Bowled Jarrett caught Mastroeni (and repeat...)

Match reports, eh?  A bit like buses: they are always late, always stink, you seemingly wait for ever for one and then two arrive almost together.

On Saturday 26^th July, Coton took on local rivals Madingley at The Rec.   There was a league debut for Ben Jarrett who had also been tapped by the opposition to play for them only to discover that we had his league registration.  The Chandler Youth had its usual representation but there were less old codgers than usual. Madingley arrived as the league leaders with a 100% record.  Although they departed with that record intact we gave them a good run for their money.  If we play like that against the teams lower down we could end the season on a high note.    

The fixtures have a strange organization this year.   The match was the 4^th out of 5 successive home games, after which we will end the season with 4 consecutive away matches.  In spite of this the pitch is holding up very well and indeed got a “good” rating from a very friendly opposition.

Captain Moeen Chandler won the toss and we inserted Madingley.   The one-ball-per-game rule really does affect these decisions although in general we seem to be better setting a target than chasing.  They got off to a sound start in the face of some good bowling by Matt and Paolo.   The opening partnership was then broken is somewhat chaotic style.  Matt dug one in, and the Madingley opener’s attempted pull popped up on the leg side.   Cameron raced out from behind the stumps but could only take it on the first bounce.  Turning, he discovered that both batsmen were near the bowler’s end, whereas the bowler was by the stumps at the other.  The ball was calmly flicked in and Matt did the rest.  

Paolo came out of the attack with some very creditable – but wicketless – figures but Matt continued.  They had almost reached 50 when Matt brought one back through the gate to clean bowl the Madingley #3.   This precipitated a flurry of wickets.   Scotch had taken over from Paolo.   In his next over the first two balls disappeared to the boundary but the last two brought wickets.   The first was an LBW of the other opening batsman.  Scotch’s appeal was impassioned, loud and long.  At first it looked like the decision would not be given but after the longest period of consideration that I have ever seen the batsman was sent on his way.   Next ball a tentative push looped off the edge towards gully where Paolo, diving forward, took an excellent catch inches off the turf.  

Last week, I described Bobby as The Fielder Who Can Catch™.  This week he has a challenger: Paolo, who took 4.   

In the very next over, Matt rearranged the stumps again, in the space of 12 balls we had 4 wickets for 8 runs, and Madingley were stumbling at 56-5.  There then followed a recovery.   The next batsman chanced his arm and for 10 overs it came off.  The ball was often in the air, but only once went near a fielder when Bobby was unable to hold on to what would have been the catch of the season at deep midwicket.  Scotch was on the receiving end of many of these near misses, and Richard was the other suffering bowler.  We needed a boost and it came in the shape of Ben’s wrist spin.  His first over featured 2 wides, 7 runs and 2 wickets.  The first was an incredibly laid back, casual one handed grab by John Bason in the covers.  The second was a full toss that Paolo pulled down at deep midwicket.   In his next over, Ben and Paolo repeated the trick.  Full toss, heave to leg, good catch at midwicket.   Another flurry of wickets: 3 for 11 in 3 overs, had left Madingley on 118-8.  

Rob had now replaced Richard, getting his usual swing, and repeatedly beating both bat and stumps (and keeper) to no avail.   So back to Ben, and a 3^rd case of Ct Mastroeni B Jarrett in very similar circumstances.   The last wicket saw the ball pop up on the leg side from Ben’s bowling and this time Cameron was able to make the ground from behind the stumps to take the catch (with some juggling it must be said).

Ben finished with 5-26 from his first bowl in the league showing the value of (a) a spin bowler on the dry wicket and (b) Someone Who Can Catch™.   Madingley were all out for 156, with 6 overs still to go, a lot less than they would have liked but maybe 30-40 more than they should have gotten.

We then enjoyed a very tasty tea featuring homemade cakes.  Thanks to the mums who arranged this.

Bobby and Richard opened the batting carrying on the young/old strategy.   One was composed and soon moving the score along.  The other was Richard who soon holed out to mid-on.  Paolo was undone by a ball that bounced a bit more than he expected and he feathered a catch to the keeper.   Scotch, radically promoted to number 4 in a stunning move by Matt, played down the wrong line and quickly succumbed to the Madingley leg spinner K (not Kate!) Middleton.

The general consensus was that the bowling was OK but not too threatening.   Bobby had flourished at the other end while the wickets were falling and now he was joined by John.   The runs accumulated steadily and this pair put on 40 for the 4^th wicket.  It was only then that we twigged to Madingley’s dastardly plan.  The 5^th bowler that they brought on was their top wicket taker.   As if that wasn’t bad enough they then brought on a 6^th.   We had heard the Aussie accent in the field and wondered.   He wasn’t called Mitchell but he was distinctly quick.   Bobby pulled his first ball for 4 but off the last ball of the over John could only help a quick rising delivery on its way to the keeper and we were 78-4.   Matt decided to take the attack to the bowlers, swinging hard and often at the ball.  Sometimes he even hot it.   Bobby continued to accumulate at the other end and we reached the 2^nd drinks break at 96-4 , needing 61 off the last ten overs.

As often happens with these breaks wickets fell straight afterwards.   Bobby had been in for 30 overs and was looking a little tired by now.   He had just passed his 50 when Maggott tempted him into cutting one into the hands of point, and later in the same over Matt was bowled leaving us on 101-6.   Having been held back so long, Damien the Aussie was now equally mystifyingly withdrawn from the attack.   Cameron smashed a ball to the long off boundary off the returning Middleton but attempting to repeat the shot later in the over holed out in the deep.  David & Dominic tried their hardest to counter attack but both were bowled, the former by Maggot and the latter by Damien the Aussie who was now back in the attack.   The run rate was now reaching the impossible category but Ben and Rob had a few lusty swings before the former was dismissed by a very sharp caught and bowled by the Aussie paceman.

A promising 100-4 had subsided meakly to 122 all out in the penultimate over.   Beaten, but not disgraced, by the runaway league leaders we now have a week’s break.   Call outs today for the excellent batting by Bobby, catching by Paolo and Ben for his debut five-for.  The secret cricketer would like it to be known he was not out, again, Safwan would like Matt to know that he still has 10 overs available.