BELT @ Plush 15/09/18

With the season turning more Autumnal, the penultimate game of the season was against BELT at Plush.  Unfortunately, Geoffrey was needed to open the pavilion and wasn’t in a great mood!  BELT elected to bat and Tommy Stannard (aged 15 and on debut) opened the bowling with David at the other end.  The run rate was ticking along at 3.5 an over when the opening wicket was taken by Tommy.  A good length ball caught the outside edge and Chris took a fine low catch at slip.  The second wicket came in Tommy’s next over with the new batsman playing on the up to Peter at extra cover who took a comfortable catch.  David took the wicket of Tom, the other opener, when he trapped him going back to one that kept low and would have probably taken leg stump.  Simon replaced Tommy for his only bowl this season and although the shape of the deliveries was there, too many off length deliveries were proving expensive.  By now Chris was on at the other end and his spin was causing some difficulty.  He took an LBW in his first over to leave BELT 48-4 from 15 overs.  Chris’ 9 overs only cost 15 runs, and this was due to the tight bowling creating difficulties as the long grass in the outfield cut off the quick singles that would normally occur.  Tommy W bowled some useful deliveries but mixed in with some cafeteria bowling.  A partnership of 61 was bringing BELT back into control until Tommy got the breakthrough.  Young Tommy S came back for a devastating spell, taking the prize wicket of the top scorer.  PW (3-1) had 2 eventful overs – the first got a run out when Simon was sharp at backward square leg to leave the batsman nowhere near making his ground.  PW’s second over was a wicket-maiden.  Tommy took the last wicket to claim figures of 9.2-0-26-5 on debut.  The innings finished at 142 all out leaving time for 15 minutes of play before tea.  Mike W and Peter opened the innings and managed to get through 6 overs but suffered the loss of Mike’s (4) wicket when he was bowled in the penultimate over by Saxby in the early period of a 15 over spell.  Dane (on debut) survived until tea but was run out without scoring to leave the Wanderers 13-2 from 10 overs.  With the arrival of Simon at the wicket, both batsmen were looking to impose on any loose bowling.  Simon (17) was dropped on the boundary before he too was bowled by Saxby.  Mike H went the same way for no score to leave the Wanderers 48-4 in the 19th over.  Chris (37) was in attacking form and the 60-run partnership with Peter was scored in 8 overs.  He was brilliantly caught at deep long-off by the same man that dropped a simple chance off Simon!  At 108-5 with 16 overs to go the game was there for the taking, although Tommy W (7) was LBW to bring in Tommy S.  The game was won by a no-ball that went for 3!

MOM: Tommy (9.2-0-26-5)

Catch of the day: The catch from the opposition to dismiss Chris was unbelievable but from the Wanderers the catch of the day was Chris at slip.

Quote of the day: From David talking to Simon on the boundary having chased in vain another four from Tommy W’s bowling “Tommy’s serving up a full buffet today”