Uffington – Defeat

On a ridiculously hot Sunday afternoon we played Uffington at home, we had a full team as everyone wanted to get at Mongo. So much so that Longdog Wooloff was left out the team, and ended up playing for them!! So we were all eager to get at the away team, although slightly less keen when Steve lost the toss and we had to field in the hottest part of the day.

However, we started fielding well, with Angel Bulpitt and Jimmy Mabbett opening the bowling and keeping it tight and getting an early breakthrough. As their number one batsman lobbed a shot up to near mid-wicket off “Mabbo’s” bowling, i managed to run round from mid-on and hang on to get rid of Squeaks for 0. At the other end, their number two (Max Rose) was getting a good start, which after a shaky few overs started hitting some good shots and scoring well.

At the other end came in one of Uffington’s younger players, who after hitting a couple of shots hit one hard and low straight back to “Mabbo” and he took an excellent catch to dismiss him for 3. Next came a couple of well taken catches by North Snr, to show us youngsters how its done. He held onto a shot spooned up to mid-on (although he looked like he was shot in the back in the process) to get rid of their number four for 0 off Stewie’s bowling, and then it was him who took the catch that we all wanted which was Mongo’s wicket, as he found he could not quite clear the fielder at Long Off
and gave some credibility to Tweeky’s bowling figures as he was taking a bit of a tonking (7-0-44-1).

Peachy also decided to get in on the party and bowled their other opener (who had been scoring steadily) for 42. It was around this time that Olly “Chief/Wiggy/Wiggum” Haine stepped up to the crease, and managed to dismiss a player who had been working the ball around well, hitting everything very late into the gaps behind square and either through or over the slips, but was eventually out for 45. This let the other ‘traitor’ to the crease, who managed to score a few shots before he ran out of overs, and we could all have a good sit down and an ice cream provided by Stewie and his lovely sister! This left us the target of 167 to get with the bat, pick of the bowlers were James (6-1-17-2) and Stewie (7-5-10-1)

We started fairly strongly with the bat, as POD and The Chief opened and Coll started scoring well before Wiggy got out for a duck leaving us 27-1. POD was out shortly after for 24 and was disappointed as he had started well but was bowled by Mongo by apparently the first straight ball he had bowled! This put Graham and Nordic and the crease and we we going along fine until Graham edged one to the keeper off Jones on 25. This put myself in, who only faced one ball before Steve got carried away hitting Duncan all around the park and missed a straight one (or could be it be jug avoidance – out for 46??) and i was joined by James, although I didn’t hang around too long as I got bowled by Duncan for 5. James carried on well for a while but only got to 16 before being bowled himself. This left us about a 136-6, and still capable of winning the game.

Tweeky and Peachy were now at the crease, before Tweeky managed to run himself out and peachy was caught LBW, both for 4. This sent North Jr and Stewie to the crease who were both scoring well and getting us closer to the target untill Stewie stepped too far back to a short ball and kicked his wicket, leaving us 8 short of the target. Stewie wasn’t very happy about this (or was this peachy’s over amorous glances at his little sister??) but anyway he wasn’t happy and went around apologising to everyone until we could convince him that it was only a game. Ritchie trudged off to the crease knowing we needed only 8 to win and with the instruction to hold onto his wicket and let Northy score the runs, however he was bowled out for 0.

So in the end we lost, but only by 8 runs. But an enjoyable day was had by all and most people stuck around for a beer after. Man of the Match went to Stewie for his cracking bowling figures and obvious team spirit after getting out. Pig’s Ear went to Tweeky for getting himself run out. Champagne moment went to Nordic for breaking a club house window with a blistering shot straight down the ground.