Ricky take league leaders all the way

Playing against the pre-match league leaders Ricky were always going to be asked to bat and sure enough we were duly inserted. The field was a strange one with fielders close in on both sides and the reason quickly became apparent - the pitch was a shocker. 2 balls an over would leap from a length, and any cross batted shots had to be firmly put away back in the locker.

Ken Brown went in the 2nd over pushing firmly at a 'leaper' which went straight to short cover. A good one-handed catch. Eugene and Paul set about rebuilding before Blackwell tried to dispatch a full toss straight back only to see the bowler clutch it by his boots. When Joe McC gave a tame catch to the keeper Ricky were in danger of another Old Camdenians. But then Eugene and Ronesh started to bat beautifully. Dispatching the bad balls they were cruising at 84/3 when Eugene somehow reached a wide and smashed it straight at short cover (still there) who clung on to a wonder catch. Out for a well crafted 30. John Wood tried to pull another lifter and hit it straight back to the bowler. And Ben Alnutt crashed a great lofted drive for 4 before getting a bottom edge to a full toss which demolished his stumps. The final coup-de-grace came when Ronesh cut a ball off the spinner which lodged in the midrift of 2nd slip. His hands were nowhere near it but it stuck there and Ronesh had to go. Young Jack Lee got another lifter which went straight to that man at short cover again, and Tony Mac had his bail gently dislodged as he misjudged a straight ball. Only 35 runs were added and we had collapsed to 119 all out.

The reply though started well, with the Ricky field able to be placed based on having already batted. Paul choose Ronesh to open with left arm spin and 2nd ball the captain got a lifter which he put in the hand of cover point (Jack Lee). Ronesh then bowled number 3 and Gary clean bowled number 4 and Wheato were 20/3. The next pair dug in, with the opener only choosing to hit anything on leg stump or wider. Very frustrating. Blackwell then shelled an easy catch in the covers before Jack Lee got one to lift which resulted in a catch for Eugene. Tony Mac came on to bowl at 84/4 and got a wicket with his first ball. Played on. Then the opening bat heaved a huge 6 off Tony before falling next ball to a good catch by Ben in the outfield. 100/6. Now Wheato started to play out maidens. Hitting nothing. Relying on singles. One batsmen got frustrated and holed out to Ronesh, giving Tony a 3 wicket haul. There was still time for Ben to drop a difficult outfield catch (which he regretted not catching, as it crashed into his knackers instead!). Ouch. And then they were home. 7 wickets down, but they looked like a side that could bat all the way down.

Wheato 30 points; Ricky 9

Wheato look promotion bound. Pauls' merry band of the young and the old, the infirm and the out-of-form continue to seek that elusive first win on the pitch. But keep picking up good points. Abbots Langley 4ths up next