Adam Lay I Bounden

Score Card 
League Table 

I apologize for the lateness and brevity of the report.  My source has been pleading overwork, so when I finally chased him down to say some words we wasn't too forthcoming.

From what I can gather, the Coton promotion machine rumbles on to the last game of the season.  For the second week running we were faced by a team of nine.  Is this disrespect?   "Oh, it's only Coton" I hear them say.  "We can beat them with nine."   "Including two grannies, and a cardboard cutout."

As it was when we last played, Longstowe's ground is the epitome of village cricket.  A tree inside the boundary (bloody big and no-one managed to hit it), a mediaeval church, a changing room almost as old, and long grass covering the rolling outfield.  Combined with the long boundaries the long grass helped keep the score down restricting the teams to a combined nine boundaries.

We opened with Mr Fox and Mr Elmes and they gave us a solid start, 29 in 12 overs, before Bobby was LBW to the more threatening of the two opening bowlers.  Bobby's glances and flicks were being swallowed by the lush outfield, turning fours into twos. That's what coaching does for you, playing the ball on the ground isn't always the best idea.

Adam Bradbury joined Gabriel and the scoring rate went up.  A bit.  We made it to half way with one wicket down and sixty on the board before Gabriel was bowled.  

This triggered that rarest of events: Ross Chandler batting for Coton, his first game for three years.  This was a chance for him to show why his coaching of the juniors has brought so much success to the club in the last few years.  Anyone suggesting "glory hunting" with promotion in sight are just being churlish.  Ross scratched around for a few overs before departing, muttering about his eyesight, bringing Adam Wright to the wicket.

In the bible, the returning prodigal son is greeted with a coat of many colours and a fatted calf.  Adam got a pair of shorts and a tuna sandwich.  He was a little out of touch, and the Longstowe skipper was soon appealing for a caught behind.  Rob turned it down on the basis that it had been edged into the ground and was a bump ball.  Longstowe were still muttering about it for overs afterwards.  On the next delivery the Longstowe captain "Mankaded" Adam Bradbury.  Adam was palpably out of his ground, but the appeal was withdrawn and Adam told it was a warning.  

Next ball, Adam Wright edged to the keeper again, and this time there was no doubt.  The bowler then attempted to Mankad Adam again but the latter had gotten his bat down, just.  He holed out a couple of overs later for a very impressive 44.

Richard stopped watching the buzzards long enough to bat, and with Matt started to up the score.  It was still difficult to get away, and aggression was often rewarded with a wicket.  Richard was LBW, Cameron bowled for a duck and Dominic run out, having been sent back by his skipper (no playing for the average there, then). Rob hit a couple of lusty blows before missing a straight one, and Matt saw out the innings with Tom.  139-9 was a struggle, but the bowling had been tight, the fielding enthusiastic, and the grass long.

Longstowe had similar problems scoring.  Matt and Rob opened the bowling, and although both went wicketless in their opening spells kept the rate at under two an over.  A couple of chances went begging to Rob's chagrin and the nerves set in.  We needed wickets and Matt shuffled his pack.   Last week's bowling star, Adam Bradbury, replaced Rob and then Ross came on for Matt.  Adam wasn't quite on the money as had been the previous week and it was Ross that made the breakthrough.  The opposition captain was his victim and he was sure that he had hit the ball.  He had, but it was pad first, then bat which makes the LBW shout legitimate.

Ross went on to reel off 10 consecutive overs for just 19 runs.  He didn't get another wicket but the required run rate was growing.  From 3.5 per over when they started, to 4.5 at half way, to 5.  Adam wheeled away with a combination of unplayable deliveries and slightly more playable ones.  It was from one of the latter that the Longstowe number three slapped the ball into Gabriel's midriff at short mid-wicket.  Matt shuffled his pack again.  Ross was bowled out and Adam Wright got the call.  Richard bowled a single over from the other end that included 4 wides and Rob came back for a couple more unsuccessful overs.  All the while, the nine of Longstowe got closer and the score moved on to 93-2 with 10 overs left.  47 needed to win, with 6 wickets in hand.

Adam Wright immediately got impressive bounce and turn and got his reward  by bowling the remaining opener.  Matt span the wheel again and brought himself back.  This was the decisive move.  In four overs, 93-2 became 104-6. Adam got a 2nd from a smart catch by Cameron behind the stumps.  Ross was encouraging Cameron to get closer and stay down longer and our young keeper became noticeably more decisive as the innings progressed.   In the next over, Matt struck twice.  The first was a leaping, diving take at midwicket by Gabriel.  Richard mused that it was like a raptor taking a small bird in flight.  Next ball Matt bowled the unlucky teenager that had been next to the wicket.

36 to win, but now only 2 wickets left.  Adam Wright struck twice more.  A towering shot was sent in the direction of long on.  Gabriel steadied himself under the ball, read the coaching manual, consulted his stock broker and completed the third of a very impressive hat trick.  Each was difficult in different ways and each taken.  There have been other examples of the ball following a specific fielder (Bobby, Paolo) this season, and each has been up to the task when called upon.

By now Richard and Rob were both almost unable to move with injuries they had picked up and both were trying to avoid the call from Matt now he had finished his alloted overs.  Neither was needed as Longstowe's last man advanced down the track and Cameron whipped off the bails to complete the stumping.

Longstowe were 121 all out, Coton victorious by 18 runs with 10 balls left.  This puts us 3rd in the league and a win against Bottisham-Lode on the final day will see us into 2nd.   It was a good all around team performance.  Adam Bradbury lead the batting with his 44 supported by useful runs from Gabriel, Bobby, Richard and Matt.  For the 2nd week running a wrist spinner called Adam took 4-10, this week it was Adam Wright.  He did it in one over less than Adam Bradbury the previous week.