This was the first match of the season for both teams on an unusually dry and unexpectedly balmy evening. Dads Captain for the day, Phil Spencer, nominated because our elected Captain had yet to arrive, took his team onto the decidedly spongy field. As per usual the Dads thought about warming up, then gave it a miss.
Phil threw the ball to relative new boy Mark Ellis who proceeded to bowl on a good length, taking a clean bowled wicket with his 4th ball. Jonno Hook bowled at the other end and it soon became apparent that his dedication in the nets was paying dividend as he was on the money from the off. The omens were good. Next up Peter Church and Phil Spencer, no mugs with the ball, were unlucky with a number of nearly played on's. However, it was becoming apparent that the Crabtree batters tactics, who as we have experienced are no mugs themselves, was to watchfully play themselves in before seeking big hitting boundaries. Would this tactic work for the Dads??
Next up Andy new boy Kincaid, whose spin bowling was well suited to this damp wicket, bowling a length that kept the batters relatively quiet, he was unlucky not to wicket off his second over after Peter Church produced a great diving effort.
Stauvers, after a scratchy first over, struck with a 'burst' of two clean bowled wickets. Hat trick ball and Captain Spencer called the field up. Stauvers was on target, with his customary 25 mph delivery, but the batsman unsportingly blocked it out!
Next up Ian Holmes, accurate from the off, bowled some impressive stuff with Peter Church taking a good catch off the last ball of Ian's first over.
Jonno's form carried on to his third over, producing a well deserved caught and bowled.
Lastly, a very honourable mention must go to Simon Wilson for his glove, foot and body work, in not letting anything pass him, crowning his performance with an impressive stumping attempt.
Despite a good Dads fielding performance, especially from Roger Barton ,running around like Usain Bolt on medication and Phil, with his John Terryish blocks, Crabtree's boundaries meant that they racked up an impressive 132 runs.
Andy K and Peter C opened the Dads batting, laying down a useful platform, smashing a number of two's with Peter on driving for four. With the bowled balls slowing up off the damp wicket, being patient and getting your eye in was the order of the day. Canny bowling from Crabtree kept the boys on the back foot, finally accounting for Peter C , Andy, Simon, Roger and Mark.
The Dads work in the closed season nets had conditioned them into hitting the ball along the deck. Unfortunately, on this green outfield the balls held up, so what would normally have reached the boundary was garnering only one's and two's. However, these one's and two' were starting to mount up - the run chase was on.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Step forward Richard Noden who watchfully played himself in, then opened up with his trade mark straight drives that on a drier outfield would have found the rope. With solid support from Phil, who survived some skiers before letting rip, Richard drove two fours in succession, closely repeated by Phil, also straight hitting. Both retired after they had pushed the score within touching distance. In came Ian, stepping across his stumps to pull a four off his first ball soon followed by another exact replica shot.
Jonno and Pete S took up the gauntlet. Pete clunked 5 quick runs, in the fading light, before being run out by Jonno, who was quite rightly running everything.
Richard N returned to face some formidable bowling, keeping out some fearful yorkers, before reaching a record score of 38 to give the Dads a chance.
Needing 7 runs off the last two balls, Jonno almost dislocated his shoulders to find the winner, but it was not to be.
The last word goes to Andy from Crabtree: "A tie would have been a fair result"