Hazelbury Bryan 07/07/23

With the cancellation of Phoenix tour, the Wanderers were able to arrange an evening fixture at Hazelbury. Our hosts elected to bat in an 18 overs a side contest. Ali opened from the statue end and his accuracy of length made it tricky to score quickly. Leo opened from the playground end and was getting some useful in-swing. Leo got the opening wicket (13-1) and the second wicket went to Ali in the 5th over (40-2). The scoring rate was alarmingly high, helped in part by the rock hard outfield and some poor fielding at times. The Wanderers were also 2 men short due to Big Dog’s Gill having an RTA so he went to be with her (PW was coming with him). Hazelbury provided a 10th man in the field but gaps were evident. Shan came on at the playground end and could have had a wicket early on when a caught behind was not given, but he got his man shortly afterwards with a delivery that kept low and seamed in (40-3). Stephen (0-32) replaced Ali and was guilty of dropping short, providing some easy boundaries. Harry got both lift and turn bowling up the hill and when he bowled in the zone, caused considerable worry to the batsmen. Two of the Hazelbury top-order retired when they reached the designated 40 for retiring, but the runs continued to flow. Harry (2-34) picked up two wickets including a fortuitous LBW, but was unlucky not to get more. Stephen found the ball to be following him when he dropped 2 at long-on in succession! Leo took a smart catch at short-leg with the ball flying high and Harry spilled a high one off his own bowling, but ran out the batsman anyway. Ali (2-29) bowled the penultimate over after a spell from Shan (1-20) had put a few brakes on the scoring, picking up another wicket. Leo took the final over, only going for 8 and getting a wicket. 140-7 from 18 overs was a good return.

Matthew and Badar (on debut) opened the innings. Matthew was quickly into attacking stride, hitting 10 off the first over. Badar found it more difficult to get away, often playing big shots but not connecting. This meant the scorer was inactive for large periods, which is a nightmare in short-form cricket. When Badar (8 from 25 balls) was run out, the score was well behind the asking rate at 45-1 from 9 overs. Skipper took no time at all to get into his stride, hitting 17 off the next over with 2 huge sixes to long-on and cow-corner. Matthew was sill hitting the ball well, but it was the quick running between the wickets that was causing most concern. Skipper only had 2 dot balls in his innings and Matthew retired on 40 with 4 fours and 1 six. Shan joined Skipper and was soon catching him up in the runs. The pair were taking singles to fielders and turning singles into twos, with some overthrows helping, as the running between the wickets sped up. the Wanderers hit their way into requiring 17 from the last 3 overs. Skipper hit 2 sixes, one straight drive cleared the field, to retire on 41. Leo farmed the strike by taking a single off the last ball of the over, now needing 4 from 2 overs. Leo pulled the next ball for four to complete the win. 141-1

A cracking game played in a great atmosphere.

MOM: Matthew – held the innings together in the early stages.

Catch of the day: Leo

Quote of the day: James “Bish Bash Bosh, we’ve got Josh”