Port Rejects 24/04/22

The new season began in glorious sunshine on the terrace at the Mitre overlooking the valley towards Melbury Beacon.  Mike M showed off pictures of the greenhouse he is going to build made up of various shapes but mainly triangles.  He’s looking forward to explaining in detail to Tommy.

The toss was won (did we expect anything else?) and David and Mike M opened the batting with David guiding the first ball to third man for 2.  Mike scored 5 from his first 6 deliveries before facing 31 balls without scoring!  David struggled for a scoring rhythm and wides was clearly the highest score.  David was brilliantly caught behind by a diving one-handed catch in the 12th over with the score on 23.  Simon was soon into his stride and made some impact on the run rate, hitting 2 sweep sixes in one over.  Mike was bowled for 27 in the 25th over leaving 10 overs for Skipper to partner Simon at 128-2.  It did not take long and the runs were soon flowing from both ends, Skipper hitting 17 in his first over.  Simon (68) was adjudged stumped by Big Dog although the live feed to Stu appeared to contradict! Shan hit some lusty blows in his 14 before he was run out and Skipper was caught dabbing the ball straight to slip to end his 6 over stint on 43.  Pete Foz (3) was bowled in the last over with Mark (4) stumped on the last ball.  215-7 was a good effort with 87 coming from the last 10 overs.

The tea was amazing with sandwiches, home-made sausage rolls, lots of cakes and a cheese board!

Foz opened the bowling with Mark and it was Mark who found his length first, enticing the batsmen to play with 2 slips in place.  It was Foz who got the breakthrough with Ben taking a catch.  Mark took the other opener with a ball that came into the batsman, clipping the pad before hitting off.  The new batsman was given a let off when he appeared to edge a wide delivery to Big Dog only for the umpire to disagree.  Shan replaced Mark and took the other batsman caught behind with a perfect delivery on artificial.  The relieved batsman was getting into his stride with a forceful cut to point where Mark valiantly stopped the boundary at the expense of a broken finger.  Another cut, this time in the air, went to David at cover, and a great effort to catch it resulted in the ball bouncing out of his grasp and just too far away to get on the way down.  Luke managed to get into a reasonable rhythm and almost had the key wicket but Big Dog couldn’t hold the edge before he did get a wicket when he bowled the other batsman.  Ali started his spell well but then lost his length which was heavily punished.  The home team were in top gear, going from 90 after 21 overs to 198 from 31 overs, even the introduction of David and Simon could not stop the big hitting and incessant wides (16 in all).  Shan (3-19) came back into the attack and took 2 more wickets – another caught behind and a catch at short cover from Simon.  In the end the final 3 runs required in the last over came from wides!

A splendid day of cricket in the early season sunshine.

MOM: Shan – the only bowler to consistently look like taking wickets.

Catch of the day: Big Dog took 2 fine catches behind the stumps. (Candidates for butterfingers award already in!)

Quote of the day: Big Dog: “215 should be plenty if our bowlers bowl well!”

Special mention for Stu, watching DWCC online from his isolation room thanks to Big Dog.  Pleased you were able to join in the fun of us grasping defeat when victory seemed likely!  Go well Stu, we all are behind you and can’t wait for you to be with us again.