St Minver 14/07/24

After an evening out in Penzance with beers, a Chinese meal (keep Ben’s stomach happy) and Rumours nightclub, the Wanderers returned to North Cornwall to St Minver. Stu had primed the home team that the Wanderers would be a useless bunch, however the 10 players happened to all be capable of scoring a 50! After a mutual toss the home team decided upon a 32 overs match. David (8) opened with the Brill and started to play aggressively, before edging to the keeper in the third over. Tommy was soon into his stride punishing anything to the short boundary. Stu meanwhile was troubled by the young leg-spinner, although his dismissal was due to some excellent fielding and a slow run (run out 9). Ben (5) was also run out, however this was superbly comical. Some dreadful calling resulted in both batsmen going, stopping and going again! They looked like the chuckle brothers! It was Tommy (42) who was next out, trying to pull a fairly full delivery and losing off stump (125-4, 20). Brett and Tom looked to be comfortable at the crease, rotating the strike with multiple singles. Brett (23) was unfortunate to be out to a good catch bringing Skipper to the crease. Tom was in attacking mode with Skipper content to rotate the strike. However, having brought up his fifty with his second six, Tom (55) was bowled to bring Nick in to bat with his swollen hand. Skipper now started to accelerate the scoring, with multiple sixes into the next field. He was dropped on the square-leg boundary but then launched a straight drive that would comfortably cleared any boundary. Nick played his part in a productive partnership with a driven six of his own into the next field. 252-6 from 32 overs with Skipper (67) and Nick (12) not out.

With a quick turnaround Brett opened the attack and was dispatched for 14 in the first over by an impressively aggressive opening batsman. The next over was from Foz, who was given a wide first ball with the ball passing 6 inches outside off stump (in recognition of the wides from yesterday, organised by Stu). However, the over went for 23 with the ball travelling a long way into the next field. Brett bowled the other opener next ball to bring in the home skipper. Tommy replaced Foz and generated some raid pace off his long run up but his radar was off and had Skipper diving all over the place behind the stumps. Ben replaced Brett and used his in-swinging prowess to bowl the opener for 31 entertaining runs. David took the next wicket with a ball that rushed the batsman who offered up a catch. With the Brill on at the Pavilion end, the all important wicket fell with the home skipper top-edging a pull to Tom. ” more wickets came to the Brill who finished with 3-3 from 3. Nick started to rip through the tail, at one point on a hat-trick but the batsmen insisting on another go! There was even time for Big Dog to have a bowl before the Wanderers wrapped up a 109 run win.

After a BBQ at the bar, the bus went to the beach bar to watch the sun set (Ben had a swim and Nick watched football).

MOM: The Brill for an unplayable spell of bowling with the critical wicket.

Catch of the day: Tommy took 3 catches (and put an easy one down) but Tom was the critical catch.

Quote of the day: It stays on tour.

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