"Feisty" is the word that I would choose to described the 1st meeting of the season between Bar Hill and Coton 2nds. Last season, the hosts had folded their 1st XI as they struggled to field two teams so were starting again from the bottom of the league structure. This meant they had some players that were obviously capable of playing in a much higher standard. Thus they arrived at the season mid-point with 5 wins out of 5 & one cancellation.
Bar Hill have a ground that slopes considerably from one end to the other and is eccentrically asymmetrical. They also have a fine sports and social club that servers a nice drop of ale.
Coton arrived with 5 wins out of 8 pending the appeal against one of the results. Ross was happy to lose the toss and have the decision on what to do taken out of his hands. We were invited to bat first and were soon in deep trouble.
Pete Jarvis and Oliver Bradbury opened, the former got off the mark with a 3. Oli then played the ball straight to square leg: Pete called for the run and rightly got sent back. While he and Oli debated the rights and wrongs of this at one end of the pitch the ball was returned to the bowler and we were 3-1. 3-1 became 4-2. The other Bar Hill opening bowler - probably the quickest we have seen this season, and also probably the best - bowled a wide, followed by one that broke through the surface and jumped alarmingly followed by one that clipped Ed Wheeler's bails.
This brought Ross to the wicket and then fun started. Within a few balls there had been two loud and enthusiastic shouts for LBW. Neither were out, both warranted a torrent of abuse and chirping at Rob (if only they knew that he was one of the most likely umpires to give a decision). Ross continued to give Bar Hill cause to whine as several more LBW appeals were turned down (127 by my reckoning). Not a one of them were out Ross invariably had a big stride and got outside the line. It didn't stop them from continuing to mouth off at the umpire.
The score was rising quite quickly. Both Ross and Oli were finding the boundary and despite some dodgy running were playing us back into the game. The halfway point was reached without further loss of wickets despite their being an appeal every other ball. In between these there were a couple of dropped chances that ranged between hard and so easy that my granny could have caught them whilst trimming rhubarb.
The two opening bowlers had retired from the attack to fester in the field (and continue appealing). The replacements still had us on our toes as there was quite a bit of movement and variable bounce. As it often does, the drinks break triggered a wicket. Oli feathered one behind and walked immediately. For those unfamiliar with the concept it's called "playing in the spirit of the game". Together Ross and Oli had added 99, Oli's contribution being 32. From 103-3 the rest became a bit of a procession and we subsided to 160 all out. Ross continued on his merry way before taking a tired looking swipe to be dismissed for 82. Nick Brealey and Bertie Elmes played some nice shots before perishing. In the midst of this the Bar Hill team took to abusing Oli who, umpiring at square leg, rightly turned down a run out. The others came and went culminating in a 1st ball duck for Rob. Ironically, after turning down so many appeals, he was LBW. See what happens when you actually bowl one straight? You get a decision in your favour.
Tea was taken and lacked a vital ingredient. Tea. There were a shed load of sandwiches however.
We took the field. It soon transpired that their two best bowlers were their two best batsmen. They got off to a rapid start and were 85-1 after just 15 overs. The ball was flying to all parts: not slogging, well struck cricket shots. Oli and Edward had opened the bowling but Ross proactively rang the changes looking for the breakthrough. He brought himself on at one end which slowed the scoring down and tried Andy and Rob at the other. Despite some near misses it didn't slow things down until the first of the opening bowler/batsmen launched one high into the air. Edward positioned himself under the ball, then decided he had enough time to nip down to Tesco for a soda, before returning to the field and taking the catch.
This brought the second bowler/batsman in and he took over from where the other had left off. The score accelerated again. The other opening bat was just hanging on without scoring too many.
It all turned around when Nick came on to bowl. The ball was launched towards the deep cover boundary. Oli ran in and swooping low took a fine catch on the move. We got the impression that the batsman was angry as he proceeded to demolish the stumps at the bowlers end with his bat and let loose a stream of expletives. Its the sort of thing that would lose a professional a large percentage of his match fee.
It soon became apparent that Bar Hill had a lot riding on those two players as the innings then subsided. Ross was in the middle of one of his patented probing spells and the pressure built up. At the other end Oli and Edward were equally effective. Ross was switching the field between attacking and defending causing the Bar Hill batsmen to think. The required run rate climbed, wickets fell and the batsman became increasingly anxious. Ross bowled out his 10 overs, finishing with 3-26. It was now down to the youngsters - Oli, Edward and Dominic. Oli bowled fast and straight in short bursts. His figures had taken some stick in the first spell against the 2 players in the opposition team. His later spells didn't and he ended with 3-30. Edward bowled four overs for just seven runs and although wicketless this economy pushed the scoring rate up to over a run a ball.
Dominic returned to the attack and was no balled first ball. We all looked confused: was it and overstep or a throw? Neither. The umpire claimed that as Dominic hadn't informed what he was going to bowl, it was a no-ball. Our resident rules geek - Rob - thought this was wrong, that the onus was on the umpire to ascertain the action not the bowler's to volunteer it. Not wanting to get into another bout of verbal jousting he kept his peace. It turns out Rob was right -- we'll have to see what happens in the return fixture.
Anyway, it didn't phase Dominic who ended with 2-22.
With 15 now needed off two overs, the final wicket was a neat bookend to the match. We had started our innings with a run-out and we ended theirs with one. The not-quite-as-bad-as-the-other-guy tailender tried to farm the strike and was run out by a very calm return back to Bertie Elmes who did the rest. 9 wickets had fallen for 61 and Bar Hill were 14 short.
There was just time for their stroppy players to have another hissy fit and didn't mix for a drink in their very nice social club. I wonder if they have some Australian connections? We get to do it all again next week. I can't wait to renew acquaintences with Bar Hill's charming players.
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