Upppdate!

Well it's been a while, so I thought it best to update. We'll start off with Saturday 4th June, when we played Nettleham. We bowled first, and it was a bit of a one-man show from their part. One lad hit 60, and the rest made 15s and 20s, and a few single figure scores, to get them up to 193, I had their opener stumped when he got to 60 with a nicely flighted ball that turned a decent amount, and had one of their middle order caught by Sam at cover. I got a bit of tap, but I bowled in the slog overs at the end, and came out with figures of 12-1-58-2. Expensive, but they were going for it. Bowled a few loose ones, but as a general rule I was very good. Teas were very good, and then we came out to bat. The openers put on 100, before Sam was stumped playing a silly shot for 43. Andrew made it to 59 before tiring and being bowled heaving across the line, and Kev followed soon after. Deegs and Edwin put on about 30, before Edwin was bowled, and Si Clark followed soon after, not without hitting a massive 6 though. I walked in 186-5, needing 8 off the last over. I faced, and got 4 off the first 2 balls, and then Deegs called me through for a bye, and he was ran out well short. Joe walked in, knocked the first one back to the bowler, and then called me through for a leg-bye, leaving me on strike needing 3 to win (déjà-vu anyone?!) My ex Uni president was bowling, and he bowled a length ball on the pads which I pulled away to deep-midwicket (they had 6 boundary riders, even though we needed 3 to win, it didn't make sense!) and slipped coming back for the 2nd, but I started legging it, and the throw came in... 10 yards over the keepers head! Nobody was backing up properly, so I scrambled in, and ran back for the 3rd! We'd done it, we'd finally won a game! Smashing! 7* off 4 balls, nice way to end the game!

Sunday's game was a decent effort, we batted first and thanks to Sam and Ben, who made 63 and 59 respectively, we made it to 155-3. Our opening stand was 43, but off 20 overs, so we really kicked on in the 2nd half. Teas were outstanding as always at home, and we went out to defend it. It didn't help that we dropped the openers 4 times, one was me, a caught+bowled chance they hammered back at me. Should've caught it, but since fucking my finger up I've been a bit hesitant with all catches, and I shelled it. They put on 107, and although I got rid of them both quite quickly, we never really stood a chance. They knocked it off, 4 wickets down. I ended up with 7-2-23-2. Decent, but not earth-shattering. Just not good enough really!

Had a midweek match we won, bowled 5-0-33-3, decent enough, dropped a very tough catch at backward point, full stretch, but 2 years ago I'd have been taking them for fun! REALLY need to work on catching.

On Saturday we were at home against Stamford Homes. Batted first, a slow start again. I came in at 98-3, but Kev was retired hurt, so at the time it was basically 98-4. 12 overs left, me and Deegs put on 20-odd, before he was out for 46 to a shot that he just didn't hit hard enough, by his own admission. Me and Dan H put on another 20, before he was bowled, and we eked out the remaining runs, another lad was cleaned up but we got to 155, I was 17*. Should have been so much more, but pre-meditated slogging took over! Teas were brilliant again, as usual! In reply, they made it to 67-2, with Clarkey getting both wickets, and then they just collapsed. Me and Deegs took 8 between us, I took 2 wickets with my worst 2 deliveries of the day, as usual. Beat the bat more times than I can count, but they just kept missing them, so I got them with a knee height full toss, and a half-tracker. All out 110, I picked up 12-5-34-3, Deegs 11.1-4-19-5. Quality work, 2 wins in 2 games! This is getting worrying!

2 more midweek games this week, Monday night we won, bowled first, kept them to 110, I went 3-0-14-0 (8 ball overs as well!) Dropped a toughie at backward point but ran the guy out off the same ball! Last night was... Terrible. Went for 1-31 off 3, dropped their main batsman off my own bowling, a sitter, on 40, he went on to make 81* and win the game. FML.

But hey, shit happens, move on! Sunday we have a Saturday-league game, roll on the weekend!