MATCH REPORT - SAT 3RD XI (30TH MAY)

BCC League Position - 1st

Today’s story, sorry I mean match report, starts with the skipper losing the toss again, but on the usual green and pleasant land that is our new home pitch of Valley End, we were surprisingly put in. With another much changed line up, I decided to open with Mr Average (or very high average) Balcombe (JB1) and myself. Steady start until I decided to give extra cover some easy catching practice. I preach to the U15’s I coach that you can’t get out hitting the ball on the ground, and every week seem to not practice what I preach.

Anyhow, JB1 continued in his customary fashion by punishing the bad ball. Supported initially by Ryan Blake, then Santosh until they too perished, JB1 and Nige Rice (taking time out from the Stiff Little Finger(s) Tour…) kept things moving at a decent speed. Then shock horror, JB1 was out for 76. Whether the run rate deliberately slowed in mourning at this sudden unexpected loss, or whether it was the accurate bowling of Cove, Bagshot slowed down like we were under heavy load downhill in 2nd gear. Balcombe Junior (now JB3 as Josh Brown still keeps JB2) making his seasons debut and then Josh Nakarja got in and then out, and it was left with our Nige 20* and a turbo fuelled 19* from the tall fella Si Farrant who took us over the next batting point target to 177-6 after 47 overs.

Splendid tea under the expensive gazebo, a new teapot and hot water urn kindly supplied by our ground hosts, and we geared up for an assault on the Cove batting.
Messrs. Reliable (at scoring and bowling) Chuckles Sutherland and long levers Farrant opened up. Early reward for Chuckles as their opener snicked a simple catch (simple like climbing Mount Everest or swimming the channel I think really…) by yours truly diving more athletically than Ashley Young! Cove then looked to keep out both Farrant and Chuckles as they searched and probed trying to make further inroads. Si moved the ball too much on occasion and Cove did move forward. Then Little Balcombe (he has a way to go to get to reach the heights of the village of Great Balcombe) offered temptation and duly snared the next wicket with another exceptional catch in the slips thanks to an ever so polite and generous shout from Nige Rice “Yours Skipper”. Ryan Blake came on and sneaked another one a few overs later with a doddle of a catch in the covers by Farrant, but still Cove kept to the more or less the required run rate past the drinks break.

After that it was the Great and Little Balcombe show (with co-star appearances from Farrant and Growler taking more glorious catches). Santosh did do his best to keep Cove in the hunt with a very peculiar catching technique (which was not in the least bit effective) on a couple of occasions. Si Farrant came back and finished the game off clean bowling the driving and missing Cove skipper as they ended up on 143 in the 37th over.
Little Balcombe was only “slightly” pleased to outdo Great Balcombe as he snatched a magnificent 4-45 on the bowling front, with Great Balcombe taking the runners up spot with a meagre 3-18.

MOM. Sorry JB3, but it has to be Great Balcombe JB1 once again with his magnificent 76 runs and 3-18.
Memorable Moments. Santosh, interesting catching technique (needs some serious work on the catching element), and also impersonating a windmill while batting and trying to loft the spinner over mid-on and landing in an untidy heap!

Other Very Memorable Moments. The skippers 3 of the very best catches you will see, and Si Farrant’s 3 very easy ones……. Great bowling young Josh, a real pleasure to watch the little maestro at work.

Things to Improve. My batting (I really hope this is not going to be a season long repetitive thing....)
Rumours of things to come: Covers on order apparently for our home games as well….. Welcome to 3rd XI cricket!

Last week the Great Balcombe drove the Sprinter Van. This week we won big (25 points) but in more of a larger Luton Box Van, driven still by you know who, a little slower but still steady and ably assisted by JB3 who dismantled the oppositions engine to help win the game!

Another great team effort by all 11 players. Great attitude and commitment by all. Thank you

Growler