Sunshine, full team (well almost as farmer Will was sorting out some hay),and winning the toss. What more can you ask for? It was an easy decision for the skipper to have a bat with the dream team opening combo of Kim Ross and Doug Murphy. Runs, they came a plenty, but Doug was certainly suffering from his arthritic ankle (gout?) and could only hobble to a quick 30 before being LBW. Jim Mann entered and provided support for Kim who effortlessly placed the ball around the ground. A bit of a dampener with Jim being bowled in the last over before lunch, but 152 for 2 was not a bad place to be. Will Rydon lunched well and had to be hurried away from seconds of cheese and biscuits to go and bat. He played as gracefully as Kim (which is very gracefully) and kept the score board rattling along. At last a Buccaneer recorded a century, in this dampest of seasons, as Kim deservedly hit the mark. But then things fell apart a bit – Will caught, Richard ‘The Hack’ Gwynne retiring hurt with a torn hamstring (too much Olympics) and then Kim out as well. Olly Kayes came and went and it was left to Rob Rydon and Warwick Okines to steady the ship. A fifth wicket partnership of 62 restored order, with Rob clearing the ropes a few times. However, Warwick was heard to grumble that he was only 96 short of his hundred and we may have declared a bit too early on 266 for 5.
So to bowling and fielding, with Rob down the hill and Adam Wyatt up it. Adam employed the random deliveries tactics and surprised Doug at first slip with a catch which went down. No worries, Adam’s next over induced another edge and Doug stooped low to hold on to it. That was the last of the good news for a while. Adam tested our highly qualified scorer, John Marsh ACA, with a nine ball over followed by a ten ball over and OHJ’s took tea at 81 for 1. Olly showed good pace up the hill, while Harry Mann steamed down it. Rob dropped the opener at mid-on off Olly and as he went on to score another hundred against us, probably changed the course of the game. Anyway, we were soon able to bring on our two leg spinners (that’s proper wrist spinners, not SLABs) and Warwick and Archie Marsh toiled away causing the occasional false shot. However, the batsmen were well set and familiar with the easy paced pitch and the next bit of excitement was in the 29th over when Wozzer bowled a maiden. Near the end, Adam took a high catch out of the sun off Warwick, but it was far too little too late and OHJ’s romped home with two wickets down.
Murphy 22, Ross 115, J.Mann 21, W.Rydon 20, Gwynn 1(retrd hurt),Kayes4, R.Rydon 58*, Okines 4*, H.Mann, Wyartt,A.Marsh dnb
Wild ct Murphy, bwld Wyartt 2, Semmance 125*, Viggor ct Wyartt, bwld Okines 107, Harrison 22*
R.Rydon 5ov 0 for 29
Wyarrt 3 ov 1 for 34
Kayes 8.2 ov 0 for 61
Okines 9 ov 1 for 44 ( 1 maiden)
H.Mann 6 ov 0 for 42
A.Marsh 8 ov 0 for 53