info@wollatoncc.co.uk
Founded 1884
Bottesford I v Wollaton II
South Notts Division C Saturday 1 May 2010
Theories, strategies, game plans or whatever the phrase is, are part of the modern game. Very rarely do things go completely according to plan and the key is how sides adapt. The 2nds turned up with 4 slow bowlers, spinners is probably generous to describe Adam Davidson and it could be argued his quicker ball may be quicker than any of Wollaton’s bowlers, Crossers was hoping for a Mumbai Bunsen and instead got a green top in Bottesford. With the weather forecast expecting heavy rain from late afternoon, Crossers aim was to put them in, bowl them out cheaply and knock them off quickly before the rain was due to arrive. Needless to say it did not go according to plan.
He did win the toss and insert Bottesford in bright sunshine. Shapo, whose groin went in the first over, but gainly carried on for a 15 over spell and Fishy opened up and kept things relatively quiet, aided by a very slow outfield. Eventually Shapo started taking wickets aided by a good catch from slow bowler Davidson and was on a hatrick. Fishy can count himself unlucky to be wicketless. Fishy was replaced by Runish who continued to keep things tight, and at the half way point Bottesford were 69 – 3. Shapo eventually finished up with 3 – 48 from 15 overs before hobbling into the outfield.
Hasan replaced Shapo but Wollaton were unable to take any wickets in the middle period of the innings. Bottesford’s batsman were putting together a decent stand and started getting after Runish, and with 11 overs left, Bottesford were around 150 – 3. Adam Davidson replaced Runish but it was Hasan that picked up both of the Bottesford batsman who had passed 50 both caught by Crossers in the deep. Dr Death replaced Hasan and picked up 2 more wickets and with slow bowler Davidson keeping it relatively tight Bottesford ended up 203 – 7. Fielding was the usual mixture of good, bad and possibly ugly. With G Spot keeping, Bayles found himself in the outfield, dropped a difficult one in the covers, but produced a brilliant piece of fielding at long off to restrict it to one. The ugly or possibly amusing item was when Bottesford’s slogger came in with a railway sleeper, carved it through backward point which saw a foot race between the senior pro Ratters and the hobbling Shapo. Yours truly can’t comment on the outcome as he was left chuckling, humour or embarrassment I won’t reveal but I did not even see the outcome.
Fighter and Ratters opened up, Ratters went early gloving a lifter and Big Sunil entered the fray. Fighter kept hitting fielders and would eventually go caught and bowled. Suman quickly followed and “Spinner” Davidson joined Sunil to put on the biggest stand of the day. Both ran extremely well with a lot of singles and due to the slow outfield numerous 2s and 3s and after a slow start the run rate began to pick up, and after 24 overs Wollaton were also 69 – 3, identical to Bottesford.
With the weather now distinctly Derby Road but the rain still not arriving, Bottesford were hamstrung as their one slow bowler exited the game with a bust thumb as he dropped a screamer from Sunil. With an all seam attack, Sunil in particular started powering ahead. Front foot was principally through cover and extra cover, short went through and over square leg and mid wicket. He hit 3 6s, 1 was massive that cleared the pavilion. Having put on over 100, a confusion saw Adam run out for 29. Bayles who due to his fielding exertions, had a kip with his pads on in the dressing room, entered the fray. Sunil passed 100, as Bottesford were struggling. Bayles would go but Wollaton’s long batting line up meant quality batsman were arriving at the crease, Crossers in at 7. The game though by this stage was effectively over as Sunil was scoring at will, eventually finishing the game off in the 45th over, unbeaten on 127, and a 5 wicket win. This was a magnificent innings which showed what an excellent player he is. A good win for the 2nds.
The Sage