South Stoke 15/07/18

After a great evening in Bath followed by a complimentary breakfast at the Hilton (except for Mike M who paid for one at Weatherspoon) the match was scheduled to start at noon.  Luke was getting some extra sleep on the boundary having spent the early hours clubbing and in the casino!  The heat was oppressive and a 35 overs a side match was decided upon.  Simon won the toss and elected to bat on a dry and dusty track.  Bob had his first knock of the season opening the innings with Tommy.  He played his normal array of shots – lots behind square on the off side and the occasional drive back over the top.  At one stage there was a slip, gulley, backward-point and short third man!  Tommy (26) was first out caught bringing Conrad in.  Unfortunately, there was a mix up with Bob running to get in Conrad had stopped and started to go back.  It was Conrad who nearly made his ground but run out for 1.  Simon joined Bob at the crease and looked to develop another great partnership.  However, a change in the bowling accounted for Bob (14) as a much quicker delivery landed directly at the foot of middle stump.  With the innings delicately poised at 61-3 from 15 overs, Simon and Nick settled into a splendid partnership – acknowledging the quality bowling and defending whenever required, using the angle of the bat to create runs where there ought not to be, and attacking the bad balls with vigour.  At one stage, Simon hit a four when the bounce was a good 2 foot above his head.  A six over cover (now a trademark!) and several straight sixes saw Simon bring up his hundred with 5 sixes and 11 fours before being given out LBW next ball!  Luke (6) hit some fine shots before he was bowled, and Nick managed to start connecting better following Simon’s departure and hit a straight six onto the main road before he was stumped on 64!  Will (20no) and David (1no) were again together at the end of the innings worth 259-6 in 35 overs.

After a makeshift tea due to the pavilion being condemned and the changing room a tent, Luke opened the bowling from the railway end with Nick from the road with the short leg-side boundary.  The attacking opening bat from SouthStoke hit boundaries at both ends with Nick taking some treatment in one over before he enticed him to drive square where Tommy took a solid catch.  Fortunately, this one wasn’t a no-ball for hitting the stumps while bowling unlike the previous one that went for 6!  Nick (38-1) was only able to get through 5 overs before he had to leave – he was under orders to be back home by 5pm or else!  Luke (25-1) again bowled intelligently and got his just reward when Simon took a stumping to remove the opposing captain.  Conrad (24-1) got a wicket next over and then Tommy held another catch to get Pete (48-1) a deserved wicket.  At 77-4 the Wanderers were in control and then a quite superb pick up and throw from Tommy gave Simon the simple chance to get a run out.  The introduction of David saw wickets come with regularity and there would have been another if Tommy had held a simple chance on the boundary. David had a man plum LBW when the back pad intervened, and another came from a catch from Will.  David (13-4) also got the SouthStoke top scorer of 71 when he played on.  The final wicket fell to Tommy (8-1) to ensure all the bowlers picked up a wicket.  A DWCC win by 102 runs.

MOM: Nick – a great partnership with Simon to steady the ship and the all-important wicket.

Catch of the day: Tommy

Quote of the day: Are there any dwarfs here?