Theale & Tilehurst 2nd XI vs Knowl Hill 3rd September 2005

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Report by Chef

What a strange day.  It felt like both the first and the last game of the season.  Having been 5 weeks since some of us had played cricket it felt like the start of the season but needing a win to guarantee promotion, it was definitely the last game.

It's been a long time since I've written a report for the 2nd's and the game was a couple of weeks ago so I'll see how it goes.

It started out pretty poorly, for me anyway!  60 minutes before leaving home I realised that I had not washed my kit, a sure fire way of getting fined on tour.  I took it out of my bag and it was creased and smelt, so I gave it a quick iron and a deodorant shower, I then made Phil Stephens tour hat which I had forgotten to do before tour (that did cost me a tour fine).  20 minutes after arriving at the ground I realised that I had left my kit at home with the aroma still protruding from the ironing board.  Thank god it wasn't tour as I'd be busking to raise the rest of my fine.  Fortunately Rags had a spare pair of trousers, more fortunately they were string tied which meant they didn't live round my feet but oddly enough Rag's shirt was too small for me but Tim's was just right.

Before the game Knowl Hill started what appeared to be a regular pre-match ritual of stomping down the mole hills.  Fortunately the moles weren't keen on the wicket and had stayed away from the square, otherwise it could have been interesting.  They were also late in putting the sight screens up, which was useful as Mike Toyer was late arriving. 

Now I'm a fat bloke and I like my food but I have never.....and I repeat.......NEVER walked onto the field with two sani's in my pocket.  Fair play though, at least he offered one to Rag's who clearly looked underfed.

Micky having lost the toss, which is what he did all of his first season (after the gap we are now in his second season as captain), we were put in to bowl.  Osman and I opened the bowling and managed to take the wicket of Darvell in the third over with just 2 on the board.  It got to the end of my fourth over and someone cut the oxygen to my body.  It seemed like the 5 weeks out and the obscene amount of pies I had eaten affected my fitness and 4 was all Micky was going to get from me.  Micky rightly brought himself on to have a go.

With the score on 95, Crawcour hit the ball straight back past Rags who didn't get a hand on it (wasn't in his catching triangle so didn't count as a drop!) but Osman diving to his left with both hands, then had to go with one took a Strauss like catch.  The best I had seen all season.

Knowl Hill never really got going and when their innings finished on 157 we felt we had a chance on a pitch that played far better than it looked.  Eddie was out early on and Micky was dismissed soon after with Rog hitting the ball back and the bowler deflecting the ball to run out Micky.

Rog and Mike got going with Mike scoring 16 off 7 balls but then scratched around before being dismissed for 17, picking out the man at deep mid wicket.  Rog was then out on 47 offering a simple caught and bowled chance.  It was then down to Rags and Nehal. 

Rags needed to not get out to win the batting award and it took him 13 balls before he was brave enough to try for a run.  As soon as he scored this run he then let loose.  I wouldn't dream of implying that he was playing for his averages, I am blatantly stating it!!!

Rag's and Nehal's clean hitting took us home.  We got the win we needed and we got promotion.  Micky has done a good job this season in getting us promotion for the 2nd year and I hope he continues next year.  Congratulations Micky and the rest of the 2's.