Wrecks vs. PLONGÉ, June 1^st 2007

Match Report

by Captain Jack Sparrow... I mean Captain Matt Farrow

As the first match of my new captaincy I was looking forward to getting stuck in to PLONGE. Last year it was a close match; PLONGE just getting the winning runs in the final few overs so I thought we were evenly matched.

Things started off a bit wobbly as there were two college matches on at the same time, so a bit of negotiating had to be done to get equipment (such as stumps!) but come 17:30 we had our 11 players and I went over to PLONGE's captain to win the toss and put us into bat. Unfortunately PLONGE's captain had the same idea and so we ended up fielding (I knew I should have said "tails").

Jonny Waugh opened the bowling at the "Pavilion" end with Natalie Barratt bowling from the Heslington Road end both with a spell of 3 overs. Togs Wells was behind the stumps. Good tight bowling from both of them brought the breakthrough in the 4th over as Natalie clean bowled Marsh who was trying a square cut. Score 37 for 1 off 4 overs. I then put Andy Pratt (Bap) and myself to work. Bap picked up a wicket with a brilliant bit of bowling equaled only by Togs' catch to remove Watt on 24 - their second highest scorer. Unfortunately at the other end my radar was off and successive leg side deliveries were dispatched to the boundary! Roddy Vann was quickly brought in to replace my wayward deliveries and picked up a wicket (Attwell) in his spell of 3 overs. Previous Wreck's captain Gavin Hammond (Gavo) replaced Bap and put down some good deliveries after finding the correct line. Roddy took a wicket in his spell but the damage had been done by Watson who finished on 60. The final 2 overs I gave to the opening bowlers. Natalie took another wicket - clean bowling the danger man Watson. PLONGE finished 146-4. There were 29 extras of which 21 were wides and no-balls.

Our turn to bat. 147 required - 7.35 runs/over. Bap and Jonny opened the batting. Jonny was first to go on (3), trapped lbw trying to work a ball on the leg side. This brought in Roddy to the crease. Bap was then caught out for (23) - our second highest score! My turn to bat. I stuck around for a while, chipping in singles to give Roddy the strike - and he turned the game around - dispatching all their bowlers to most corners of the ground! I was bowled in the by spinner Attwell - who, struggling to find any turn from the Heslington Road end, found plenty from the pavilion end! It must be said, I was extremely lucky as I was dropped 3 times in the course of my innings! I left the wicket with a respectable 16. Matthieu Verstraete came into bat and was unlucky to get an identical delivery that dispatched me! This brought Gavo our former skipper to the crease. He stayed till the last ball of the penultimate over before Watt bowled him on (2). Pattabi came in to watch Roddy finish off the game with a 4 to fine leg! So we finished 148-5 and won the match!

Well played to all - it was a great team effort and everyone did their bit. Next match we play is against Alcohology!