2ND XI MATCH REPORT - CRANLIEGH (HOME)

Result: Hampton Wick Royal CC - 2nd XI win 100 overs by 5 wickets

Date: Sat 17th Jul 2010 @ 13:00

Ground: Hampton Wick Royal CC

Type: League : Division 5 - 2nd XI

Toss: Hampton Wick Royal CC - 2nd XI won the toss and decided to bowl

Score: Cranliegh 179 all out (50.2) - HWRCC 181/5 (45.4)

Highlights: R.Cole 4/36 & 72 runs.

Midi-chlorians...

As we start to get into the business end of the season things are looking good.

We all enjoyed Breakwell's mid week analysis, showing which grounds “the most wickets and runs” are being taken and scored in 2010 season yet were less impressed by AJ's poor attempt at reminding JB that you cannot have a BBQ in the past unless you have a tardis!! It's a shame AJ does not apply that level of attention to detail to his fielding.

Anyway, onto the cricket and this is why things are looking good; all elements of our game are starting to click and I will explain later in more detail. Coley had given the skipper a heads up on the track Friday night, it looked green and nasty and at that point Skip used all his midi-chlorians to ensure the toss was one. However despites Coles advanced warning, it proved to be a belter.

The team welcomed back a few, post being done over by the Kiwis a week before and although we had a strong looking eleven due to “morning commitments” we kicked off with only nine. Perhaps nine would be enough as a wicket fell in the 1st over although 11 would make things easier and I must admit, I never thought I would be that pleased to see Uncle Ben's car pull into town!!

Cranleigh were the visitors and are a good bunch although a few could not cope with Fudgey's Jedi mind tricks.

We won the toss and Cranleigh were asked to make first use of damp looking strip. Webbo who at some point is going to get a shed load, and bowled very well again! He had the young Cranleigh opener playing caught a mid-off playing a woeful shot in just the first over. Tommy D (QC) opened up from the other end and bowled well from the less responsive end without luck and ever really looking threatening.

The Cranleigh number three Greaves is a lovely bat, why he is not playing ones is a mystery!! He cracked seventy odd before Breakwell forced him to play on with the score at 90 odd for two. Prior to that Fudge had bowled another school boy who, cart wheeling his middle stump after an attempt to bring test cricket to the WICK. So slow was his play that Pinball got really confused and called the right hander Katich or was that Fudgey once again playing mind tricks on the oppo? The skipper bowled a half decent spell and reverting back to seem up, will knock over a few more before the end of the season.

So to cut a long story short we basically, we took nine wickets for under a hundred runs, which proved to be great effort on a slightly dead, but never the less a belter of a track. The 2’s showed plenty of effort and intensity and it was good to see the bowlers getting grumpy, this can only means we and they really want it.

Coley came on after drinks and bowled well to get four, helped by a good stumping from the Dutchman who encouraged the team with cockney sparrow tones all day. Breakwell got another, taking his league tally to a remarkable 32 and capped a solid if self proclaimed grumpy performance with a brilliant catch at the end. Webbo got a couple more and that was that.

Special mentions to Uncle Ben who ran around like a “nutter” all afternoon and Del who ran and ran and ran and ran down the road chasing a ball that somehow squeezed went under him. The fielding was generally good, a couple put down and a couple of careless singles but solid overall and the oppo were at least forty short at 181 from 51.

Fudgey used a few more midi-chlorians at half time and tea was enjoyed. Good tea again from Jabba.

Goldberg and Coley kicked off against the kids. One was quite lively and Goldberg looked in good touch before forgetting where his leg stump was. Coley was joined by Fudgey and the pair put on a hundred for the 2nd time this season without too much trouble at all (Although the Cranleigh wicket keeper would beg to differ).

Umpire Steve gave some advice to one of the youngsters who had one opinion too many as the game slipped away from the visitors. Cole and Fudge turned the screws with Fudge especially good against the spin of Harms who was unceremoniously swept out of the attack. Strangely the ball started to swing late on and the Cranleigh skipper and 4th change Van Der Meare started to do a bit. Fudgey got a good one for an important 46 and then Coley got another for a crucial 72. Gates showed glimpses of what is to come before V.D. got his third through a plumb LBW. Ben could not quite get going a hit a full toss down covers throat before It was left to Del and Pinball to see us home with five down.

The positives are there too see, the bowlers are all bowling well, all the top 4 batsmen are in great touch and the fielding is tight if not up to our usual exceptionally high standards, Oh and teas are good and the team want to win!! As a famous warrior once said "needs to be said, no more". May the force be with us!!

MOM - COLE

http://surreychampionship.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=10912356

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