Match Reports 2017

RTCC v Bricklayers Arms

Sunday 2nd July 2017

at North Middlesex (35 overs)

Bricklayers 244-6

RTCC 245-2

RTCC won by 8 wickets

North Mid was a picture of glorious sunshine. Andy James showed up with Rob and Rosie and had a picnic under the shade. It was lovely to see Adrian there and my Kay came down too. We had a young team. Aj was the eldest so he kept wicket! 4 new faces and some bowlers again. I note that when we have bowlers we can win . Strange but true!

We were on the lower pitch . It's a small and fast field. In the end it played quite well. The skipper lost the toss ( again) and we were asked to field. No doubt due to the heat.

Dion opened from the pavilion end with Arun Lopez from the other end. Seven over straight off for each of them. No wickets and each went for about 50. and the oppo had a 100 plus on the board by drinks break. Their openers were good players they got 50 odd and 70 odd. Next on was Tom Mansbridge from the pavilion end and the unit from the other.

Aymon has an ability to get wickets. A golden arm. This is lucky coz he can't buy a run at present he's on a hatrick of golden ducks. He had the fastest scoring of the batsmen caught by the skipper at long off and we were in the game. Aymon ended up with 2 for 35 of 7 overs including running out their best batsmen. It was a captains tankard type performance. Tom Mansbridge did well and had their Asian off spinner caught and went for about 60 runs in the end. It was a good return as I had to stop his spell and put him on from the other end.

He got the brunt of their later overs hitting. The reason for that was George ! A South African lively medium pace bowler who swings it. His run up is 3 yards! He bowled beautifully! It's great to have him in the team. Hey it's great to have all the bowlers in the team. We really restricted the they were coasting along at 160 after 22 think and we kept them down to 244 off 35.

We had a quick turn round and I opened with Luke and Dion. They got to 64 from 10 over but the bricklayers had bowled most of their best bowlers overs. We had some luck Luke was bowled off a Steven Finn no ball. ( answers please as to what that is) . The skipper was only told this as he got to the crease. He gratefully did a u turn.

Eventually Dion missed one that spun in and so the skipper went out to bat for a second time! It was the Luke show really. The skipper played 2nd fiddle. Yes he can do this as Luke played lovely shots especially thru the covers. Think Micheal Vaughan 2002/3 in Australia. On 88 he tried to pull a straight on that kept low and was bowled. By then we need 60 and the oppo had been ground down.

Aj came in and after hitting a four thru square leg came down the wicket and said 'u can't bowl short to me' it was lovely to see that West Indian swagger again. He even crashed another one thru square leg just for good measure! The skipper finished on 77 no. Four sixes but he was dropped twice.

Then it was off to the tavern for an ale and a chat with the oppo. Nice bunch. The railway laid on some chips and the owner bought everyone a pint. That was a lovely touch!

Roll up roll up 20/20 season is upon us let's be having u!

Ps who has got the captains tankard? It would have gone to Luke for his fabulous 88.

Cheers all great win! Skipper