Hook & Powerstock CC v BCCC
Hook & Powerstock 204
BCCC Lost
Earl of Sandwich XI v BCCC
Earl of Sandwich XI
BCCC Won
We took a strong team to Dorset, including a welcome return to the colours by former captain Chris Sweet, but came away with one comprehensive defeat and a decent but not overwhelming victory.
Powerstock fielded a much stronger team than usual, with some ringers from local clubs, which was in principle a good thing as we have beaten them fairly easily in recent years. They might have beaten us in any circumstances, but giving almost all their best bats two innings, by dropping catches, was in the circumstances not the best strategy. Jonny and Graeme began quite tightly, and Johnny was penetrating at times, but we fielded indifferently, allowing too many singles and twos, and gave away > 30 byes. So they put on 204 (I think).
In our reply only Johnny performed decently with a gutsy 28. They caught their catches, but some were gifted to them. We were all out in the last over for about 115. The excuse offered was a very iffy pitch. It certainly did display very uneven bounce, but why it deteriorated after tea is not so clear.
Henry captained the side for the first, and possibly last time.
MoM J.Ludlow, just.
Tim and Keith were so upset that they chose to miss dinner at home in favour of driving round the Dorset countryside and eating pizza at a Crewkerne kebab house. No accounting for taste.
After dinner entertainment was provided by Greg, making his last touring appearance before he is deported back to Australia at the end of the year. His asylum request has been turned down. The Home Office cited handling errors. He provided a character assassination of most long-serving club members, revealing a previously unsuspected talent for the killing one-liner.
In collective revenge we made him captain for the Monday game against the Earl of Sandwich XI, also known as the Mapperton Marauders.
They were captained by Clive Stafford-Smith who had also assembled a stronger squad than usual.
Greg started badly, as had Henry, by losing the toss.
They put on a respectable 169, in spite of a couple of fortunate, and in once case generous LBW decisions (by their umpires) against their two best bats. Ludlow was again the pick of the bowlers, though Tommy Hoverd took a wicket with his first wicket for Barnes, and two in his first over. It will be downhill from there, we helpfully observed.
Again, catches were dropped. It would be invidious to single anyone out, but Jonny will not be looking at the video replays. Eventually we closed their innings three overs from the end when Tommy took a good catch in the deep, helped by George knocking him over at the same time.
Our reply started hesitantly, with Greg, Graeme and Keith falling cheaply. George got us moving with a rapid 33, before getting himself out to a wide. Phil swung the bat effectively, but at drinks after 20 overs the game was still in the balance. Johnny came in at number 6 and leathered the ball all over the county, producing a quick fire fifty which took the game away from Mapperton. So a six wicket win, which makes it sound easier than it was.
MoM. Charlotte (whom Ludlow was clearly trying desperately to impress). It's a pity we are unlikely to see her again.
Powerstock fielded a much stronger team than usual, with some ringers from local clubs, which was in principle a good thing as we have beaten them fairly easily in recent years. They might have beaten us in any circumstances, but giving almost all their best bats two innings, by dropping catches, was in the circumstances not the best strategy. Jonny and Graeme began quite tightly, and Johnny was penetrating at times, but we fielded indifferently, allowing too many singles and twos, and gave away > 30 byes. So they put on 204 (I think).
In our reply only Johnny performed decently with a gutsy 28. They caught their catches, but some were gifted to them. We were all out in the last over for about 115. The excuse offered was a very iffy pitch. It certainly did display very uneven bounce, but why it deteriorated after tea is not so clear.
Henry captained the side for the first, and possibly last time.
MoM J.Ludlow, just.
Tim and Keith were so upset that they chose to miss dinner at home in favour of driving round the Dorset countryside and eating pizza at a Crewkerne kebab house. No accounting for taste.
After dinner entertainment was provided by Greg, making his last touring appearance before he is deported back to Australia at the end of the year. His asylum request has been turned down. The Home Office cited handling errors. He provided a character assassination of most long-serving club members, revealing a previously unsuspected talent for the killing one-liner.
In collective revenge we made him captain for the Monday game against the Earl of Sandwich XI, also known as the Mapperton Marauders.
They were captained by Clive Stafford-Smith who had also assembled a stronger squad than usual.
Greg started badly, as had Henry, by losing the toss.
They put on a respectable 169, in spite of a couple of fortunate, and in once case generous LBW decisions (by their umpires) against their two best bats. Ludlow was again the pick of the bowlers, though Tommy Hoverd took a wicket with his first wicket for Barnes, and two in his first over. It will be downhill from there, we helpfully observed.
Again, catches were dropped. It would be invidious to single anyone out, but Jonny will not be looking at the video replays. Eventually we closed their innings three overs from the end when Tommy took a good catch in the deep, helped by George knocking him over at the same time.
Our reply started hesitantly, with Greg, Graeme and Keith falling cheaply. George got us moving with a rapid 33, before getting himself out to a wide. Phil swung the bat effectively, but at drinks after 20 overs the game was still in the balance. Johnny came in at number 6 and leathered the ball all over the county, producing a quick fire fifty which took the game away from Mapperton. So a six wicket win, which makes it sound easier than it was.
MoM. Charlotte (whom Ludlow was clearly trying desperately to impress). It's a pity we are unlikely to see her again.
