Availability makes the difference as Wick claim a further 20 points!

HWRCC 3XI Vs Carshalton and Croydon Gas
Risman, Lloyd, Crane, High, Cameron, Soppitt, Taylorson, Copeland+, Nicholls, Noor, Hill
Croygas- 92 all out from 30 (odd) overs Wick 93-4

Now its rare one actually feels sorry for an opposition but today I did. Croygas turned up 45 minutes late and with 9 players to face a Wick team with strong availability and hungry for 20 points following recent disappointments. This oppo chased down 200 odd last week with 10 players so this could have been a hell of a game had two of their player decided to turn up or even inform their skipper that they couldn’t be bothered. An unforgiveable offence for any sports club!
Forced to bat first Croydon’s opening pair looked flustered from the off in the face of some tight bowling from Jimmy C and Hilly. Though that didn’t stop one opener putting Lloydy in his place for fielding within 6 yards of the bat with a full blooded cover drive resulting in swollen and purple finger. “5 yards further back and you would have taken that mate” said Delbert. Lloydy was more worried about losing his finger altogether to compose a witty repost.
The one opener fell bowled by Jimmy C and brought their high scoring number 3 into play. A man who looked far too good for this league who then set about slapping us about a bit. The other opener scored in the 20s (cheap considering he nailed 80 odd the week previous) before Hilly accounted for him.
Having decided that we didn’t need to get the strong number 3 out, we set about despatching the bats at the other end with aplomb with Jimmy C picking up 4-for off 13 overs and not many runs and then Delbert doing as Delbert does and taking out a further 2 in the middle/ tail.
Tun up unfortunately struggled for consistency and was replaced by Keith who despatched the tricky number 3 just shy of his 50 caught at square leg and the innings was all but over. The final wicket fell in comedy fashion when the bat swung wildly at a quicker one from Del, missed, ball bounced off Harry’s leg onto stumps and found him still posing the finish but outside his crease. Quality!

Teas- Pasta and Potato salad were a nice touch -6

The wounded pairing of Risman and Lloyd dosed themselves up on painkillers and freeze spray from Riso’s sizeable stash of pharmaceuticals (experience- always prepared)and opened up the innings. Both looked comfortable picking the gaps in the field but the painkillers wore off quickly and a runner was called for Riso after 4 overs. Looking to the bench for suitable candidates, Crane, and Taylorson were overlooked in favour of the fitness and experience of Soppitt.
Credit to Croygas, after 5 overs and the Wick going at 6 an over they were still bantering with each other in thick Caribbean accents which made even the weakest Barry ten times more amusing for all.
Lloyd, eager to move the scoring along for more bar time, played the wrong stroke to a straight one- ats- and was then summarily robbed of 4 runs by Muzzy who managed to confuse him with Riso somehow. Cranesy came to the crease and decided on the aerial route, thumping a number of boundaries before being bowled. Whilst this ensued the following dialogue was taking place on the boundary: Charlie: “Skip do I have permission to go for a slog.. play a few shots you know?”
Lloydy: “ We still need 30 odd runs, so as long as you don’t try and smash em off 5 balls you can play your strokes but be sensible.”
Charlie: “Wuh?!?”
Lloydy: “Just don’t bat like a tool ok!”
fast forward 5 balls
Cranesy is bowled and Charlie smashes first 2 balls for a 4 and a run 4 then skies one to cover. Basil!
Riso was visibly annoyed with him but Delboy got on with the task at hand and batted nicely to bring us within 10 before Riso was bowled and Jimmy C joined him at the crease to finish the task. Del slapped the winning runs with a boundary, showed tremendous experience in not even waiting for it to cross the rope before tucking his bat under his arm and shaking the keepers hand and walking off. You cant teach it!
so 20 points Wick and more importantly a nice game played in good spirit with a genuinely nice oppo to boot. Though, it does show how 2 people can ruin an afternoon of cricket for the 20 that wanted to turn up. Let’s just hope that no Wick team falls into this position during the season and that we can keep on winning

MOM- Risman for taking a catch with two broken fingers and then batting through a fair amount of discomfort to open the innings.