10 pm games are not always the best - I was asleep in the comfy chair after a couple of obligatory wines and had to be woken to get to the game. Hill deputising as captain lost the toss and the Royals decided to have a bat. Dowells thrown the ball and beats the bat first ball and Rock siezes the opportunity to effect the stumping - brilliant keeping and were off to a flyer. Following some powerful hitting they manage to get 13 off the over. Vlastuin Jnr followed then Hill and Vlastuin Snr. Dowell dropped two catches at the back off Vlastuin Snr as the Royals cranked up the power hitting. 59! after 4 overs and things were not looking good.
Shaking our heads and banishing Dowell to the front and out of harms way we set about putting the breaks on. Donaldson first and had this second pair second guessing. Rock was having one of those nights behind the stumps with 4 maybe 5 stumpings - brilliant - even rubbing off to Donaldson keeping for Rock as effected another. Anyway the second pair were kept to 22 or so and on to the final pair.
This pair seemed to be content to play straight cricket shots and milk the runs - swung out a bit in the power play 3rd over and got themselves a bit caught in the final over - again Rock taking his opportunities. The total a daunting 113!
Donaldson and Dowell in first with the aim of building steadily but the new rules come in to play - a free hit off a front foot no ball allowed Dowell to have a go at one early - 4th ball seven and we were on our way. With Donaldson playing good cricket shots and Dowell taking his chances a tidy 45 was amassed after 4 overs. We've got chance.
Enter the Rock boys Snr and Jnr pinch hitting for Vlastuin Jnr and these boys had some fun. Snr was seeing the ball well - just following on from his form behind the stumps and belted what was reasonable bowling everywhere with Jnr backing his eye and scampering between wickets. 50! and Hill and Vlastuin Snr have only 19 to get.
The decision was to just get to the total no risk and 113 was reached after 11 overs. Just to make the final over a little interesting Vlastuin was caught off the first ball - but they steadied the ship got to 115 and Vlastuin kept the last one out. A great victory with everyone making a contribution also considering the bowling of the Royals wasn't that bad except they did bowl 13 extras with three free hits. Rock very unlucky to not be MVP as apart from his flawless 27 with the bat his keeping kept us in with the chance - if you call chasing 113 a chance. The beers were beautiful after that one.
From you faithful correspondent M. Dowell
