Dads' gathered for what is now almost a mid season game with chat of 'being unlucky at Boxmoor' and he was 'lucky to get a hundred' and today was the day that 'we were going to put things right' and yes this was the team that we beat last year when Nick unexpectedly hit the last two balls for six to win.
The weather looked very unpromising earlier in the day with the threat of rain potentially going to cause a postponement, however the evening brightened up and we all duly arrived for the normal 6pm start which eventually spread to about 6.30 (when our Capt tuned up- late- fines box please).
Peter Stauvers damaged finger meant we welcomed Colin McKinnon for his full debut along with a guest appearance from Derek McCrae. The question was who was going to field in the Stauvers position? Peter Church stood in for the toss, which we won and Dads decided to bat first on a pitch which will show its typical unusual bounce and which cut up quiet badly after the recent rain.
With what looked to be a strong batting line up Simon and new boy Colin opened up. Colin all smiles and good intentions managed four dot balls but was only getting sighters until he planted two straight fours with Dads 8-0 after the first over. The tone was set. Simon nudged and nurdled the scoreboard along with good sensible scoring whilst seeing off the opening bowlers of Gardenfields. Colin's luck didn't last and in an effort for one more big shot was bowled. A good start though.
Tim joined the fray and after a period of finding his feet during which the score rate slowed slightly, singles were still being taken. Eventually the boys pushed on with Tim particularly finding the boundary but not before a few scares including a skier which was kindly dropped by the opposition. The score moved onto 30 before there was a 'mix up' in the running which ended up with Simon run out for 11. Whilst the reporter was doing an 'Arsene Wenger' and did not see it, apparently there were some frosty looks.
Nonetheless things were ok and with the weaker bowling coming on it was time to hit the gas. Phil joined Tim for what was a mid innings acceleration which involved some playing and missing a few lucky breaks from their fielding and some determined hitting, moved both players along at a reasonable lick. If I didn't know better I would say the whole innings had been worked out and well planned. Singles became fours, whilst fielders were scattered during this power play.
Both Tim and Phil reached their allotted time but not before Phil managed to score 33 before the end of his last over, which for Dads is probably a record in 20/20 games of this format ( yes I know ---- some smart ar*e will probably remember a higher score but I cant be bothered to look it up. OK).
The score passed three figures with a wag in the team heard to say that he had wondered what that extra number was for on the scoreboard. 100 up !!!
Two new batsmen came together soon after each other with Peter Church joining Jim, a powerful follow up to the opening four batsmen. Peter managed to look both accustomed and a novice and Jim just looked at home. Singles were taken with Jim encouraging Peter to 'run them up' which has to be very dangerous activity given Peter's track record. The two pirates plundered the runs and really pressed on. Jim particularly gave no quarter and his swash buckling innings gathered pace with two's, four's and sixes and pieces of eight. (Just wanted to see how many puns on pirates I could get in given the film POTC4 is out soon ).
Peter managed to play three shots but the trouble was it was only to one ball and was promptly bowled. Ian Holmes joined Jim for the final push which saw the guys see out the innings.
The score was our record for the season at 135, a pretty good day for us with the general consensus being that all round this was a pretty good team performance.
A cool wind was now blowing around the ground as the guys stepped forward to defend a good score which from the previous year had been a good batting team. Game on.
Phil opened from the top end to the two accomplished Gardenfield batters and whilst menacing there were no breakthroughs in the early stages. The other end saw Ian open the bowling, a just reward for what has been a good bowling season for Ian. A nagging line but no wickets. To be fair the Gardenfield batters looked fairly comfortable and the winning score of 136 at 6.8 per over looked gettable.
First change saw Jonathan come on to try and break up the openers with Colin at the other end. Although fairly accurate the loose balls were dispatched for fours but thankfully their opener missed a full Yorker and was bowled by JH. Was the door open? The run rate was well up with the pace and an exciting game looked on.
Jim came on from the bottom end and settled in to a steady rhythm quickly and with the run rate pressing the batsmen went for a shot too many and put it straight up in the air. Now Winfield has never dropped a catch .... apparently....apart from those two occasions, both of which we had time to recall as the ball was coming straight down from a great height. With the batsmen on their third run Winfield got himself into an unusual catching position which involved him holding his arms straight out in front of him and catching the ball with the ends of his fingertips. Normal service was resumed.
Although wickets were beginning to fall the run rate was still being achieved with the opener eventually getting his 25 and retiring for a well made contribution. Two new batsmen both of whom scored well against us in the past and who were looking to press on. Encouraged by Ian who was fielding in an extra cover area, Jim who was into his second over, sent down a drivable ball which was dispatched with a glorious shot which on any other day would have resulted in the wave of the umpires arms, however Ian was in the way. Now if Ian didn't catch the ball he would now be doing impressions of a certain German war time leader and Joe Pasquale. Thankfully for Ian's private life, the only thing bruised was his hand. Great catch.
At the mid way point of the innings things could have gone either way but things were beginning to change. Peter Church came on and with some good bowling and his lucky arm managed to get another dangerous batter out, caught in the Stauvers position.
The game was still too close to call and sometimes things happen in a game after which you think 'we'll be ok now'. On this occasion this was Richard. Its no secret that Richard has been a bit fed up with his medium pace right arm bowling so today decided to bowl the slow stuff we have often seen in the nets. Today was the day. Under pressure to score the bat was being thrown only for the spin to deceive them. the first over was a maiden and it was only in his third over that the batsmen worked out that singles and two's were the only options.
The game was now definitely moving our way. Ian came back on for his third over and promptly got a pair of wickets both with smart catches and Phil bowled out the last threat, leaving a dangerous batsmen for them, not out 30 leaving Gardenfields approximately 125, falling short by only a few in the end.
The consensus was that we had played well as a team, no missed catches, bowled fairly tightly and batted very well. Unfortunately for Gardenfields this was probably our best performance of the season and whilst it is difficult to pick out anybody for praise the turning point was Richards spin bowling. Mention should also to be made of Simons wicket keeping today. I don't think there any if many byes and on what was a difficult wicket went unnoticed.
We retired to the pub with a wag heard to say that having now beaten them twice on the trot, if we win for a third time do we get to keep them !!!!
I suspect they will come back at us and we look forward to the return game later in the season.