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Congratulations to the unfamiliar line-up that pulled off a remarkable win against Belmonte in the cup last night that also maintained our 100% start to the season!
With only hours before wickets were pitched CCC were staring down the barrel of either having to concede or fielding a team of only 6. Many thanks to those stepped up to play, especially at such short notice.
I won the toss and elected to bat on what was a challenging wicket. Alan and I opened and with only 10 men and an unfamiliar batting line-up we knew a strong platform was required. After a tentative start to the first over or two we got going and managed to see off both openers and in fact it wasn’t until about the tenth over that I was removed out stumped on 39 with about 80 on the board. Ru then joined his father at the crease and not long after Alan’s fine innings of 38 came to end when out caught. Enter the ‘roadrunner’ Guy Finkill. He and Ru added a few before Ru got out and then Guy proceeded to score about as many runs as people he ran out. Andy was his first victim turning an easy single into an impossible three. After a 13 year absence from CCC Duncan was greeted back being caught 11 yards short of his crease after being called through by Guy. Kev was next to endure the physical punishment of the Guy Finkill bootcamp. Fortunately with only one delivery left Kev smartly pulled it away for 2 leaving CCC on 106.
With a potential lack of bowling options in the side and a reluctance from the tall Parisian to turn his arm over a lot was resting on the shoulders of openers Guy and Ru. However, as it proved in our innings, it was when the pace was taken off the ball it proved more difficult to score. The breakthrough came with the introduction of Cliff and Alan both bowling spin. Guy took a stunning catch to give Cliff his first wicket and Alan taking a wicket with his very first delivery, a leading edge that saw Duncan take a super caught-behind, the highlight of a great stint behind the stumps. Alan and Cliff proceeded to bowl their respective spells through with Alan ploughing through the Belmote XI eventually finishing with 5-for which brought out a remarkable pelvic thrust from the Scotsman! Their remaining opener carried his bat but ran out of partners and the rate began to elude them finishing some 15 or so runs short when Guy returned to bowl the final over.
A brilliant all round team performance. Tireless fielding from Andy as the ball seemed to follow him round like a magnet, Duncan’s body-on-the-line keeping, great sweeping on the boundaries from Guy and Adam, Roger not complaining a jot trekking from fine leg to fine leg…….too much to mention but a great win played in good humour with a great team spirit.
Cap – Alan, great knock, 5-for and dancing (jig?!)
Duck – Guy for his running and a very humorous appeal.
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