A match report I have little enthusiasm for writing this week, reporting as I am on another loss. However, owing it to the loyal readership - knowing both of them and the dog will be disappointed not to have the latest instalment of our season, particularly after two weeks of cancelled matches – I bear sad tidings of defeat, like a Frenchman on any other day.

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A warm day at our away match versus Mansbridge, which was in fact at home, thanks to the peculiarities of pitch preparation and reinforcing just how fortunate we are to have Mike, Jon and others who turn out every week to prepare the pitch for our games.

 

I could tell it was going to be an odd afternoon when I arrived at the ground, expecting that, as more often than not, I’d be more or less the first one there, only to find the boundary markers out, the ropes moved, the stumps out on the strip and the clubhouse all ready. Were we starting early? Had my watch stopped? Had someone left it like that after the last game? No, none of those, what had in fact happened was that Radar had been abandoned at the pitch by his missus at 11am that morning, and thought he may as well make himself useful. So big thanks to Tom for setting thing up (although we should note that he had studiously ignored the sightscreens… boooo, hissss…)

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Anyway, onto the match, and on a day which started out cloudy and was due to get sunnier, against a team at the top of the league, Curdridge duly lost the toss and were put in to bat. 

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Having had a confidence-inspiring pep talk from several of the team regarding the fact that Mansbridge were top of the table and had bowled out various teams for very low scores, Rob joined Dom at the crease. Dom got us off to our usual fast start with a couple of boundaries in the first over, whilst at the other end Rob’s batting form finally reached the bottom of a very large, very dark, very deep, very rocky, extinct volcano, as he collected the shiny metallic amphibian that someone had carelessly left lying around there, and trudged back to the clubhouse. Only way is up. Hopefully.

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It looked like it would be a difficult day for the batsmen, as Jules was next to depart just after having reached double figures, whilst George, promoted up the order following success in his last couple of appearances with the bat, soon found his bails dislodged (that’s BAILS. I know what you thought it said).

 

Fortunately, Dom was still at the other end and continued serenely in spite the accumulation of injuries he has been picking up, attacking the bowling and keeping the total ticking away. In this he was ably supported by the middle order, as both Craig and Mark strung partnerships together with Dom before each was dismissed, holding up one end to give time for Dom at the other to flay the ball around the park.

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Dom would eventually depart for 93, attacking to the end as he almost single-handedly dragged us to a defendable score. Extra runs were added by Alan, then Radar and Sam as they pulled us over the line to 176-7, batting sensibly to secure what may, come the end of the season, be a vital additional batting point, and successfully denying Mansbridge another bowling point. As we discovered last year, every point really will count.

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The end of what seemed like a difficult innings, but we had a total on the board, which looked very distant at one stage. 177 was the target, and early wickets might see us in amongst the batting line up and in with a chance. I should take a moment to commend the umpire Mansbridge brought with them, too, who umpired very fairly and straight down the line, nice to see, rare as it seems to be getting.

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So, onto the bowling, and it would be Mike to open up at one end, with Tom, back from his injury, opening up from the Hillman End. We have been accustomed to Mike bowling tightly at the start of his spell, but sadly this week the batsman quickly got stuck in. This was briefly curtailed as Tom opened his account, striking with his first delivery as he pitched one (very) short, and the batsman under-edged it just before a second bounce, sending the ball clattering into his stumps. A wicket is a wicket, and an early opening.

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Unhappily that would prove to be a false dawn, as other opener and the new batsman got stuck into the bowling early, and the with boundaries aplenty the score rattled along quickly, at one stage looking like we might be lucky to make it to the drinks break with the run rate heading towards 9 or 10 an over. 

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It was early in the innings, however, that our newfound commitment in the field cost us, as Jules dived at mid-on to stop the ball, and as he once described my fielding when it resulted in an injury, got two thirds of the way through hands, face, space as the ball clattered into him just below the eye. With his face swelling up quicker than an excited puffer fish, and an ill-advised prod at it resulting in a stream of claret, Jules was forced to abandon the field.

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Thank you to Jan who had turned up not expecting to have to do support duties today, who ending up taking the walking wounded to A&E. 

 

Dom would take over skippering, and in the bowling stakes, George replaced Mike and Sammy replaced Tom as the bowlers strove to curtail the runs. Whilst the run rate came down a bit, with only 10 men on the field and against batsmen clearly in form the total continued to mount. George was finally rewarded for his effort as a drive towards cover flew hard and fast towards Mike, but as has (mostly) been his way in recent seasons Bucket-Hands-Punt held the catch.

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The next batsman in, however, also soon found his rhythm, and Sam and George’s further efforts were to no avail. In the quest for wickets Dom would turn to Rob, who was delighted to finally get a bowl this season and rewarded Dom’s faith by striking with his first ball, clean bowling the batsman. 3 wickets down, two of which had come with the first ball of a spell.

 

Half chances would come in the next few overs, as it felt like Rob might pick up a second wicket, with a few false shots, followed by a catch which went straight into the fielder’s hands but fell straight out again, and the batsmen settled into a rhythm as the score continued to mount. 

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A further change of bowling was called for, Mark having twirled away at one end having replaced Sam, and George brought back into the attack to try for that fourth wicket and another bowling point, but alas it was not to be, and Mansbridge got over the line, in only 27 overs.

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Another loss in what has been a disjointed season so far. Not for want of trying, but just not a performance which would make us much headway against a good opposition. 

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Next Week: Home versus Solent Rangers IIIs

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Donut of the Day: once again, it would be harsh to single anyone out. We need someone to fall in a stream again, or go out to bat without their bat (yes, yes, we know that looks like what I’ve been doing anyway). So if that could be arranged…

 

Champagne Moment: I’m open to suggestions. Quite enjoyed taking that wicket, myself, and Mike’s catch was a good one, but no stand out moments unless I’m forgetting something.

 

Man of the Match: racking up these wards, once again Dom claims it, for scoring more than half our runs and ensuring we got to a fighting total.