BELT @ Doug Baker Ground

After the pitch at Hazelbury was declared unplayable on Saturday evening even with a day of sunshine, arrangements were made to find an alternative venue.  The Hospital Services ground at St Leonards was found.  Both teams lined up in the middle for a minute’s silence to remember Her Majesty The Queen.

The Wanderers elected to field first with Brett opening the bowling from the Forest end with 3 maidens.  Shan was finding swing and pace combining with the ridge to make life difficult for the batsman and got the breakthrough in his first over clattering the stumps (2-1).  With tight bowling and good fielding from the Wanderers on a tricky outfield, progress was slow for BELT.  In the 9th over, Brett got his reward for his good line and length when a delivery stayed straight, drawing the edge off the shoulder of the bat, and bringing Foz diving forward at gulley to take a scrumptious catch (24-2).  Ben (0-23 from 6) was into a good rhythm straight away when he replaced Shan (1-17) at the Pavilion end, and his in-swingers deserved success for the times he drew a false shot.  Mike M sprinted after a ball to the boundary and stopped it short of the line only for him to end up falling into the barbed wire fence and end up in a log pile!  Stu was not able to halt the acceleration of scoring that had come about when the batsman we met at Colehill, and had been drafted in by BELT, found his touch and found the boundary.  Simon struggled even more to stem the flow of runs despite some good balls causing the batsmen to make hasty manoeuvres.  David bowled well but was not threatening, which might be due to his bad back after a day at the test match!  The only real chance was when Brett had a run out chance, but frustratingly his throw was too wide of the stumps for Skipper to convert.  PW bowled some good balls, but the poor ones were hit well out of the ground!  Foz bowled well against 2 well set free-scoring batsmen, with the Wimborne man retiring when he made 100, Foz smashed the stumps of the new batsman in the last over before tea, although tea was not taken.  With Tom (BELT batsman) at the non-strikers end on 97, the Wanderers closed in to prevent a single.  This worked once but Simon didn’t secure the pick-up and the chance had gone.  Tom completed his century, blasting a four straight past Foz that he did well not to put a finger on!  Tea was taken with the score on 235-4.

David (13) and Mike M (4) set about providing a base for the innings and Mike (SR 29) was caught in the 5th over with the score on 10.  Shan was in at 3 and immediately hit the ground running, getting off the mark 3rd ball with a big six over deep mid-wicket.  Shan was playing over the in-field with the certainty that there was no one in the deep.  Shan (35, SR 83) played another glorious six to deep mid-wicket, this time following the change of bowling.  He then hit the new spinner straight to long-off to end an enjoyable innings (54-2 from 18) (9.6 runs/over required).  Brett (30 SR 94) looked solid when required, but was confident to play over the top when the ball was there to be hit.  David (SR 19) was dismissed when he was caught and Simon (2, SR 40) holed out to gulley, leaving the Wanderers 85-4 needing 12.5 runs/over!  Brett’s innings ended when he was beaten in the air and Foz (SR 100), having clattered 4 fours departed for 20 (114-6, 20 runs per over).  Ben (7 SR 58) was caught playing an attacking shot and PW (1 SR 25) was bowled when the ball jumped off the ridge to clatter his stumps.  This led Mike W to the crease to defend the final 4 balls with Stu (1no) the rock at the other end, with Skipper not batting. 124-8 was the final total meaning the match was drawn.

MOM: Mike M for putting his life on the line in saving the boundary!

Catch of the day: Foz – although the only catch, a very worthy winner.

Quote of the day: “For the King” As James was not present it seemed fitting to call out for him!