Sunday 12th May

Match Report

The first away game of the season was met with clear blue skies and warm and sunny conditions which was a nice change of scenery from the cold and wet conditions. The mighty Lavant arrived and Findon with a patched up 11 with a mixture of injury and illness but spirits were good.

The Lavant captain was keen to prove that he was the best tosser in Findon and was able to keep his fine form going by winning the toss and choosing not to put the rag tag bowling attack into a position to have to bowl in the warm conditions. So Lavant were to bat first in their first 40 over game of the season.

After a solid start from Harry and Iain (and a decent platform created from the opening pair) things took a sharp turn for the worse. I’m getting the impression that either the team preferred to bask in the sunshine on the patio in front of the pavilion (like Lizards) rather than bat due to the speed they were returning from the middle. Either that or actually they are all vampires and couldn’t be in the sun for very long so got out ASAP so they could retreat to the safety of the darkness of the changing room…..after all Tam and Dave both had plasters on the same arm in the same place…..

Not much can be said about how the Lavant innings went…not without getting into trouble and the club having to deploy our diplomatic envoy (Steve B) to smooth things over. 

Needless to say Lavant were bowled out for 123 off 27 overs. Notable mentions should go to Harry (20) and Chris, continuing his good form with the bat, (33).

After tea Lavant took to the field and, after a Churchillian speech from the captain, the team agreed not to go down without a fight.

And what a response! Chris manfully started proceedings at one end and bowled beautifully (considering he had decided it was a good idea to run a 10k in the morning before an important game). I guess he can just about be forgiven after being top scorer and bowling so well? Perhaps this is the start of a new pre-game routine??? Chris kept things tight and picked up 2 wickets from his 6 over spell for 27. A fine effort.

After Dave B had a tough start at the other end (perhaps he shouldn’t have changed those shoes after all) the captain turned to Tam who, I think it has been fair to say, had been a little off form recently but came roaring back into form just at the right moment. After his first over the high bar was set and suddenly things just clicked and Tam was getting the ball down at pace and on a nagging length that was foxing the batters time and time again. The amount of times he passed the edge was incredible and on another day could have picked up a haul of wickets but it turned out he was bowling too well for anyone to get near it (let alone edge one)! 

Thankfully he did get his reward for bowling so well by removing the set number 3 batsman, who was looking settled, clean bowling him. Tam finished with 1 wicket for 29 off his 8 over spell. Well done Tam and great to see.

At the other end Richard was yet again proving how valuable asset he has become to the side. He had obviously decided to channel his disappointment from his batting into his bowling. Richard started out in a contained way (bowling around the wicket firing ball after ball into the batsman’s legs and tying them down) and kept the scoring all but stationary. Then after looking settled and loose agreed with the captain to come over the wicket to attack and he caused havoc by tearing into the Findo middle order picking 3 wickets! Richard finished with 3 wickets for 11 off his 8 over spell (2 of his 3 maidens were wicket maidens). A truly remarkable effort. Well done.

Unfortunately the danger man was the Findon number 6 and after trying everything he was to become the thorn in the side. As much as the team tried their best to frustrate and stifle could not make the breakthrough needed however the team should be proud of the ground field efforts and, to a man, working hard for the cause. 

The only blemish was, yet again, the catching with crucial drops going down. As the ‘tossing the ball up to each other at the start of the game’ method clearly isn’t working I think we need to start looking at ‘alternative’ training methods.

In an attempt to improve the catching standards of the side I have been thinking of a radical improvement training drill which will be based on the Inspector Clouseau / Kato relationship where, at any point during the day / week, I will appear out of the blue and throw a cricket ball at one of the team and shout ‘CATCH’ at them. This could happen at any time….day or night…..so beware of the shadows…..If that doesn’t work then i’m out of ideas! 

One special mention must go to John for taking the only outfield catch. It was fair to say our own ‘million dollar man’ had not had the greatest of weeks (falling ill abroad and having to come home early) but didn’t want to let the side down by not playing. I think someone had said he was returning from the latest T20 franchise auction and had picked up Dehli belly?

I don’t know if the illness had inspired the wonderful gazelle skip and hop before catching the ball but I’ve not seen such grace since 1984 in Sarajevo. 

As the game was moving to its climax the improbable win for Lavant’s bowling efforts were slipping away. The team turned to the double J’s (James and Justin) who had bravely agreed to come on for the final overs (with the still set #6 batsman and not many runs to defend). Both men stood up to the task and did everything they could and did not at all let the side down but alas the damage had already been done. 

Special mention also has to go to Justin for holding his neve (after being hit for 6 after his first ball) and after bowling a nagging line he was rewarded with picking up the prized wicket of the set Findon batsman by getting a ball to just nip away and take the edge into the keepers gloves. 

They say it’s the hope that kills you and after a heroic effort from Lavant in the field Findon had chased down the total and ended the match 126-8 off 30 overs. Obviously the first innings score was way below par (50 / 60s runs short). BUT what an amazing effort to not only get them 8 down but to take the game to the 30th over.

Men of the match (as I feel it was too hard to split them) goes to Chris and Richard. Chris for top scoring with the bat and bowling so well and Richard for bowling the best spell under pressure i’ve seen in a while. 

Champagne moment has to go to John not only for the crucial and stylistic catch but also being able not to have an ‘accident’ when he caught it. I think he was last seen bouncing around in the woods with the rest of the baby deers….

I have to repeat what I said to the team at the end of the game that I was proud of everyone for the never say die attitude and the effort the whole group put into the fielding effort when (for a lot of the time) it looked unlikely we could get something from the game. 

I’m too competitive to believe in such a thing as ‘a good loss’ but if I were I think this would be a good example of it.

Thanks to everyone and on to the next game!