Match Report

Given the somewhat unfamiliar conditions when we arrived at the ground (the sun was shining and John of DSG was smiling) your correspondent felt that the day was going to be a little odd.? And so it proved on a number of fronts: Britto was out cheaply, Hynsie scored with a strike rate of less than 50; and the oppo did not bowl one wide all innings!

?Furthermore, we lost; something of a rarity this year for the Sunday side. All very strange.

Here’s a brief overview.

B?ritto and Centre Parks opened the batting and both looked assured at first, though it was quick to see that runs were not going to be easy to come by. After a fair few overs Britto fell caught at slip. Centre Parks was out soon after smashing a rare loose ball straight to the cover.?Paulie and Rich looked to move things along but then Paulie was caught and PCC were reeling a little at 30-odd for 3 and off about 15 overs. On a typically high-scoring pitch this just showed how tight Wimbledon’s bowling was.

In an attempt to build the innings your correspondent and Dickie Buckley put aside their Yorkshire / Lancashire differences (well, Yorkshire did just win a T20 against them…) to forge a much-needed partnership. At drinks we were 40-odd (off 21 overs!) ?

The second half of the innings was much more eventful as it involved some bowling changes leading to actual scoring shots; some runs scored; and, how can we put this, some strategic run-outs.

The best run-out was that of Si. But let’s not dwell on that (although it was his fault)

We ended up with 110 off our 40 and knew it was a fair way below par.

After tea we opened up with Scotty and skipper Si. Scotty found it hard to find his line and length from the off but Scooper found his and we had our first break-through, a stunning inswinging yorker cleaning up their number 2.

Raife ‘Wing Co’ made a ‘bid’ at grabbing his first wicket for PCC (apologies if this has already happened) replacing Scotty and managed to eak out a couple of half chances?. But the second wicket was hard to come by.

As Wimbledon ?got closer to their target Scooper made a few changes: Uncle Nige was brought on and got a couple of break-throughs; one courtesy of some sharp work behind the stumps from Buckers; and the other caught by Pooper Scooper himself, a very fine take on the boundary at deep backward square.

(continued)

But the game was already lost really. Wimbledon got to their target after 20 overs and 3 down.

After shaking hands we all retired to the bar and set about our second key challenge of the day (the first was winning the game, of course) which was to convince Leo Hawkins to come to tour!!

As we left it I believe we were successful, so Leo, see you on Tour!

Nick.