Fonthill Park 09/06/24

Skipper won the toss and elected to bat in a 35 overs contest.  David (4) opened the innings and slashed though point for four in the first over.  It was a disappointment that he got a ball that moved a lot to clip off stump next over.  Ben was progressing nicely and with Leo’s assistance the scoreboard was racing along – Ben clubbed 4 fours in one particularly impressive over.  Ben (21) was bowled playing a defensive shot leaving the Wanderers 47-2 from the opening 7 overs.  Jon joined Leo and took some time to get used to the variances of the wicket and the accuracy of the first change bowling.  Leo (21) used the slope to good effect and hit 4 fours in his innings which was ended with a tame shot to square leg that appeared to offer catching practice (66-3, 11).  Charles (on debut) was in at five and set about a partnership with Jon.  The 2 batsmen complemented each other with Jon hitting some huge sixes and Charles hitting 5 fours including up the hill!  Charles (39) was disappointed to be caught when well set, but the 118 partnership had put the Wanderers into a strong position (193-5, 33).  With an unsporting attempt at a Mankad on the new batsman Foz, which was quickly repelled by the rest of the Fonthill team, Skipper (1) ran himself out with a direct hit (194-6, 33).  Foz and the Brill marshaled the last 2 overs to leave the innings to close on 198-6.

Stu opened from the tree end bowling round the wicket struggled with his line.  Leo opened from the Pavilion end and was hit to the boundary several times in the opening 3 overs.  Jon suggested Stu bowled over the wicket with Leo taking a good catch at cover straight after Skipper had put down a sharp chance standing up to the wicket (10-1, 3).  With Skipper protecting the boundary down the slope and some quality fielding, the pressure was applied with Stu again with the breakthrough with Charles taking the catch at extra-cover (33-2, 9).  Stu demolished the stumps in his next over with a ball that straightened down the hill and through the gate (39-3, 11).  Stu (3-12) and Leo (0-43) bowled their allocation straight through, bringing Ben and Charles into the attack.  Ben used the same angles as Stu with good effect.  He got the crucial wicket of the opening batsman who’d just reached his fifty when Leo took a catch at second gulley, a fielding change brought about by a discussion between Jon and Skipper (77-4, 19).  Charles was providing some real pace from the Pavilion end with 5 fielders behind square on the off side!  Unfortunately some wides dented his analysis but with Ben (1-18) and Charles (0-27) coming off, Skipper turned to spin.  David (0-17) found the slope challenging and was carted to square-leg when he dropped short.  PW was driven to cow-corner and beyond but did get the breakthrough with Skipper taking a comfortable stumping (142-5, 26).  57 runs were required from the final 9 overs and Jon and Foz were to bowl them.  Foz got an instant breakthrough with Stu taking a catch at point.  A few balls later and the outside edge was found and Skipper made no mistake (158-7, 28).  A few tight overs saw the game swing more towards the Wanderers, but the possibility of boundaries was always present.  A real chance came when another top edge cut went to Stu, but this time he couldn’t hold onto it.  Jon swung the ball well and deserved his wicket when he bowled the batsman through the gate (171-8, 31).  28 required from 4 overs with only 2 wickets in hand.  Unfortunately Foz was driven for a huge six followed up with an edge to the third man boundary and now it was 13 from 3.  Jon conceded 6 but Foz brought the game back on with Jon taking a catch leaving 6 required from the last over, but the in-form batsman on strike.  The first ball was hit for 4, with all fielders protecting the boundary.  After a dot-ball a huge shot to cow-corner where Foz was positioned.  It looked like it might be catchable until it continued to sail over his head.  Defeat by 1 wicket in a cracking game.

MOM: Jon – a cracking innings and great contribution in the field

Catch of the day: Stu at point.

Quote of the day: Well done Skipp for getting them to use a ball with no seam!