Match Report

After the first loss in the season for the Sunday side, the mid week skipper was hoping to keep a clean sheet of wins for the mighty loons. There were whisperings of a very strong batting side from the 

Taverners. The air was so thick it felt like you could use a knife to cut it.

During a quick inspection of the pitch from the two captains, it seemed hard, yet crumbly underneath. 

Walter – The antipodean skipper, called heads. A loss of another toss. Maybe it was a good one to lose? Only time would tell. Lavant had to don the whites and make hay in the sunshine. Carefully deliberating on the ball type, the pink ball was called into action due to a shortage of Readers balls in the kitchen. 

Willy Mac was asked to take the favoured River End. The experienced left armer swung the ball and made the ball do some talking. A wicket on his second ball. On the opposite end was the 6 foot 6 giant bowling off a shortened run up (Martin Ford) – not the b grade actor and body builder, but the husband of a work colleague and father of one of the kids in my class. The similarities are uncanny…. height, age, cricketing background, but no tatoos and bulging muscles. As a 5 ft 7, tall asian, Tam started to feel a little intimidated in a team of 6ft plus, team mates. Fordy started with a few loseners and was swatted away for a couple of boundaries. The former minor counties player was not having anything of it. He cranked up the radar gun to 70 mph off a 5 step run up. This prompted the skipper to go into first slip about 15 m back. The taverners had different ideas playing some sumptuous drives. Making a school boy error of captaincy 101, he followed the ball to plug up the covers. The next two flew through the slips. (Hands on hips moment)

Will had other plans . The next over going for 2 wicket maidens 3-7 off 3. In this moment of brilliance , Steve Day ran in with the speed of usain bolt from long off, whilst landing and jarring his body. There was great concern as he hit the ground, which felt like concrete, but this didn’t stop him completing a blinder. Unfortunately this damaged his fingernail and a bloodbin was required for Stevey D. We were down to 10 men. A couple of sharp caught behinds from the sensational wicky Iain and lavant were on top. Martin grabbed a wicket from the pavilion end, after the oppo were swinging like a rusty gate. The pace and bounce was too much for their top order. Lloyd, continued to chase down and stop everything that came his way, haring after every ball within a 20 m radius. The pressure in the field was intense A new bowling change and Tran decided to bowl a few leg side balls but was despatched for 2 boundaries. A switch in pace, was now the strategy. The slowest ball of the day registering 25mph, caused havoc for the batsmen causing him to almost topple over meant that he couldn’t get back to the crease in time and the first T20 stumping for Tammy. In fact it was so slow, the ball almost didn’t reach the keepers gloves but Iains lightning hands, whipped the bails off in time. Max bowled tightly at 5 RPO at the Pavilion end. At this point the Taverners were reeling at about 50 -6 after 11 overs. Another slow straight ball and strangely the only ball to hit the wickets in both of the innings from the Sunday opening bowler. He finished on 2-20 off the full compliment. Max finished his 4 over spell with a ball that was struck with such velocity it was like a tracer bullet, but straight to the tallest man on the field at long off. No need to jump for the redwood giant, as it arrived at chest height. For most people it would have been over head height. Max had respectable finished with figures of 1-18. 

Martin finished his spell after going for twenty off 2 overs, ended on 1-25 from his 4.

Chissy Mac wanted in on the action. A few missed opportunities and his figures would have been much better, but in the context he did well finishing for 0-19 off 3.

A slight miscalculation by the skipper required an over from Stevie Day, due to a Will T niggle and shortage of bowlers. A tough ask to take the last over against two established batsmen. However he was up to the task. 

Taverners ended with a 6 and the target was 99. Just 100 to chase down. The scene was set.

 A bazzball approach was the order of the day. Chrissy Mac and Joe to open? Chris allowed a few of the team mates to go ahead of him. His able replacement, Iain took the mantle as the skipper was taking no prisoners. The taverners claimed the prize wicket of Joe who only managed to get caught in the deep on the boundary in the 2nd over for no score. Steve continued his scintillating top order batting with classical pulls and drives. Two big sixes into the field and on to the road, by Steve, were the shots of the day. The run rate was above the required rate of exactly 5. Chugging along at about 6 rpo. The pair had notched up the highest partnership of the day with 47 runs. Iain tried to force the rate knowing his retirement was close but was caught. Another selfless act. 63 for 2 after 8 overs and the damage was done. Andy came out at number 4 and played a few dashing shots but one too many spooning it up to mid off and was out for 8 and it was 85 for 3. The skipper came in at 5 and wanted to finish strong. The Australian twang of the opposition skipper made the kiwi skippers heckles to rise and call upon the powers of Bazz mc cullum. A straight drive for 4 off the first ball, then a quick single to get off strike. Chrissy Mac was out trying to finish the game with a couple of lusty blows, but toed it 40 ft in the air for nought. (Probably wondering how he went from opener, to 5, then 6, then 7). Lloyd played a cultivated shot, guiding the ball down past the keeper, behind square. He mistimed a drive and was caught off the slower bowler and the score was 93 for 5. At this point, there was no movement from the bench as no one was even padded up. The writing was on the wall. Max finally and apologetically arrived as the final batsmen as the others deliberated on the next person to possibly pad up. A few singles and a bye down the leg side to finish the 2nd innings. A win by 5 wickets and 5 overs to spare. A triumph over a taverners team who put out their strongest ever batting against the mighty lavant side (so the skipper says)

Once again the Lo-team-ons. Yes you saw it, there IS the word team in loons, did it again. A professional outfit in the field, batting and bowling, but only one man stood out. The man of the match goes to Will Mac, who ripped out the heart of the top order and is always my little birdy on my shoulder to help guide my captaincy amd field placements. The champagne moments: A crisply timed pull shot into the field and a phenomenal catch, (almost losing a fingernail) both by Steve.

The Loons face their nemesis, the Bosham crew next Thursday. Who will join us on our crusade to glory???