BELT @ Plush 26/08/17

With no one contactable at Hazelbury Bryan, the original venue for the fixture, a pitch was arranged at Plush with thanks to Geoffrey, the resident groundsman.  Having lost the toss in a time fixture, the Wanderers took to the field in blistering heat.  Jon started as wicket keeper as Simon was still suffering from a chest infection and had limited breathing capacity.  Will and David opened the bowling attack and exerted pressure right from the start.  Both were looking to take wickets although the success came for David – 2 bowled and a generous LBW from Geoffrey who had volunteered to umpire for the day.  Will was having difficulty with his extra in-swing which was causing problems for Jon behind the stumps.  Tommy struggled to maintain a full length on a good batting track, being dispatched to the cow boundary with alarming regularity.  Will took a fine catch to give Tommy (1-24) his only wicket while Mike T (1-31) was proving more difficult to get away.  The Wanderers had BELT at 60-5 at drinks but were unable to capitalize on the impressive start.  Bob couldn’t get enough purchase on the pitch to be effective and Anwar was not at his best.  Jon (2-17) had a useful spell after swapping with Simon, but the 6th wicket stand of 85 had dented the Wanderers’s chances.  David and Will came back at the end of the innings to try to prevent the score rising too high, with Will claiming the last 2 wickets – the key dismissal was a superb catch from Tommy at cow corner with the ball coming over his shoulder while running down the hill towards the lane!  The total of 174 all out in 46.2 overs was a lot higher than anticipated at drinks, but still acheivable on a good batting track.

An absolutely splendid tea was taken with the sun still beating down.  Mike M opened the batting with David and hit 18 runs off the opening bowler from the far end!  This proved to be the zenith of his (and the Wanderers) innings as he was bowled for 19 next over!  David (2) was caught at extra cover looking to play over the top which brought Anwar to the crease.  With so much expectation it didn’t live up to the billing, bowled for 1.  The 4th wicket partnership was always going to be crucial with such a total to chase, and when Jon (38) was caught with the total on 65 the pressure fell onto Tommy.  Today wasn’t Tommy’s (5) best and he was bowled attempting to work the ball to third man.  Mike H (6) kept the scoreboard ticking along but when he went Will and Simon still needed another 80 from the last 10 overs.  Simon (7) hit the spinner for 6 over cow corner and then tried to do the same to a chest-high full toss only to be caught on the boundary with Tommy unsure of the no-ball law!  It fell to Bob to calm things down after Mike T had been run out and he ensured that the Wanderers were able to play out the final few overs to claim the draw.  Will had batted sensibly under the circumstances for a creditable 54 not out.

MOM: Will – holding the innings together

Catch of the day: Tommy – you’ll struggle to see a better catch in any cricket game!