Post date: Jun 12, 2016 12:45:15 PM
The first team took the short trip down to neighbors Whitchurch, hoping to build on a comfortable win the week before.
After winning the toss, Gary Sizmur elected to bowl first, on a wet cricket wicket. Tom Fogerty lumbered down the hill with him and the captain being responsible for a cagey first ten overs where Sizmur rattled the batsman with an expert display of short bowling. After the openers stopped quaking in their boots, they began to settle in, rattling the boundary fence on several occasions. With the openers looking more comfortable, the skipper decided to take the pace off with Callum and Lee, both bowling some variable areas. Once the bowlers settled in, the pressure began to build as 'dot dot whack' set in. Lee then bowled Barriball (37) with an absolute ripsnorter. Six and out. Stumps rattled. Callum then got Smith with a low full toss which was caught by the BIG MAC. Charlie Barriball then came in and was soon goosing it to all parts. After everyone had seen enough of Lee and Callum, Sam (1-546) came on and got the wicket of Bone after a terribly dull display. Jopling had one over. Then the Jack Hatton came into the attack who was turning his arm over at approximately 7.43 mph. With runs coming from all over the place, Jacko then got Barriball (79) with an expertly delivered back of the hand slower ball. The lower order did not hold back either though, sending the boundary riders into the cow field on multiple occasions. Jacko (4-267) and Siz (3-32) were still picking up wickets and we eventually got them all out for 282 in the last over.
We went off for a cracking tea and then watched the heavens open, with no danger of the covers being put on until the pitch was already resembling the river Lyd. Unfortunately for Whitchurch and the neutral, the game was reduced to 25 overs, with the total required revised to 158. This changed the mentality of the chase, with the Bridestowe dressing room being confident from the outset. Gary (25) and Tom (23) took to the crease and soon had the scoreboard ticking along, punishing the bad balls. Both had classy cameos before falling to Billy Barriball. James (17) sent a few to and over the fence before kicking one on to his stumps. Without anyone really taking a hold on the game, the away side were struggling to keep wickets in hand, but were smoking enough to the fence to stay above the run rate. When Sam Ewen was caught and bowled, Bridestowe were 80-5. Jopling batted (10ish). By this point the returning Jack Hatton (39) was showing that he still remembered which end of the bat to hold, and there was a feeling that if he stayed in then Briddy would complete an absolute smash and grab. He was shot out lbw before the target was reached, but Mark 'Ice Man' Butler (23no) proved once again that he is a useful finisher by carting a few over the ropes to get us home with more than 6 overs to spare, what a man.
So, you could say that we had the rub of the green chasing down 158 when Whitchurch posted 282, but it was a decent chase lead by some clean hitting. There were some nerves in the changing room after the game, after pulling off such a heist. Jopling and his chums went home, he stayed for NO beers.
Cheers and gone,
Jacko, T Fog and Sam E(xpensive).
The views expressed in this report are of the authors and do not represent those of the club.