot with intent and another boundary. This was new/old Fordy. Clearly he has started using different shower gel and it was working. Fordy and Venkat steered us past our second point, before Fordy was out lbw and walked. Prashad next, trying a more aggressive response and pulled one to leg that looked big but fell too short of the boundary. Venkat was soon caught and we were into the rear guard of Sean Thomas – who played as if he did this regularly, but after couple of singles looped up a catch and in came Clive, who Dave Brilley bowled first ball. All out for 95 and extras were 22…..
We are showing promise and I appreciate all the support we have, but it’s starting to feel like we can’t compete at this level on our current squad. We had a stronger line up last year so it’s not really surprising. Thanks all for turning up and let’s hope the law of averages is going to level up for us soon!
