Remnants Match Report

The second game came up hot on the heels of the first, and following the big win in the first game on Monday, the team was under pressure to perform again.  Further, to add spice to the night, the history of games between Sharks and Remnants suggests that these games are always keenly contested, with the honours shared more or less.

The evening started badly. We only had 10 players on the team sheet and this only because Jason had managed to get a work mate, Peter, to sign up to restart his cricketing career after 4 or so years playing football.  Unfortunately, before we started,  Jez had to pull out with a very bad back; we contemplated laying him down flat at mid-off as a static long barrier but, kindly, Remnants instead gave us a fielder.  It meant, however, that we only had 9 batsmen at our disposal.

So, not a great start. It got worse: the skipper lost the toss, and so we were fielding. We opened up the bowling with Matt and Pat. The openers from Remnants began to biff and bash the ball around at a healthy lick with Matt going for a few in his first over.  There was controversy in Matt’s third over: A huge shout against the Remnants opener, Tom Serby, for caught behind, but no deal from the umpire. Tom went on to get 69 runs before holing out in the final over.

The Remnants innings continued at a reasonable rate but never got away from us with steady bowling performances from Matt, Pat, Adam and Mayu with 3 wickets going along the way.

Ralph & Jason bowled the last 2 overs with the slog on.  This led to one of the stranger first overs of the season from Jason: 1 (8 ball) over, 13 runs, 3 wickets, with the last 4 balls being wicket wicket wide wicket; Jason was then charged with Jug Avoidance in accordance of the statuatory laws of weekday cricket and duly fined a Jug.  The final score from Remnants came to 132-6 from 14 8 ball overs; a rate of 7.1 (in 6 ball over speak); but we’d made 198 on Monday; a cake walk, surely?

Batting started well with Adam and debutant Peter putting on a decent partnership of 40 or so, before Peter holed out at mid off. Adam continued along his merry way, thumping the opening bowlers to various parts of the Fitzwilliam pitch boundary. Then the bowling changed to a slower variety. Adam’s eyes lit up, and the first two balls went for fours. Unfortunately the 3^rd ball castled him. He was out for a well made 41: Sharks were well ahead of the rate, but now effectively 4 down (as we only had 9 players). The rest of the line up (Ralph, Jim, Mark, Matt)  came in, scored some runs, but then contrived to get out for the cause; poor Ralph and Jim being involved in the classical ‘comedy’ run out. It was therefore getting close:  We were down to the penultimate pair of Mayu and Pat at the crease with still 15 or so runs needed. Some big whacks later, though, and we were home.

So a night that started badly, ended well with a win for the Sharks. After the game the beers flowed freely in the bar and old lags waxed lyrical about matches past, present and future. A good game again; I’m looking forward to the return match at Girton.