Post date: Jun 12, 2016 1:23:44 PM
Match report Bridestowe 2s V Chelston 3rds
The second round of the league started this week with Chelston visiting Millaton for the first time ever. On a day when we knew that there was going to be some rain around the stand in, now pretty permanent skipper, Tim Shaw won the toss and elected to bat. The Tim theory being that if we skittled them early they may not want to hang around to watch us bat in the rain.
We opened with the now familiar pairing of Batstone and Shaw. With Chelstons odd field settings offering both gaps and singles, Bridestowe got off to a flier, losing only Tim Shaw as he played around a relatively straight ball from Collier for 27. With 52 on the board from the first 9 overs the light drizzle turned to something a bit more heavy. The covers were brought out and set for around 30mins. The rain eased and the covers were removed the skippers negotiated a reduced 30 over match. With the start that Bridestowe had, and the knowledge that the Met Office were declaring a 3 hour weather window we were were confident that we could force a result out of the match. With scoring and scoring fast the intent Batstone and Jutson looked to accelerate the rate taking singles off just about every ball. Jutson perished first as Collier (the pick of their bowlers – bit of a questionable action thought – 6 overs, 1 Maiden 30 for 2) snared his second wicket. Griffiths and Batstone carried on the work as the heavy outfield started slowing the ball in the outfield. Running 5 twos in one over didn’t appear to phase the two honed athletes as they carried on the good work. Griffiths fell in the 13 th over with the score already pushed on to 73. Harris came in at Five, his progression up the batting order resulting from his ever impressive strike rate strike rate. At this stage it was noticeable that one or two of the opposition were starting to chip at out batsmen, every ball was welcomed with ‘well bowled buddy’ following every ball regardless of whether it was a dot, a run, a boundary, a no ball, or even a wide!! Other notable comments ‘more misses than Henry the Eighth’. Batstone fell to a shocking umpiring decision as he was adjudged run out. His season with the bat no descending into a collection of different ways to get himself out (he only has ‘handled the ball’ & ‘obstructing the field’ left to collect the full set of ways of being dismissed). The score now at 90. When Kiran Lee joined Dale Harris, they then pushed the score past 160. Kiran Lee being the first to go after a very good 31, quickly followed by Dale Harris who went for 34. The inning closed with Joppers and C Holliday both not out on 3 and 0 respectively. The Bridestowe innings concluded at 174 for 6. Bridestowe 4 batting points Chelston 3 bowling points.
Tea was an opulent affair tended by Michelle Batstone and Sue Kennedy. Far too much coronation chicken weighed the two teams down as they took to the field for the second innings in some light drizzle. Bridestowe were aware that their first target was 10 overs as that would constitute a game, and that the run rate of 5.8 per over meant that Chelston would need to be adrift from 58 runs at that point. The opening bowling pair of Harris and Shaw were all over the Chelston openers as the wickets fell at 1 run, 3 runs and 4 runs (Dale Harris 6 overs, 5 Maidens 2 runs for 4 wickets – Shaw 5 overs, 1 Maiden, 4 runs for 1 wicket) Harris’ spell include that rare beast a double wicket maiden. Highlights included a shocked WTF (or something similar) from Shaw when an LBW was turned down. His mood being lightened as Steve ‘specsavers’ Batstone from first slip told him it was missing another set. Gideon ‘new shoes’ Pritchard now loses his nickname to Sam ‘new shoes’ Weeks. Chelston were obviously not paying attention to the Duckworth Lewis run rate as they were marginally off the rate after the match constituting 10 overs. You will recall they needed to be over 58, they were actually 5 wickets down for 6 runs. The opening bowling pair of Tim Shaw and Dale Harris were replaced by Jack Shaw and Corey Holliday. Jack snared his first wicket as Dave Joplin took a fabulous diving catch at square leg. Covered from head to foot in grass and mud he then announced that his wife was away so washing the whites would be a problem before next week…its called a washing machine Dave. It’s a white thing with a round window in the front!!... however by the end of the Chelston innings the state of his whites was probably shaded by ‘ I stop a ball by sliding diving on it Kiran Lee’ he genuinely looked like he had been rolled in mud’ . Dave Joplin and Neil Griffiths replaced Jack and Corey, as Bridestowe, now playing in the sun started to notice the clouds gathering again and went for the jugular. Chelstons progress stuttered further then ultimately failed. A dropped catch by’chipper’ Batstone in the slips as the ferocious spin on the ball spun the ball out of his hand, didn’t help Chelstons progress as Dave Joplin ( 2.5-1- 7-3)wrapped them up all out for 47 runs.
Bridestowe WIN (19 points) beat Chelston (4 points)