Here are the points that would have been scored had this been a league game:
Fielding
* this includes the 10 points earned for playing in a loss
**including 30 points for winning the MOM award
If this had been your fantasy XI for the week, you would have scored 382 basic points, & with Brian as captain, 392.
We'll see how that rates as the season progresses.
General match notes:
Frenchay batted first and reached a score of 162 for 7 with some tightish bowling that possibly lacked a little penetration, guile, field placement & luck on a slow wicket.
In reply the Cowboys lost wickets regularly until a promising partnership between Angelo and Steve looked to give us a chance until they took it in turns trying to run each other out and Steve O was short of his ground. Another Cowboy collapse saw us all out for 109.
In order of batting appearance here are some notes and comments
Justin Avery - £11Bn - Batsman
Points scored: 11
Comments: Scored 1 run so avoided the deadly duck that would have cost him 15 points and put him in the negative for this game. The slow pitch caused him to play in the air (apparently instinct kicked in)
Availability: Likely to play almost every game
Verdict: Difficult to tell at this point
Rusty in the field; skewed early juicy half-volley to backward point thru' failure to adapt footwork & impatience.
Neil Boulton - £11Bn - Batsman
Points scored: 32
Comments: Looked sharp in the field and organised while batting but got one of the few balls that lifted a little and was caught behind
Availability: Sunday 1st team captain so likely to play every game
Verdict: Promising
Rob's too diplomatic to describe his demise as "finally connected with one of his trademark slashes at wide ones". Got himself in & should have batted through!Some good rolls & footballing skills in the field.
Stuart Chapman - £6Bn - Batsman
Points scored: 46
Comments: Stroddy bowled incredibly well taking 2 wickets in his first over. He then went on to score only 1 run. This was obviously a cynical ploy to make me and Justin look stupid after classifying him as a batsman. Extracted extravagant turn and bowled an impeccable length. His incredible double wicket maiden first over rightfully won cider moment
Availability: From what I know is keen to play regularly
Verdict: If he bowls like this the rest of the season he could be a great bargain for £6Bn
Now we know Stroddy bowls shockingly mean leg breaks, he'll be classified a bowler in future seasons; with maintained consistency will be wildly successful. Keen in the field but not sure about the batsmanship.
Brian Salt - £3Bn - Allrounder
Points scored: 10
Comments: Our esteemed skipper took a catch which earned him 15 points but then had the misfortune to be run out without scoring a run which lost them again.
Availability: As the friendly team captain he will play very few, if any league games
Verdict: Unlucky
Unlucky? Misfortune? Intransigent & stubborn more like; good qualities in defence, less good when supposed to be running.
Rob Taylor - £11Bn - Allrounder
Points scored: 30
Comments: Occasionally showed some menace but was ultimately toothless with the ball and looked reasonable with the bat until a mental aberration led him to lob the ball to cover. Bowled 2 maidens but also had 2 overs go for 10 runs.
Availability: Will play almost every game
Verdict: Over hyped - over priced
...& over critical. Sweet self-deprecation fooling no-one; pitching up on slow seamer worked well, but primary focus on speed & "menace" yielded no joy with tennis ball bounce; impatient when looking well set with the bat.
Angelo Bordi - £10Bn - Keeper
Points scored: 54
Comments: One of 2 keepers on show, he kept for the first 20 overs, had no catches or stumping chances. Top scored with the bat and hit a fantastic flat six straight back over the bowler's head
Availability: Will play most games
Verdict: Showed his strength with the bat with a responsible innings
Mature innings with good range of shots, best of which the cyder nominated 6; while he was in we had a chance.
Steve Ormesher - £7Bn - Allrounder
Points scored: 22
Comments: Bowled 6 tight overs, was unlucky that a couple of aerial shots landed safely. Was an important part in a stabilising partnership with Angelo
Availability: Will play most games
Verdict: Solid performance, probably deserved a wicket
Can only agree with all that; got batsmen repeatedly to hit skiers to the constant void at wide mid off.
Jeff Otterbeck - £8Bn - Keeper
Points scored: 15
Comments: Looked very sharp upon arrival sporting a nice hat and some Ted Baker shoes and looked even sharper when he kept for the second 20 overs of the innings. Had a very good appeal for a stumping (which was understandably turned down, it was too close to call) and made some very good stops when our bowling was wayward. Had no catches go to him. Was given too much to do with the bat.
Availability: Good
Verdict: Good performance behind the stumps, few chances to impress
Cut him open he bleeds team; committed keeping & wholehearted in doomed batting challenge.
Dean Carter - £7Bn - Bowler
Points scored: 19
Comments: Bowled tightly, occasionally strayed down leg a little. Varied his pace intelligently. Batting style is more suited to staying in with a batsman at the other end, unfortunately by the time he came in the required run rate was up above 8. Dropped a catch
Availability: Sunday 1st team vice captain so likely to play every game
Verdict: Steady start to the season
Experimented with some short balls to ill effect, but was mean & tricky when he pitched up.Hard hands fielding & batting.
Martin Stratton - £8Bn - Bowler
Points scored: 100
Comments: Good performance with the ball, understood where to bowl on a sticky pitch and was rewarded for his efforts. Picked up the MOM award. Was given a promotion from his normal batting position and responded well scoring 5 runs including a stylish 2.
Availability: Likely to play most games
Verdict: Looks ready for the season already
Intelligent bowling, but still frustratingly disdains bending down & using hands to stop or pick up ball in the field; plucky last man stand with DC2 was great entertainment.
Dave Crowle - £3Bn - Bowler
Points scored: 33
Comments: Opened the bowling and bamboozled the opening batsmen who seemed to be expecting some form of turn. Took an important wicket and picked up 10 points for remaining not out at the end
Availability: If similar to last year will mostly play in friendlies
Verdict: Always an unknown quantity
Failed to seduce batsmen into pulling aerially to backward square, but stylish as ever in the field! Ran with spirit in last wicket partnership.