BCC 2s v Falkland 3s

On a week with very challenging availability, the 2nd XI arrived at Falkland with 10 and the hope of an 11th at some point during the first innings. Losing the toss, stand-in skipper DJ Budd was asked to bowl on a pitch that looked more like the M4 than the sort of cricket wicket we're used to.

Despite the road-like pitch, Simon Farrant made early inroads into the Falkland batting line up, reducing them to 0-1, before Josh Brown and Derek Budd combined to reduce Falkland to 58-3. At this point, things looked rosy for the 10-man BCC, but a 90 run partnership for the 4th wicket soon changed that. BCC's 11th turned up at 23 overs, but when Dave Skilton reduced Falkland to 148-4 the innings was far from over. Falkland's captain proceeded to get his 100 with useful assistance from Sharma at 6 (48) in an even bigger partnership of 123. Falkland declared on 277-6 off 49 overs when Dan Sutton picked up a sharp caught and bowled in his second over.

At the half way point, we had been put through our paces for most of the day and it would've been natural to feel deflated going into tea. Remembering the final game of last season vs Datchet Cranbourne though, BCC were reminded that anything is possible...

Young and Sutton started the BCC innings watchfully with Falkland taking the old ball and bowling especially well from one end. Surprisingly, after 10 overs and the score at 22-0, Falkland took the new ball and proceeded to make life a lot easier for the opening pair with runs starting to flow much easier. At 121-0, BCC were looking in a very strong position but the ridiculous decision leading to the wicket of Sutton for 48 soon halted progression. Given out LBW having clearly edged the ball onto hits pads (a deflection of several inches!), Sutton's departure brought Taz Ishak to the crease. He departed for 9, soon followed by Young for a well made 80. Derry was LBW for 0 and at 154-4 the innings looked as if it would be unlikely to end in a win.

Unfortunately, 278 was just a little bit too far for the rest of the Bagshot batters - we got to maximum batting points comfortably but ended out innings on 225-7, Ryan Funnell with a mature 44 including a number of solid boundaries along the way.