info@wollatoncc.co.uk
Founded 1884
Wollaton II C.C.
v
Wilsons C.C.
South Notts Division C
Saturday 24 April 2010
Summer had seemingly arrived, with the Old Current Bun out, temperatures up, global warming had appeared to arrive. Crossers in his 3rd stint as 2nd XI captain (desperate, sad, no other candidates take your pick) promptly lost the toss to Wollaton old boy Imran Shahid and Wilsons opted to bat. Despite all the careful planning, the first game at HQ in the season had one overlooked issue, inability to find a key to open up the scorebox. With Gren muttering about Ed must have moved the key and that why can’t you find the right screwdriver, he managed to unscrew the lock just as Chairman Fishwick turned up with a key!
Shapo opened up and seemingly was doing his best Colin Elliott impression. After three overs his groin was troubling him, but he could keep plodding in at this pace but was unlikely to manage a 2nd spell. At the other end Saq initially fed the opener, as anything up to him was launched. Drop it short and he didn’t want to know. Shapo got him caught by the more vertically challenged Sunil and would pick up a second with a rather generous LBW, 11 overs 2-26 was a good tight opening spell. Saq after picking his first of the season LBW for the opener gave way to Mr Fish. Fishy’s natural outswinger was negated by two left handers being at the crease, although the clever use of the Bottesford position (the virtual backstop) saved a number of runs. When he finally got a right hander on strike he was quickly removed thanks to Ratters at slip, if he had missed it the first aid box may have been required for facial injury!
Runish replaced Shapo and would wheel away for the rest of the innings at the top end. He suffered from a slow pitch that saw the left handers play him off the back foot whenever possible and their stylish number 4 looking to smack the spinners whenever possible. However 4 – 59 from 13 overs was a good effort and was the best bowling effort of the day. Fishy was replaced by Hasan who was pulverised by Wilsons in their unorthodox approach as the run rate was getting rather high. Big Man came on to keep it tight and once Runish got their number 4 out it appeared Wollaton may bowl them out for 170. Saq returned for a 2nd spell but in the end was blowing somewhat later admitting he could be more match fit. Ratters suggested instead of a car jack at work to use his hands to lift cars. However the tail wagged and Wilsons managed 213 – 9. This appeared a decent score, as due to the wicket being on the far side of the square and therefore not being flat, bounce was inconsistent.
The re-united opening pair of Jawaid and Ratters did not last long, Jawaid the victim of another generous LBW decision. Crossers and Big Sunil both played on, as Wilsons’ bowlers were bowling a more tight line. Big Man was then given run out when he appeared to be beside the umpire. People do know the Big Man that he never moans and groans but he was asking the umpire how he could be given out and the crashing of gear in the dressing room could be heard. Ratters was still there but the run rate never got going and when he went for a battling 28 in the 24th over, with the score in the 50s any hope of victory had gone.
The more vertically challenged Sunil started breezily enough but then went cloud watching at Imran. At the other end the ever improving Fishy put together a quality innings to save Wollaton from defeat as he made an unbeaten 26. As the overs ticked down, he was even protecting Hasan from the strike. He later declared that it wasn’t protecting Hasan but not to lose another wicket so that Shapo and Saq would be exposed! Wollaton limped somewhat to 114 – 7.
Wilsons undoubtedly bowled tighter than Wollaton, so taking advantage of the slowish pitch and uneven bounce to make batting more difficult. Their unorthodox batting also aided them. Not a total disaster though as Wollaton still managed 6 points ever though they were outplayed.
The Sage