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back to back wins for the 2s!
Jack Turner11 Jul 2023 - 20:34
6-wicket victory against Woking and Horsell CC gives the 2nd XI much needed momentum
The 2nd XI travelled to Woking and Horsell looking to keep the mid-season momentum going with back to back wins. The forecast was for early rain but the Woking skipper was optimistic we could start on time. The toss was to prove pivotal in this game and when Skip called correctly and chose to bowl the Woking captain was suddenly a lot less optimistic about a 12pm start. Sure enough as we were mid warm, up the rain arrived. Dampening the outfield but wetting our appetite to bowl, when the rains finally subsided at 12:45 the covers were removed to display a lovely green seamer of a deck. To really top off the occasion Woking proudly showed off their new Zing™ stumps and bails and informed us that the game would be live streamed on Youtube (alas it was not, technical issues prevailed).
Anyway, to the cricket. Barney opened up and immediately had the Woking openers in trouble. Woking’s #1 gloved a no-ball 3 deliveries in, proudly told the entire cordon it had in fact hit his thigh pad, but had no comeback when a ball later he properly snicked off and was on his way for a duck. Henry opened up the other end and was metronomic in line and length. The pitch was one where you had to play late and not go hard at the ball, so Woking’s #2 and #3 did the exact opposite. #3 hit a couple of very uppish cover drives which got the oppo excited, but we knew it was only a matter of time before one did a bit off the pitch and sure enough #2 tried to copy his (far superior) batting partner and offered a healthy edge, caught well by scab at first slip.
#4 declared that Barney was playing baseball and we must all be cheats by association. We did not take too kindly to these accusations. Barney bowled faster and shorter, and the entire in-field helpfully reminded him that he was yet to hit one off the square. To his credit #3 was counter attacking and had made his way a brisk 45 while #4 looked all at sea, but his innings was up when he decided the best thing to do was attack 1st change bowler Yas (very silly idea) and chipped a catch to Narayan at mid off (it did get off the square at least!).
Henry meanwhile was bowling a phenomenal spell at the other end, a nagging length, drawing a false shots virtually every ball. #5 edged to slip, the #3, somewhat starved of the strike, feathered one to the keeper, and #7 skied a catch to Jordan at point. Having been 65-2, Woking were now 76-6 and struggling.
Things got even better for OPs as #6 fended into the leg side and set off for a run, only for skip to produce athleticism unbeknownst to him, in scampering to leg gully, scooping the ball up and throwing down the stumps, leaving Woking reeling on 89-7 at drinks, which also signalled the end of Henry’s outrageously good spell, 12 overs on the bounce and back to back 4 wicket hauls!
A mini partnership (of sorts) allowed Woking to get into triple digits but a Carey-esque stumping dealt with #9. Scab nipped one through the defences of Woking’s only defensively solid player and then wrapped up the innings with a caught behind to leave Woking 128 all out off 38.3 overs.
A brilliant first half now needed to be backed up by the batsmen. To their credit, Woking knew exactly how to bowl on this pitch. They extracted uneven bounce and made it very difficult early on. Skip was out stumped early on but Lala and Mallet knuckled down and got us through the openers without the loss of another wicket. Seb got a good nut from their 1st change spinner and when Jordan got an unplayable lifting delivery that snagged the glove on the way through we were in a bit of trouble at 39-3. Narayan joined Sures and the pair batted with excellent composure, waiting for the bad ball and ticking off the chase in 10s. 75-3 at drinks and Woking’s heads started to drop.
As can sometimes happen, drinks can bring about a wicket and when Narayan got a leading edge, taken in the gully, Woking were suddenly alive again. Ben came in at #6 looking to bring home the game with the ever-present Sures. Ben survived a close stumping chance early on, Woking chastising Dodders at square leg, accusing us of cheating for the second time in the game. Somewhat incensed they decided short bowling was the answer. It was not. What should have been a relatively nervy 45 runs to win was knocked off with relative ease. Ben hitting 5 pull shots in front of square (52mph bouncers just wont do it chaps) and Lala driving anything full to the fence when they over-compensated; the chase was over in a relative flash. Special shout out to Sures for a brilliant knock never gave a chance and carried the side from a nervy start all the way home to record a thumping 6 wicket win.
On to next week, we return to the familiar sights of Colets to do battle once more with Egham CC.
Anyway, to the cricket. Barney opened up and immediately had the Woking openers in trouble. Woking’s #1 gloved a no-ball 3 deliveries in, proudly told the entire cordon it had in fact hit his thigh pad, but had no comeback when a ball later he properly snicked off and was on his way for a duck. Henry opened up the other end and was metronomic in line and length. The pitch was one where you had to play late and not go hard at the ball, so Woking’s #2 and #3 did the exact opposite. #3 hit a couple of very uppish cover drives which got the oppo excited, but we knew it was only a matter of time before one did a bit off the pitch and sure enough #2 tried to copy his (far superior) batting partner and offered a healthy edge, caught well by scab at first slip.
#4 declared that Barney was playing baseball and we must all be cheats by association. We did not take too kindly to these accusations. Barney bowled faster and shorter, and the entire in-field helpfully reminded him that he was yet to hit one off the square. To his credit #3 was counter attacking and had made his way a brisk 45 while #4 looked all at sea, but his innings was up when he decided the best thing to do was attack 1st change bowler Yas (very silly idea) and chipped a catch to Narayan at mid off (it did get off the square at least!).
Henry meanwhile was bowling a phenomenal spell at the other end, a nagging length, drawing a false shots virtually every ball. #5 edged to slip, the #3, somewhat starved of the strike, feathered one to the keeper, and #7 skied a catch to Jordan at point. Having been 65-2, Woking were now 76-6 and struggling.
Things got even better for OPs as #6 fended into the leg side and set off for a run, only for skip to produce athleticism unbeknownst to him, in scampering to leg gully, scooping the ball up and throwing down the stumps, leaving Woking reeling on 89-7 at drinks, which also signalled the end of Henry’s outrageously good spell, 12 overs on the bounce and back to back 4 wicket hauls!
A mini partnership (of sorts) allowed Woking to get into triple digits but a Carey-esque stumping dealt with #9. Scab nipped one through the defences of Woking’s only defensively solid player and then wrapped up the innings with a caught behind to leave Woking 128 all out off 38.3 overs.
A brilliant first half now needed to be backed up by the batsmen. To their credit, Woking knew exactly how to bowl on this pitch. They extracted uneven bounce and made it very difficult early on. Skip was out stumped early on but Lala and Mallet knuckled down and got us through the openers without the loss of another wicket. Seb got a good nut from their 1st change spinner and when Jordan got an unplayable lifting delivery that snagged the glove on the way through we were in a bit of trouble at 39-3. Narayan joined Sures and the pair batted with excellent composure, waiting for the bad ball and ticking off the chase in 10s. 75-3 at drinks and Woking’s heads started to drop.
As can sometimes happen, drinks can bring about a wicket and when Narayan got a leading edge, taken in the gully, Woking were suddenly alive again. Ben came in at #6 looking to bring home the game with the ever-present Sures. Ben survived a close stumping chance early on, Woking chastising Dodders at square leg, accusing us of cheating for the second time in the game. Somewhat incensed they decided short bowling was the answer. It was not. What should have been a relatively nervy 45 runs to win was knocked off with relative ease. Ben hitting 5 pull shots in front of square (52mph bouncers just wont do it chaps) and Lala driving anything full to the fence when they over-compensated; the chase was over in a relative flash. Special shout out to Sures for a brilliant knock never gave a chance and carried the side from a nervy start all the way home to record a thumping 6 wicket win.
On to next week, we return to the familiar sights of Colets to do battle once more with Egham CC.
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