On a great night for a game of cricket (Not a raincloud in sight). I decided to bat first after winning the toss. Openers Carter and Beaven got us off to a steady start. Neil was the first to depart, but he had double figures to his name. This bought Nathan to the crease and although he and James played some nice shots, due to the recent weather boundries were hard to find. In looking for the first one of our innings James nailed one which took off like a rocket and was certainly going to be our first, had this chap standing at square leg not flung out his left hand and claimed a catch even I would have been proud of. Nathan soon followed uncharacteristically (Have I spelt that right ?) bowled. This bought Ben and debutant Mike to the wicket. Both batted superbly and were heading for the 30 and retire mark when Mike was caught in his late twenty’s. Ben hit 30 and it was now up to the two Simon’s, International and Hawkins to try and add a few in the final two overs. This they did and pushed our score just over the 100 mark. Unfortunately for Simon’s average, he was caught while going for the big one on the second to last ball of our innings. We had finished on 101, thirty short of what I would have liked to defend, but it was a dodgy wicket so it was to be seen what we could do with the ball.
Opening pair Johnson and Hawkins bowled well and Richard was rewarded with the first wicket of their innings. On came Shawn and Mike. While Mike took his first wicket for Barford, poor old little rabbit got smacked all around the park. Not wanting to give our opponants the opportunity to get back into the game little rabbit was replaced by James Beaven. This proved to be a masterstroke as James, bowling very hostile took 3 for 7 off his two overs. This was now backed up at the other end by Neil Carter who took two and TNC were rocking at 65 for 7. Ben replaced James and not wanting to be outdone bagged a couple.
During his last over, what can only be described as a champagne moment or a what happened next clip from a question of sport took place. Ben bowled the ball, the batsman smashed it straight up in the air, Simon International called the ball and ran forward. Never taking my eye off the ball moved into position and waited for it to come down, but just before it did I was smashed into and subsiquently sent flying by the none striking batsman. It was more like an American football hit only unlike those guy’s I was’nt expecting it or padded up to the max. Now that’s what I call taking one for the team. Ha ha. Anyway, this bought us to the final over of the game. TNC were on 80 and needed 22 off it to win the game, but who does the skipper turn too ?. From my point of view it was a no brainer. It had to be little rabbit. If he bowls well we win the game and his confidence returns for the next match. If he bowls badly, we lose the game and the rest of the team fill him in behind the changing rooms. Only joking, we string him up from the changing rooms. Ha ha. As it happens, he bowled excellently and we chalked up another win.
Well played guy’s, it was another great team performance. As for the fantasy man of the match and thank’s for coming awards this week will take some beating.
The man of the match went to James Beaven for his bowling figures of 3 for 7 off 2 overs. The TFC went to, wait for it, James Beaven for the fact that it was the bowlers first wicket of the season and the guy who caught it has never taken a catch before, let alone a spectacular one.
Simon International