Golby Gets a Ton on Kings Field to go with this one he got on the Main Square...
Carefully Laid Plan Gans Aglay as De Cocks Make it Hard for The Wick
The selectors weren’t spoiled for choice for the game against
Old Wimbledonians.
In fact, the thirds took to the field with ten men for the
first game against Old Wimbledonians. Truth be told, we took to the field with
eight as Harry Copeland and his mate, Jonny Allen, turned up at 1305. The ten
included Mervyn Watson, father of colt Robert Watson, who manfully volunteered
on Friday answering a “your club needs you”, call to arms to all colts fathers
from Sam Kemp.
Old Wimbledonians won the toss and decided to bat on the
Kings Field. Bubb, the left handed opener smeared the ball to all parts with
little respect for the bowler’s line or length. With 90 on the board in the
opening ten overs of the season and ten men in the field, heads could have
easily gone down. They didn’t.
Olly King, the U17 bowler dragged the Wick back
into the game and by drinks, Bubb had departed and OWs were 150-3 from 25. The
fielding huddle spoke of further inroads that could be made and a target of
limiting OWs to beneath 250 at the most... We hadn’t factored in the two de
Cocks (brothers/cousins/namesakes??) batting at 5 and 6. These guys would look
class in the 2s. Their well compiled 50s took OWs to 325 at the end of their
scheduled 50.
The path to victory was simple. Put together by skipper
Sayce, the plan was for Sayce to lead his team to glory with 150, Goldie to get
a ton and Harry to finish the job with a quick fire 50. Easy. At 5-2 and Sayce
in the hutch for a duck, Harry running himself out in comical (in hindsight) fashion
the plan had come apart and a big defeat was on the cards. Tommy D was padded up
to come in at 5 and those below him didn’t promise many unless Mervyn was a
batting god.
Slowly Goldy and Tom Simcock took us past 25 and the 300 run
defeat and then stepped up the pace. Goldy treating anything short with disdain,
cutting and pulling his way to many a boundary. Simcock, if slower stuck in
there and put away bad balls. The 100 partnership came up.. Goldy smashed a
memorable four over mid off having passed fifty and then moved through the gears
(barely a trademark nurdle to be seen). Simcock reached his fifty. Goldy reached
his ton fulfilling his part of the victory plan. Straight after that milestone
he departed and Simcock soon after for 54. Wick reached 203-8 from their 50
overs.
A tough opening day against a high quality batting line up
but runs from Goldy and Tom Simcock along with fine bowling performances from
Olly King and Jack Smith in the circumstances hinted that better days lie
ahead.
MOM Goldy
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