Post date: May 10, 2015 1:27:03 PM
The first road trip for the reformed Bridestowe 2nd XI was a to-be familiar trip up the A30 to Feniton. Numbers were uncertain to the end but a no-show from Ryan Lee meant setting off with 10 with mood and weather both gloomy. Arriving at Feniton in plenty of time, with a full 10 minutes before the allotted start time, it was clear that Feniton were also playing short-handed. The toss was taken with Juston's 'tails never fails', strategy paying off and there was little hesitation in sticking them in despite not actually having the time to have the usual deliberations at the wicket. After a hunt for some bails, play starting a little late with Lee Jutson coming in down the hill. The combination of Juts and Tim Shaw led to the scorers not having much to do for the first 10 overs with the Feniton openers only having the occasional loose delivery to keep the scoreboard moving. Feniton opener 2 was just starting to look like opening up when a snick-off was sharply taken by Dale Harris (aka Bomber), in the slips. From then on, wickets fell regularly with good catches taken by Charlie Ewen and Dave Jopling and tidy bowling, especially Andrew 'Buzz' Brimacombe, making a long-awaited return to Saturday League Cricket after many years in the wilderness (Patchacott). Kevin Burns continued to impress in the main with 2 great wickets but in trying to deliver Shane Warne like 'wonderballs', made a contribution to over 5 extra overs being bowled thanks to wides and no-balls at the analysis. Jopling and Jutson (3-38) set the standard for the bowlers with both miserly for anything but dots for the scorers. Feniton's skipper, S. Bright, played a true captains innings (52 n.o.) but aside from a great performance from a promising youngster, had little support. Largely by his own efforts, Feniton posted 147, a defensible score on a drying and unpredictable wicket with only 10-a-side.
With a team largely consisting of number 6's, the usual lottery ensued and for the second week, Charlie Ewen drew the short straw, opening with the accomplished patience of Steve Batstone. On the back of last weeks 83 n.o, Steve was rarely in trouble but it was clear that Charlie was already eyeing up the short leg side boundary. With skipper Bright using the wicket with metronomic accuracy at one end, all the other scoring came at the other and all was going well until Ewen was adjudged to be lbw and rubbing his upper thigh, moaned his way back to the hutch. Buzz strode confidently to the wicket and with Stevie B, built a solid foundation before Steve, who was still so sore from his escapades a week previous had noted that he was out-paced by continental drift chasing down a 3, went for a long-term, respectable 16. Steve trudged off having calculated that he now has an average of 99 and BCC were confident with the classy Tim Shaw in next. The pitch was now at its most variable of the day and Tim looked out of sorts before getting a remarkable shooter that pitched 3/4 and shot along the ground. From then, Feniton did a great job of building pressure with young bowlers supporting Bright but Burns was looking very solid and Buzz (42) riding his luck well, by the time Jutson strode to the wicket, the total was within reach. Supported at the end by Bomber (and with umpire Charlie having his trigger finger at the ready), Jutson (38no) also asserted his captains credentials and with fantastic shot selection (hit it / block it), imperiously finished the game with a towering 6 only bettered all day by Burns' previous huge 6 to the long boundary.
Another 19 points that puts BCCs second-string at the top of the table and another game played in great spirits against opposition that were there to enjoy a competitive game of cricket with both sides genuinely wishing the other 'best for the rest of the season lads'. Many thanks to those that turned out, especially Graeme and Kieran, with lofty clubs like Sanford unable to raise second teams, we will make sure that newbies are involved in the games and that Saturday at Bridestowe is good fun and gets the adrenaline running!