Match Report
Well personally I find this fixture to be one of the most frustrating fixtures in my entire time with the club. It doesn’t seem to matter what calibre of player is representing the club we seem to never win.
Our side on Sunday was good and strong, we opened with Tom Lockhart and Chris Ovens and a solid start was made, both batsmen standing outside the crease playing the ball on the up, we scored quickly and we were 51 off 10 overs when Chris was caught sharply at first slip off a swift good length delivery from the Northfeilds first change bowler coming up the hill. Northfeilds have a deceptive bowling attack, they knew where to bowl it and their line and length was spot on. Nick Ridgeway replaced Chris and we all wished him well as he strode out only to see him return all too soon having been bowled by a good length ball, bowled wide on the crease which seamed back in and take Nicks off stump out! In came Tom Lonnen who was hoping to score well and put the Northfields hoodoo to bed. Unfortunately he got a wicked bounce from a good length delivery from their spinner and their captain took a high one handed catch at first slip as the ball flew off the top of Tom’s bat. Tom trudged off and we all waited to see his reaction! Fortunately this year there was no Helmet abuse!!!
I went in, it was my official 100th game for the club! I hoped to score a few, but didn’t, I got my off stump removed by the same bowler that dismissed Nick. We were now 60 odd for 4 and I thought we would soon be gone. Encouragingly Long John Silver settled and supported Posh Tom well and our score past the 100 mark.
Tom was batting well, he was determined to score a few today and continue with the confidence that Tour has brought him. The good thing about Toms batting is that he is prepared to have a go and play his shots, he survived a couple of scares but kept scoring well. He was fantastically supported by Mirage. Tom secured his first 50 for the club in a while and he raised his bat to the sun drenched crowd.
I was pleased to see Mirage bat well, he has a compact batting style and has a good variety of scoring shots. It was heartening to see the middle order get us out of trouble and we posted a very respectable 201 for 6 from 40 overs. Northfields bowling was tight and I have seen many a side bowled out for a lot less when early wickets fall. We batted our allocated overs.
At least we had a total to defend I thought as we ventured out to field after a lovely tea with scones.
Tom opened and soon had the ball holding up on the seam and beating the openers bat, with sadly no nick! But at least we were being competitive, Chris Silvapulle bowled from the other end but we were not tight enough and basically every bad ball was flying to the boundary. The outfield was sun burnt and the ball flew!
Nigel Stephenson came on to try and stem the flow of runs; his flighted deliveries coming up the slight hill were effective for 4 out of his 6 deliveries but when his line went down leg or if he was slightly short he got punished. He fielded his own bowling with tenacity and took a well-deserved wicket.
Simon rotated our bowling attack trying to get a break through and alas the only other wicket went to Silvapulle as Northfields reached out total for the loss of only 2 wickets.
A rather frustrating day played in blistering heat! One day we WILL beat Northfields and I hope to be in the side that does.
Paddy x
