info@wollatoncc.co.uk

Founded 1884

Wollaton II C.C.

v

Keywoth I C.C.

 

South Notts Division C

 

Saturday 14 May 2010

 

 

Pleasant spring like conditions greeted the 2nds as they entertained Keyworth at hq.  Crossers won the toss and against his usual trend decided to bat first.  Unfortunately neither Jawaid or Ratters lasted long as Keyworth’s opening bowler, Steve Rendu, found some bounce and seam movement with the new ball and Wollaton were soon  24 – 2.  This brought together Adam Davidson and Sunil “The more vertically challenged one” Shrestha, and Sunil announced his intentions hooking his third ball for 4.

 

The partnership was quickly going on at 5 an over, as both batsman found that the rapid outfield help keep the score moving and both were prepared to put the singles in also.  Both passed 50 and Sunil greeted his by kissing his bat!!  With the sun out Fishy announced his shorts would make an appearance, Crossers counted that they weren’t shorts but ¾ length and they hardly counted, Ratters suggested they were long trousers for Tuna the previous year.  Anyway back to the action and at 140 – 2 with 20 overs to go a huge total seemed on the cards.  Needless to say things did not go to plan.

 

Sunil would go for 57 after a stand of 119, and the following batsman found it hard to put the foot down from ball 1.  The small inconsistencies in bounce and that with the shine gone, the ball was not really coming through.  Bayles and the Big Man managed teens in adding partnerships with Adam.  With the ball not coming on and Keyworth in defensive mode Adam slowed being unable to regularly find the boundary and he would go for an excellent 82.  Crossers and Fishy did what they could and Wollaton ended up 244 – 6.  A total they would have settled for at the start but it promised more.  With a rapid outfield and a small boundary one side this was not necessarily a winning score.

 

Keyworth’s start bat Ian Graham was hobbling and so teed off big style.  Not in slog mode but battering anything remotely loose, the only others runs scored were singles if he hit the boundary fielders.  Keyworth had 45 after 4 overs and Graham had passed 50 in the 6th over, the scoreboard was in meltdown.  Fishy was the bowler put to the sword.  While he did not bowl well, he will bowl worse and get wickets.  Saq was more fortunate at the other end.  After his first over he managed to bowl regularly at the other opener who appeared to be shotless, especially to the short ball outside off.  Saq even managed a bouncer and he would take his man.  

 

After two expensive overs (Fishy I will kept your figures a secret – don’t want to cause embarrassment) the Big Man came on.  With changes of pace and length he brought some control to the proceedings.  Saq got the crucial wicket with either a long hop (old school) or slow bouncer (new wave) depending on your point of view.  Graham smashed it straight at the only man saving 1 on the leg side and Crossers gratefully hung on.  Saq’s spell of 2 -31 off 9 overs was fairly impressive considering the score was 95 at the time.

 

With Runish replacing Saq and the Big Man bowling with the short legside boundary, Keyworth slumped to 107 – 4 after 21 overs as Wollaton shutdown the scoring rate.  Opening bowler Rendu came to the wicket and quickly put bat to ball, and with the other batsman in defensive mode the coring rate started to rise again.  Having bowled an 11 over spell the Big Man gave way to Hasan, but that did not prevent the rate rising further.  After Rendu had been dropped on the boundary and with Keyworth 191 – 4 with 12 overs to go Wollaton looked in trouble.

 

Runish got the breakthrough thanks to a great tumbling catch by Sunil to get rid of Rendu, and he shortly afterwards took one well of his own bowling to get rid of the other in man.  Fishy had bowled a tidy second spell and it appeared that Saq would get a second spell before Crossers decided to bring Big Man back to keep it tight.  John did whilst at the other Runish was ripping through the lower order.

 

2 overs left, 13 wanted, 8 down.  Crossers refused to bring the field in, believing that they would be unable to do it in 1s & 2s.  One run out then Runish bowled the last man and Wollaton were home.  The last batsman out muttered that he thought they were only 8 down and still had 1 more player left!!  Runish was the star of the show with 6 – 60 from nearly 15 overs, although Saq and Big Man both played good supporting roles.  A cracking game of cricket and victory.  

 

 

 

The Sage