Venturers vs Rode, Sunday July 20th

Venturers 141-8 Rode 142-8

The weather is slowly improving, though Sulis is still stubbornly windy. We went into this match having done very well in the 40 over matches this season, so our hopes were high.

We batted first, with Roger and Richard assuming the duties. Richard started more rapidly than Roger, but fell to a flash which almost cleared the wide second slip, but he hung on. Ahmed followed and managed to be comically stumped / run out by charging the bowler and not retreating to his crease whilst there was an LBW appeal. The keeper, a turncoat from Pharmacy, saw he was 6' outside his crease and threw down the stumps.

Emmad, Adam, Kevin and the Ians all failed to stay in long, though tall Ian flicked a majestic six off the youngster that had come on to bowl. Roger watched all this from the other end whilst getting 65 – slow by his standards, but much needed. Andy Y clattered a few at the end, getting 20. We had only made 141, which was not great given the good conditions.

Paul S and Andy Y opened the bowling. Though Paul got one of the openers with the 5th ball of the match, neither were up to their usual high standards. Rode's innings was similar to ours with the youngster playing riskily, but successfully for 63 and extras being the second highest scorer with 26 (we bowled too many wides – though the margins were tighter than usual). Andy and Paul were replaced by Fluffy and Kevin, Fluffy once again putting down a caught and bowled which would have had the youngster out for 20ish. Kevin took two wickets even though his neck was so stiff he was moving like Gladstone Small. Ahmad replaced Fluffy and bowled superbly, 8-4-20-2. Tall Ian came on down the hill instead of Kevin, but was struggling with a gammy arm though he had one caught well by Ahmad. Andy came back on in his place and between him and Ahmad the game got quite tense. In the last five overs, when Rode had one wicket remaining only 9 runs were conceded, with some unusually close fielders trying to snaffle the last catch. Unfortunately Rode remained calm and were given the winning run with the 20 th wide of the innings.

A very close match, slightly tempered with the knowledge that Rode only had 10 players.

Fixtures & Results 2008