Venturers vs Pedigree, Sunday August 17th

Venturers 131-8 Pedigree 114-7

Though the weather wasn't as bad as predictions earlier in the week suggested, the day still wasn't that great so Matt, standing in for Roger, agreed to make the match 30 overs a side. He then lost the toss and we were put into bat on a wicket that was actively wet – sawdust being deployed once the covers had been hauled off the square.

Pedigree only had nine players, so two volunteer were needed and received. Richard and Emmad opened – Emmad being somewhat the more aggressive. Richard fell early on, getting a top edge trying to flick a full toss to fine leg. Chris came in and was soon on the ground – a throw from a fielder having missed the bails, but hitting something with a similar spelling. Once he got back up he could continue watching Emmad clatter the bowling in an effective, if unorthodox fashion. One shot went 60' in the air, but hit the damp outfield at such an angle as to only get one run from it. Chris, and Ahmad who followed him, did not give long lasting to support to Emmad and he was eventually out LBW (there's a shock!) for 36, top scoring comfortably. Fluffy and Kevin tried to consolidate (the score being 57 for 4) but Kevin got clean bowled by a sprightly old chap, yorking himself as he came down the wicket. Matt came in and lasted long enough to be run out by Fluffy who then holed out to long on (who had already dropped him once). Ian G, Adam P and Salman all tried to push on the scoring towards the end – though Adam maybe was pushing too hard when he ran out Ian. We had made 131, not bad given the slow outfield and the tight bowling from another Pharmacological turncoat.

Pedigree's opening batsmen started brightly, but without much defence. Simon S took a good catch at close cover off Salman's second over. He then vied for another catch with Salman and Adam after the batsman fired it straight up in the air. There was calling – just no listening, fortunately Salman got the ball safely in his hands without a bone crunching collision. Kevin, opening from the other end, clean bowled the more skilled looking batsman and Adam expertly took care of their wicketkeeper – driving him towards leg for two or three deliveries, then cleaning him up with a straight one. This however only served to bring to the crease Pedigree's two top batsmen – their captain and the turncoat. Simon's tight bowling took a bit of a hit towards the end and Fluffy never for going. Ian and Ahmad were brought on to finish the overs with two batsmen well set, but the number of overs and the quality of light were falling. Cue Simon taking a superb catch at point, over and behind his head one handed, to remove the captain who was showing real signs of class. This completely killed the run rate, particularly when Richard, playing as wicket keeper, took a good catch off Ahmad's last over to remove his subordinate. All that remained was to not get soaked as the heavens began to open. We didn't get them all out, a shame given they only had nine players, but we did restrict their runs to ‘comfortably' below our total, when we finally got out their captain.

Fixtures & Results 2008