Match Report

Spelthorne are rather like Ploughmans.? A predominantly English side made up of grizzled older chaps (who can still play but with their best days behind them) and younger scamps with a little talent.? Nice blokes and good banter.

I’m not going to beat around the bush with this report.? I’ll spell out areas where we need to improve (and should do if we should class ourselves as a competitive League side) and also laud those who are deserving of praise.

Freddie lost the toss, and we were put in on a dodgy (but actually ok) looking pitch.

They had one seam bowler (not that quick) who ripped right through us.

Issue #1:? when told to get forward on such a wicket, it’s almost insubordination to not do so.? It is certainly batting suicide not to.?? Wearing a few is part and parcel of the game…enjoy the battle!

Nick and Barras played nicely but were both bowled.? Freddie and myself perished tamely.? The others didn’t really get forward, or play with enough grit to just stay in (slightly spicy pitch aside).

We were 60odd for 9 and staring down the barrel, but an excellent partnership from Bell and Lonsdale took us to a defendable 110.? Great batting, showing the rest of us just how much we’d failed to grasp the requirements of the day.

Issue #2 – collective batting spirit.? We tend to lose wickets in clusters, and some walk to the wicket with slouched shoulders and the air of someone who just been diagnosed with dengue fever.? This must be sorted out.? We need to make a collective statement that we mean business.? Over my dead body will you take my wicket. Fight!? Wickets do fall; bad decisions, shooters, weirdness – but if you’re not exhibiting the right strength and spirit, your opponent with sense this and have you!!

Tea was nice.

I opened with Ross.? We didn’t get the early breakthrough we needed.? We dropped 2 pretty simple catches.

Issue #3 – catches win matches.? Of course drops happen (I’m very guilty of this), but this is the thing:-? When it’s tight, when we’re under the pump we need to take these damned catches!? Is debilitating to run in, try your best, knacker yourself, only to have someone not ready and waiting and willing to take a catch. Everybody must (and a couple of people in particular) improve massively here.? More practice needed.? Again drops do happen, even dollies, but you must make an obvious effort!

I bowled through conceding just 12 from my 9 overs.? Am I crowing? No I’m not.? We fucking lost.? My point is that almost all the other figures were very poor in comparison.? The required control was just not there.? Spelthorne bowled just 5 wides, we bowled 25 (add to these the no balls for over hip height).

This was simply not good enough.

Issue #4 – wides and general control.? This was the difference between the sides.? Ultimately I don’t believe they would have got the runs if we were tighter and more controlled.? Practice more.? Sort it out.

We had them 9 down.? It was close.? But we weren’t good enough to WIN.? Yes we got close, but 2nd is for losers.? I fucking hate losing games we should win.

Positives:

Nick and Barras played a couple of delicious shots through mid wicket.

Tom kept very tidily considering.

Parnell bowled 3 great balls, but then rued his lack of match time by bowling a lot off the mark.

Student bowled well.

The fielding was alright.

Matt