Sat 3rd XI v WOKINGHAM 4s

Welcome to another season of 3rd XI Match Reports
The sun shone, the gazebo got erected, the skipper won the toss, all looked well at the Bagshot V-end.

With a solid looking bowling line-up, the skipper chose to field first. Chuckles stretched once, and carried on from last season from one end, with Adam Hendries from t'other. Both troubled the openers, and kept them pegged back on the usual batting paradise of Bagshot (V)-End. Chuckles made the first breakthrough bowling their captain through the gate. Adam finished his 6 over spell to be replaced by Ben Haslam. Ben's radar was slightly off on his first bowl of the season, and the wheels came off before the tracking was re-aligned. He will be back on form shortly. 3rd team debut Matt Alexander took over from him as Chuckles merrily sneaked another wicket at the other end.

Matt bowled really well to keep the pressure on. However a good stand followed. It was Matthew Funnell who made the breakthrough. Once he had decided to bowl in the batsman's half of the pitch, he got his wicket as the ball flew to Nick "Monty" Lynch (sorry Nick, google and you will see "Monty Lynch is a former English cricketer who played 3 One Day Internationals. Lynch was a hard-hitting batsman, an occasional off-spin bowler and a fine slip fielder. Wikipedia") who took a good catch. Chuckles got the important wicket of the opener who was starting to accelerate caught by vice skip Ryan behind the stumps. The mighty Santosh took over from Matthew, and finally I forced Chuckles into a rest, bringing on our first overseas player (can Scotland be classed as overseas??!) Iain Hedley who made a much more positive start compared to last season's efforts by taking a wicket in his first over. Then followed soon after with another! Monty had a bowl from the other end (slow off breaks...). Chuckles and Adam finished off with Wokingham on a par score of 214-8 (Chuckles 20-3-64-5).

Costco tea was taken...

With last year's openers not around this week, and MR Balcombe (JB1) up in the two's, It was a youthful pairing of Funnell R and Alexander M. Both started really well in a good positive fashion (not the clothes though). 42 for the opening wicket until Matt got caught for 17. Funnell M joined Funnell R (don't get confused, it doesn't last long...). Ryan got bowled soon after for 25. Matthew and Monty looked good and added a further 35 runs with Matthew playing some great shots. Matthew was then caught for 27. The skipper joined Monty, and all was well until they took the new ball and Nick (Monty) played a few overs of swingball (the player who keeps missing it....). Just as he started to get the hang of it, his off stump was removed. Santosh then impersonated a 2nd world war Japanese pilot in screaming Haiiiiii (or something like that) to run a single, but ran out of landing strip committing Hari Kari. Adam was unlucky to be given out off his thighpad and Wokingham were into the tail. Ben Haslam smashed a great 4 square of the wicket, before trying to repeat the feat on a straight ball and missing.

So thoughts of survival rather than victory. Iain Hedley stood steadfast for a time to keep back the invaders before being breached. It then brought out our no. 10 on debut, the Celtic Warrior, Justin Dillon. Plan A. Keep the invaders out. In explaining what was required, I likened his job as to imagine someone was trying to break into his new bar till. Simple, Justin was not going to be beaten thereafter as he ferociously defended his prize possession! Unfortunately the skipper did not follow his example, falling with just under 3 overs to go. I needn't have worried. Chuckles and Justin (our second but genuine overseas who can even speak a different lanuage) survived without giving a chance.
So we clung on to a draw on 131-9.

Big thanks to Justin for helping us out (and going to get my undershorts ((more details on request)) while I was umpiring).
Well done on debut Matt Alexander (get the revision done before next Saturday)
MOM: Chuckles 5-64 of 20 overs. Great effort.
Promising start, and hopefully with a batsman or two coming into the side, we will be challenging for victory.