Blog from the boundary – vs Oundle Town 3rds – 4th June 2022

First off, I must apologise for the tardiness of the blog this week, I’ve only just got back in the door thanks to the woeful public transport around here. I don’t know what I said to our dashing young British-Australian (or is it the other way round?) when he gave me a lift to the ground, but he was nowhere to be seen at the end of the game…

Cap’n John won a toss… perhaps we shouldn’t let him do them the rest of the season. Bowling/fielding it was, and given the tinge of green on the wicket you’d be fooled into thinking the ball might do a bit, it didn’t. The Oundle openers looked comfortable and assured against Rick and Sparrow (Jac P), ticking the strike over. Anand and Pinny were introduced in the 10th and 11th over respectively, with Anand finally making a breakthrough in the 16th, a sharp chance taken well by the skip behind the stumps. Oundle 54-1.

The middle overs just didn’t go our boys way, Pinny toiled, but took a fair bit of tap, eventually going for (an uncustomary) 60 runs from his 10 overs, without a wicket! Anand finished with the single wicket of his 10 overs, but for a much more impressive 22. Oundle 119-1 (still!) after 29.

To finish off the innings Rick and JJ (the mullett) Adams got thrown the now soft pill, and much to Pinny’s annoyance, very nearly mopped up the remaining nine wickets in 11 overs. Both taking 4 wickets in no time at all, 6 of which were bowled! Ricki will say it’s because he got to bowl at his favourite end… but we all know that’s just in his head! Oundle finish on 167 – 9, Rick – 4-26, JJ – 4-26, spooky!

Highlights in the field, (other than not hearing JB shouting – “watch the bounce”, “catch it”, “shabash” etc etc) Steely the silver fox sliding to try to save a boundary and kicking the ball further, or Michael’s poor feet taking a battering yet again at fine leg!

Because there’d been a bit of rain about during the first innings the boys turned straight back round and John and Jac lead the GP innings out – and then didn’t. John falling for 8 in the first over, Pinny to the crease.

His and Jac’s partnership was building well, there were never going to be any quick singles, but when Jac eventually fell for 26, the GP score had moved along well to 63. Unfortunately no sooner had Jac missed a straight one than Pinny (21) decided to try to out hit the wind and what looked like a lofted drive over mid-off duly plopped straight into his welcoming paws.

Ryan came to the crease, but obviously had somewhere to be and ran himself out for a quick 5, leaving Anand and Tiley to bring it home, and for a while it looked like they might, taking the score to 104 before Anand (16) missed a straight one. Rick and Jon also looked untroubled, and then out of nowhere Jon’s back foot came unstuck and as it slid out of his crease his bails were whipped off – 21 and stumped. Rick missed one (for 10) and suddenly GP were 126-7 off 29. Ahead of Oundle with runs at the same stage, but 6 more wickets down. The old silver fox bludgeoned 7 but eventually lofted one in the air, JJ came and went for 1, and Michael extended his scoring streak with 2. Craig Not out! But GP falling short, 135 all out.

Now, I’m not going to name them, but 3 of our batsMEN were out to a 12 year old, a good 12 year old, but a 12 year old nonetheless…

The only thing left for me to wonder upon was what that dishy scorer who hid himself indoors away from me meant by the letter identifiers next to each batsmen, the most curious being:

John Mason – GF, Jon Tiley – SS, Steve Steel – NBH.

Answers on a postcard please!

MoM – tough call between JJ and Rick, but with a second spell of 4-14 I think Rick just squeaks it, JJ you were just a whisker behind.

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