BELT 13/09/20

On a lovely day at Hazelbury Bryan, the Wanderers were asked to bowl first having lost the toss – again!  With David and Simon opening the bowling on a slightly tricky looking pitch, it was near the end of the third over before a run was scored.  Simon managed to get a little bit of swing and this contributed to him claiming the first wicket LBW.  David took the new batsman when Simon took a sharp chance at silly mid-off.  With Peter Fos bowling on debut and getting the ball to zip through, he was unlucky not to get a wicket.  Max – Legend – came on to bowl down the hill.  In Max’s third over, an attempted cut was brilliantly taken over his shoulder by Luke at backward point and 4 balls later Max clattered into the stumps for a double wicket maiden.  PW came on up the hill with Luke coming downhill.  Both bowled some fantastic deliveries mixed with some easy boundaries.  Luke nearly prospered when Simon nearly created another chance at silly mid-off and Simon nearly created a run out chance with a dive and quick throw.  The fielding quality all round was adding to the bowling pressure and PW claimed the danger man when he pulled him to deep square leg, where Tommy was lurking.  Tommy started to come in to take the catch comfortably, but then stopped and had to dive forwards to take it!  With PW pushing the batsmen back he claimed another victim when the bat did not account for the ball turning.  David came on for the last over, taking a wicket when Big Dog too the bails off – this time with the batsman going forward.  138-8 from 45 overs seemed a good outcome for the Wanderers.

Mike Moore (8) was off the mark in typical helicopter fashion with a four but did not manage to repeat this in an innings that was cut short by a handy catch.  Tommy (6) was bowled and Will (3) never looked settled and was dismissed by a ball that barely left the ground.  Simon could not resist a full toss but middled it to Long-on for no score.  Pete Fos added some explosive hitting; getting off the mark with a big six over cow-corner.  He was LBW for 14 and then Max was bowled for no score to leave the Wanderers 99-6, needing another 40 from 7 overs.  Big Dog batted superbly, but was eventually LBW for 37.  Hopes that David (3) would marshal the tail to a draw were dashed when an attempted sweep took a leading edge and point took the chance well.  PW (2) was bowled on the last ball of the penultimate over to leave Luke 6 balls to survive for a draw.  After 3 dot balls, he played a cross batted cut, only to be undone by the turn up the hill that then clipped his off stump to leave the Wanderers in defeat from a thrilling finish.

MOM: Big Dog with a big innings

Catch of the day: Luke over his shoulder (Tommy made too much of his!)

Quote of the day: “I can’t see a bloody thing!”  Big Dog batting into the sun