Bride Vale 19/06/22

After being asked to bat in a time fixture, the Wanderers’ opening pair put on runs quickly on a typical Bride Vale pitch that offered plenty of variation in bounce.  The opening bowler for Bride Vale pulled a calf muscle just 2 balls into the match, so Shan took his spot in the field.  It wasn’t long before Shan demonstrated his fielding qualities and it was he that took a good catch when Simon (14) played a cut shot to point, bringing Mark to the crease on debut.  Mike M (16) was playing some useful helicopter shots to anything short, but was undone when attempting a second run and was run out.  Ben’s innings consisted of a four before he was bowled bringing Skipper to the crease at 44-3.  First ball was straight back over the bowler for six.  Mark (6) was undone by the pitch offering a simple catch (77-4).  Skipper kept Ali on his toes with some speedy running between the wickets.  A chance was offered up with a pull to cow-corner but the fielder couldn’t hold on and it went for six.  Ali played some great shots and managed a straight drive for four before driving to cow-corner for six – driving with such variation in bounce was tricky.  Skipper hit a huge six into the next field before bringing up his 50 with a sweep.  He was caught off a full-toss at mid-on for 54.  Foz (25) latched onto anything short in his spectacular innings of 2 sixes and 3 fours.  Ali was LBW for 31 but there was time for Shan (34no) to blast some additional runs as the rain came down and Mike H (1no) joined him.  Skipper declared on 215-7 to gain an additional 25 minutes.

Stu was economical in his first spell and looked to be likely to take a wicket.  However, it was Luke (1-17) who got the initial breakthrough with a delivery that kept low and hit the base of off-stump.  Stu got his reward when a delivery jumped up to hit the shoulder of the bat and looped towards Ben at gulley, who spectacularly dived to his left taking a low one-handed catch.  Ben struggled with his line and length and Stu experimented with going round the wicket, which all gave away cheap runs.  By now the big partnership was developing and the Wanderers turned to ‘still no-wickets’ Foz to break it.  A half-chance came and went behind the stumps and runs were flowing and the chase was definitely on.  Foz got one to move in off the pitch that took off-stump and followed up with the other batsman soon after.  Shan had a burst but was too quick and Ali dropped to leg too often.  Simon (3-21) replaced Foz (2-40) and got additional bounce and turn.  An attempted pull top edged to give Mark behind the stumps an easy take, with Mark taking another catch off Simon as the wickets fell.  Stu had another burst, this time from the tree end and claimed another wicket with Shan taking a solid catch with the ball hit hard at him at mid-wicket.  With the injured player coming in last with a runner, confusion reigned!  Shan came back off a short run and appeared to get the last wicket when Mark looked to hold onto an edge, only for the ball to evade his grasp as he fell.  Shan did get the last wicket with an unplayable delivery that kept low and cut in to take middle stump, with 5 overs left.

MOM: Foz for a quick-fire 25 and 2 important wickets.

Catch of the day: Ben at gulley

Quote of the day: Skipper to Stu after he bowled 2 balls around the wicket going for six and four; “Why are you bowling around the wicket?”  Stu replied; “Ok, I’ll go back over”