7th May 2022 Mynydd Isa & Maeshafn 59 all out, Gwersyllt 2nds 60 for 2.
Early on this week a round up of suitable deputies could only muster a posse of 7 players. The Magnificent 7 as they were for a while were all set for a high noon showdown, as the Gwersyllt skipper was not at all accommodating for a later start given that some players had to get away for a 19.45 Liverpool kick-off. God only knows how they must struggle for numbers when the football season is on.
Seven became more and by Friday night we could bank of getting a full squad of sharp shooters there on time. Will made his usual pioneer journey in an open top wagon – and from London non-stop that morning in a super-dedicated call to arms. Abs there 15 mins early – chance for a proper showdown with only Rahul stuck in work and catching the pony express.
We won the toss and elected to bat. A sloped pitch with a long boundary, but a well prepped wicket. Apples & Abs to draw. No 1 bowler Green bowled a good line and length. No 2 bowler less so. And so began a scoring frenzy of the player known in these wild parts as Extras.
Over 3 and Apples bowled for 1. Bat wafting sideways and duck avoidance his only consolation. In comes skip. Abs at the other end is bamboozled by wides, no balls and getting the odd run. Skip edges hard to a couple and picks up a boundary and after 8 overs, a change of bowler. Young lad and gets late away swing. A few more runs and a boundary, until skip cuts to point for 13. Next over Abs out lbw for 10. 38 for 3 from 10 overs. In are Will and Tom.
A few overs in, many dot balls from some very tight bowling and Will spoons a tame drive to mid-off. Cross with himself he needn’t have been so harsh given what was to follow. One duck in the hutch and at that point extras was top scorer. Sanath goes in to join Tom.
Tom patiently dots away from No1 bowler. Then facing at the other end to No3 bowler cuts to point and caught – for nought.
Huddled around the camp fire but nothing warming so far.
Arijit in with Sanath. Mr Panache (without the tache) tried to get going and scored a couple of runs. Bowling still very tight and Sanath running up turns after mid-on cuts off a drive from Arijit. With something suspiciously like an amble back to his ground, a raised bat when the throw in hit the stumps meant 5 out became 6. Santh on 2. 44-6.
Like loyal tommies heaving themselves over the top to charge through no-mans land, we were being scythed down like poppy fodder. Jonty in to join Arijit, who after a few useful controlled shots, out for 0. Venkat next. By now a new bowler who got Venkat first ball thanks to their skipper at slip with an incredible left hand grab low left. Jonty after a mini-dotathon drove a lovely boundary, but then went back below ground. Prashad again lasted an over or two, but a leading edge skied to pouch. 57-9 at drinks.
Gallant Sir Gray hauled himself to the crease, confounding the law of physics and apart from an edge over the top, eventually fell. 24 overs and bodies everywhere. 59-10.
A leisurely lunch of the condemned men. Tom and Santh started.
Rahul rocked up in a Webster-esque show of commitment and joined the field. They scored well enough in the first few overs, 13 after 3, 20 after 5 when Sanath bowled a beauty to bowl their opener in the 6th. Edges were coming, Will missed one and skip was short getting to a top edge behind the stumps.
After 8 overs they were on 26 and Prashad replaced Tom. Tricky as ever, but they managed to pick their gaps with the odd boundary.
Sanath struck again after 10, with Will taking a great reaction catch at slip above his head. One point in the bag but by now they were on 40.
Jonty replaced Sanath as a deadly death bowler, but we needed more life support. By now we were in the end zone. After a coupel more overs we couldn’t contain them for long and by the 15th it was all over.
The teams in this division seem much more on point with their match play than we saw last year and we have to raise our game. Gwersyllt were very tight in the field and their batting was maybe not as strong but we never got a chance to properly test them. Thanks to all for turning out and giving us a chance, but like any clumsy cowboy we have to avoid shooting ourselves in the foot.
Andy Meakin, 7th May 2022