1xi vs Old Pauline - Match Report by Matty D

‘Scorer angry with team go slow’

Sayce, Hooper, O’Mahoney+, Davies*, Raza, Jackson, Mackie, Murray, Whinney, Ewen, Iqbal.

You can’t win every week. FACT. Or, more to the point, you CAN win every week, but its very unlikely for a number of reasons. The main reason for this week’s non victory was Old Paulines CC. They played intelligent cricket and had the right bowlers for the conditions. The fact we managed not to lose our heads at the end tells us that perhaps Old Paulines don’t have the fire power to win games regularly. But that’s something for them.

What about us? We fielded well (one very uncharacteristic drop from an uncharacteristically deflated Boney behind the sticks apart). We bowled well on a non responsive track (the wrong track for the type of bowlers we had). We batted poorly but it became clear that the middle order were lacking time at the crease (due to our processions of easy wins thus far this season).

OP won the toss and batted. Nothing happened after the first over when Joey bowled a few bananas. Kam opened at the other end and whilst the scoring was slow little was happening. OP waited for the shine to really go before opening their arms on what was a very slow and tired deck. The slow option of Murray, on debut, made the difference picking up a slightly dubious lbw shout in his first over. However, nothing really changed. The patient OP batsmen were able to pick up runs reasonably comfortably – perhaps with us bowling too many 4 balls (gleefully accepted). The OP bats appeared much of a muchness – no-one really good, but no-one really bad either. All scored between 20 and 50ish. Nothing exciting but an excellent example of how to build a total to exploit in the second innings. The innings closed on 208 off 48 overs, with Kam ending up with 4 and Joey only getting 1, despite bowling his heart out for 17 overs on the worst type of track for his style. Whinney was crying out for a hard deck with bounce, and whilst Murray’s debut was impressive, he lacked the presence of a suitable partner in crime from the other end that would have enabled his flight to be exploited to the full. Iqbal also made a deserving 1xi bowling debut, unfortunate not to pick up a lbw in his first over.

It was agreed that 209 off 47 overs was an achievable target for us and we were pleased with our performance in the field – working hard when things are against you (in all honesty the first time its been the case this year).

Teas – standard. Eating with the 3xi fixture was unusual. There were jugs aplenty. Alison was also there – loving her egg sarnies. I’ll give it 6/10 this week. Im feeling generous.

Kam’s marathon bowling stint persuaded me to drop him down to 5, as well as promote Sayce to 1 (by his own admission its painful watching him bat anywhere else). Unlike previous weeks, the start was poor. With the classic poor decision, poor shot, good ball 3 card trick accounting for the top 3 wickets. Then when Kam was caught at cover the Wick had its back against the wall. Tight straight bowling by the 3 OP spinners meant the pressure built and wickets fell at regular intervals. There were no partnerships to speak of. Jackson and Hooper threatened, but Hooper then decided to run himself out when set and all hopes of a victory had gone.

In the end the Wick blocked out for a draw – gracefully accepted by OP who had effectively ‘won’ the game yet didn’t have the points to show for their efforts. This wasn’t before a 10 over block-a-thon by Joey and Whinney had been ended with 4 balls to go leaving young Iqbal the dubious honour of seeing off the last 4. Ive seen some close fielders in my time (Joey to Zammy every week), but this was something else. He did his job, admitting afterwards he’d never felt so nervous. Everyone remembers these type of big experiences when they were 14 and he will look back fondly at the time he saved the day to preserve the Wick’s unbeaten 2008 season. Well played Junaid.

MOM – Joey. Kam got 4 wickets, but Joey bowled 17 manful overs, flying in at full pelt throughout. He deserved 5. He also played a full part with Whinney (and Iqbal) in an enforced go slow that preserved the unbeaten start to 2008.

The Wick scorer (scoring alongside the league secretary) was not amused that we had failed to reach 120 and thus secured a batting point. The response given (supported by the spectating President Sissens) was that the hardest thing to do with an old ball at the wick is hit it off straight if you have a wily bowler who bowls wicket to wicket. This week a draw with 3 points was more valuable than a potential loss with 4. Alison now expects us to win. Lets not let her down too often again. [Apols from Wickman - had this in my inbox for DAYS - no sign of anything from Lloydy or Wickman Jr though - *cough cough*]