8th Nov 2012 - A New Season Begins

This week's reporter-Captain Perry

Perry wins the toss and we decide to bat. We are only 5 but we’re quietly confident. There’s a new kid in town so Hill bats with Paulie. A steady start with a surge in the last two overs adds 37. 26 coming from the last two. Perry and Foss in next. Foss comes out warming up a little like Punter. Similar to the opening pair, a steady start and just the one out. Foss looks very comfortable and once he’s worked out the scoring zones he’s off and away. 46 added which included a promising 28 from the debutant. Last pair in and they pick Paulie for another bat. 2 outs from the first two balls but then they slowly crawl back out of the hole they dug and make 26. Paulie was doing the KP with reverse sweeps and back of bat shots to impress the crowd. Anyway 109 on the board was a good score but 5 in the field would be a challenge.

Perry opens with Dowell absent. No wickets and they push it around for 1’s & 2’s. Vlastuin next and he breaks through with a couple of wickets. Paul & Foss finish and the batting is a little more aggressive. 21 scored and the skin make 29. Danger pairing of Stutsel and Sarge in next. Hill is given the ball and Stutsel slugs 5 off the first ball. The rest of the over is quite tight. Perry next and although Stutsel is contained Sarge scores 5 this time. Oh for a 6^th player to reinforce the back net as both 5’s were stoppable. Paulie dazzles in his over with 2 wickets including a straight drive catch which was heading low and towards the back net. A 10 run play. Hill finishes off the pair but Stutsel breaks loose and slaps one to the back net. 47 off and we have a game on our hands. 33 required by the last pairing. Vlastuin starts with a great over, 2/5. There was a runout off a 7 which stopped them in their tracks.  Foss in next and it was great until the last ball 7. 16 needed from the last 2 and they’ve picked Chris & Paul to finish off. A mixed over with a nice caught and bowled taken adds 9. They need 7 to win. Paulie gets hit for 4 off the first, and again it’s due to the gap in the field. They scrape to a run in front after 3 and Paulie bowls a lovely dot ball for the fourth. 2 balls to go and we need a wicket. A short ball is hit to the back net but it’s taken quickly and the throw misses by a ball width with the batsman a metre short of his ground. Oh so close. 2 off the last and 119 seals a 10 run victory.

To sum up I’d say not having a 6^th was the difference. But every cloud has a silver lining and Foss’s batting, slow inswing bowling (reminiscent of one J. Clewlow) and nice keeping (reminiscent of one J. Clewlow) looks the goods. We look forward to next week.