Letcombe – Defeat

We always enjoy the Letcombe game (except our double thrashing in a single afternoon last year), and yesterday’s game was no exception. Letcombe were allegedly slightly weakened by having a cup game on the same day, but this didn’t seem to matter, as they beat us anyway. It was a close game. I failed to win the toss and therefore, much to the team’s dismay, we fielded first in the blazing heat. We played a 35 over game.

Letcombe’s Lawrence Gardiner opened the batting and managed to bat all the way through the innings, carrying his bat for 66 runs. This provided a sound base for the rest of the team to bat slowly around him.

Carlos opened our bowling superbly and apart from a no-ball in the first over that went for 2 runs, no other runs were scored from his five overs, including a wicket maiden. Nice tight bowling Carl.

There were a few fielding errors. A dropped catch or two, and a lovely misfield for four (no names – you know who you are), but also some nice catches, stops and ball chases. Long Dog taking a slide towards the boundary, grazing his elbow and bleeding for his team. What commitment! Those Wooloff boys always seem to hurt themselves for the cause and don’t we know about it afterwards.

Bowling figures:
C. Wooloff (Carlos) 5-4-2-1
Bulpitt (Stewie) 5-0-21-1 : New original nickname required. Suggestions please.
Peach (Peachy) 5-1-17-0
Henson (Muppet) 5-1-19-1
D. Wooloff (Long Dog)5-0-29-0
Weekes (Tweekey) 4-0-15-0
C. Mercer (POD) 6-0-40-0

Catches from Tweekey, Me and Long Dog(? Please confirm).

35 extras helped Letcombe get 162 runs for 5 wickets. What I thought was an achievable total.

Another cracking tea again this week. Well done Elbows. The ice creams were an extra special touch that were well appreciated. Future tea makers take note.

Elbows and Long Dog opened the batting and a some nice steady opening batting took them to 16 and 27 respectively. Olly decided to leave a ball from bomber that turned sharply and bowled him for 2 runs. This earned Olly the Pigs ear.

Halfway through the overs, we were 64 for 2, needing to increase the run rate and score 100 from the last 18 overs. This seemed achievable. POD scored 21; Martin Campbell 32. After a slowish start, Martin really started to play some lovely shots (Note: shots – not slogs, heaves, or mowes).

We were 124 for 4 off 29 overs needing just 39 from the remaining 6 overs. Two maidens and Martin and Tweeky’s wickets followed taking the required run rate to nearly 10 per over. Carlos started swinging the bat (but missing the ball) and Muppet, after receiving some off field advice from his Dad, was bowled and left the field in a strop. Peachy came in and played a magnificent shot towards the boundary, only to be caught at cover by the best catch of the day for 0. Unlucky Peachy – right shot, wrong fielder.

With 1.1 overs to go, I was at the crease with Carlos at the other end. My new virgin bat in hand needing 27 runs. A heave to deep mid wicket, just inches short of a six left Carlos facing the final over needing 23 from 6 balls. 14 runs later the game was over, Letcombe the victors by a small margin.

The game was enjoyed by all and many “if only” scenarios were discussed later. Man of the match was decided to be Martin “Meatballs” Campbell for some fine keeping and for scoring 32 with the bat. Idiot of the match must be Long Dog for cutting his lip on a jug. “Use a glass” will be learned from this painful lesson.