SATURDAY XI v GOSPORT 3rds - 18th August 2017
Curdridge travelled deep into Gosport on Saturday for their penultimate game of the season against Gosport 3rds, looking to continue with their promotion push. In came Jonny Fields and the Bollard to bolster the average age and a strong looking batting line up had been assembled.
Skipper did his bit and again lost the toss, if there was a prize for losing he would probably lose at that too! Curdridge were then asked to have a bat on a dead looking track.
Luke and Nick were up first and another steady start before Luke nicked one to the keeper and skipper wandered out to meet with Mr Experience. More steady progress ensued until Skipper’s thumb was on the end of a beamer and the medics were summoned to check him over. The diagnosis was that it hurt quite a bit but skip battled on for another few overs until a straight one did for the one armed bandit. David then joined Nick in the middle and soon settled into his work, dispatching the ball to the boundary with some speed.
There then came the first turning point in the game as Dave nurdled the ball to square leg, ‘Yes' said Dave, ‘No' said Nick, ‘YES!' said Dave, ‘NO!' said Nick - by now they didn’t need to shout at each other as they were both stood at the non-strikers end and they could whisper in each others ear. Dave chose not to take this option and marched back to the pavilion with a stream of vocabulary that his mother would have blushed at.
Cometh the hour, cometh the Bollard and he and Nick steadied the ship and the innings moved forwards, albeit at a slow pace as the tight bowling limited the biffing opportunities. The momentum then switched as Nick found it easier to use the middle of his bat and sent a series of crunching shots to the boundary. Not to be outdone, Alan followed suit and a decent partnership moved the game back towards parity.
Nick’s counting skills are obviously still up to scratch as he reached 49 and promptly tried to run a single when the ball had only moved a couple of feet from the stumps, jug avoidance was definitely the crime as he was run out for 49.
Alan was joined by Tav who promptly top edged his first ball for 6 over the pavilion. Al then decided he would ruin the opposition big lads figures by hitting him for a sequence of boundaries before a low one did for him for a well made 56.
The slog was then on and Fieldsy lasted only one ball, leaving Lewis and Tav scrambling and biffing to try and get maximum batting points from the innings, falling just 2 runs short with the innings closing on 198-7.
A cracking tea was then dismantled and Curdridge took the field keen for an early breakthrough. For once though the wickets were not falling for Del or Dave as the opening pair batted sensibly to put on a strong opening partnership.
Skipper turned to new recruit Lewis and he bowled a cracking spell keeping the batsmen honest and eventually finding the breakthrough. Dimmy was also summoned and the game moved on at a pace with the Gosport batsmen sensibly knocking off the runs when the opportunities came. Luke eventually got one through and the other opener was sent back, A couple of chances came and went, and the ball fell between fielders as the luck went with the Gosport lads.
Further juggling of the bowling followed with Tav, Dave and even Del returning for second spells in search of a breakthrough but it was not forthcoming and with a couple of overs left Gosport got to their target.
A good game of cricket but not the outcome we were looking for. However with some surprise results elsewhere in the division, we remain in the mix for promotion with just one game left to play.
A stella performance will be needed on Saturday when table toppers Hambledon visit fortress Reading Room Lane. But it is the day of Mayweather vs McGregor, and we have a punchers chance!
Man of the Match: Good knocks from Alan and Nick but this weeks winner is Lewis who bowled a cracking spell and was unlucky not to take more wickets than he did.
Champagne Moment: Let’s save it for next week, we might just need it!
Next Week - 2pm at Home for the season decider, would be great to see as many of the Curdridge crew down the club to support the lads!