So, we made a much better fist of things than 2 weeks ago when the scores read 256 v 99. But given that Judd St were 51-4...
Andy P lost the toss. Naturally. Judd St elected to bat which raised a few eyebrows. Perhaps they had the previous fixture in mind. Perhaps they thought the wicket would cut up. Either way they hadn't reckoned on Adam Beaney. He and Mark had been happily sunbathing at North Mid and wondering where everybody was until belatedly realising they were in the wrong place. They weren't the last to arrive though. AndyP had to take the gloves as Eirran didn't arrive until the first over had been bowled. I can't adequately describe the look of relief on Andy's face when he saw Eirran turn up. We also ended up with 11 as Judd St had 12 and drew lots to see who ended up on our side, the lucky winner / loser being Chris Wright.
In the reverse fixture Judd St were 12-0 after 3 balls. When Adam began with a wide and saw the next ball hit for 4 things didn't look promising, but he was soon in to an excellent rhythm, although the first wicket had an element of fortune. After Boden had pulled a couple of boundaries Guy was moved wider at mid on. Adam dropped slightly short, Delanian pulled and Guy took a fantastic diving catch. Then Dane was bowled via a pad. 26-2. At the other end Boden was putting bat to ball and pulling pretty much everything. We set the trap with a man at cow corner. I bowled a stock long hop, Boden hoicked it but alas Mark Beaney dropped it reaching to his left. We chipped away at the other end. I got Burgess lbw then Adam took a 3rd, a bewildered Murray bowled neither forward nor back.
51-4 and the Tavern on top. Except Boden was still there and taking advantage of his life. At the other end captain Taylor dug in, though he too had an early life when put down at mid off. Runs began to flow. Boden reached his 50 (out of 70) and was then dropped on the boundary. The hundred partnership was raised via a wide, one of 17 we bowled. We're nothing if not generous. Wright turned out to be a fast bowler but couldn't shift either batsman. I think we dropped Boden again. A hundred looked inevitable before he played one pull too many and was bowled by Mark for 95. I then dropped Taylor at long on off Barrie. A hundred looked inevitable, but next over he too was bowled by Mark, departing for 92.
That was our final success. At least we kept them below what they scored 2 weeks ago, but 254 looked a lot and a lot more than they should have got. 5 dropped catches in all and our fielding got quite ragged during the Boden / Taylor stand. Several preventable fours were not prevented.
AndyG and Guy opened the reply, facing Matt 'buttocks' Webster and Rennister. They put on 34 in 11 overs of mostly accurate bowling before Guy missed a straight one from first change Mike 'Smiler' Herlihy. We first encountered Smiler when we played against the now defunct Sundown Specials. He then joined Walthamstow Horizontals - who became Judd St - and has continued to score runs for fun against us. He made 60 odd against us 2 weeks ago and was responsible for the 12-0 after 3 balls. I've no idea why he was carded at 11 today but I think he enjoyed a rare outing with the ball. I joined AndyG and we knuckled down to the task at hand. Drinks were taken at 94-1. At the same point Judd St were 101-4. 8 an over required, but no sign of a weak link in their bowling attack and a lot of fielders on the boundary.
The stand reached 91 when Andy lashed one back at Simon Warren - quite a handy 6th bowler to have - and departed for 49. That brought Eirran to the crease. He romped to 26 with a couple of big sixes. Then Taylor brought himself on. Quite a handy 8th bowler to have. He'd probably open for us. Eirran lashed one back at him and Taylor clung on. A big blow. 171-3 in the 33rd. AndyP clumped a four but was then bowled via a pad by the returning Webster.
Jack Latimer - in only his second game for us (the previous one being the other Judd St game) entered and asked for an off stump guard. Umpire AndyG visibly winced, knowing that he would be 'in the game'. Indeed the first ball brought a concerted lbw appeal, but Jack had got outside the line - not a long journey with an off stump guard. He then carted one through the covers for 4 but then went lbw when he didn't get outside the line and was pinned bang in front. Mark Beaney up next but suddenly the requirement was 50 from 4. Unfazed, Mark launched the biggest six of the day over the North London pavilion, losing the ball in the process. The next ball was a torpedo that scuttled past off stump. Still unfazed Mark launched the next ball over mid wicket for another 6. Sadly the next ball was another torpedo that hit off stump. 37 off 3 became 34 off 2 as Adam and I could only manage 3 singles off the accurate Taylor. Then it all went tits up. I smashed one straight off Dane. Long on might have got round but was saved the effort by Adam. He confessed afterwards that he hadn't been looking. All he knew was that there was a missile travelling in his direction at the non-strikers end. I think it would've missed him but he instinctively put his hand up to protect himself. He pretty much caught it before palming it away behind the umpire for a single. The next ball went down leg and the keeper fumbled it. I attempted a bye but Boden recovered and threw the stumps down. It turned out I was on 99. Arse. Suddenly Adam was walking off too. He had removed his glove to discover one of his fingers pointing in a very different direction to the others. He promptly took himself off to the Whittington. Double arse.
Guest Wright and Barrie at the crease now. Wright hammered the next ball out to deep square leg and turned for two. Barrie was rather reluctant and his hesitation saw him run out at the bowlers end without facing a ball. With 30 required from the last over Wright hit 3 twos and a four to register a moral victory of sorts as we ended up 18 short. A valiant effort against a lovely opposition who had a frankly ridiculous number of bowling options. For our part we really need to find a way of not conceding so many runs. How we do that I don't know. Answers on a format of your choice.
