Report by Fingers

This game is one that suffers from the weather: rained off last year without anyone having to go to the ground no one would have been surprised if the same had happened this year when they looked out the bedroom window first thing Sunday morning.  When I was stood outside Sainsbury’s on Sunday morning waiting for the fire alarm to stop so that I could buy the tea things (yes for the other game, even I don’t make teas for away matches) I did think it might be one of the more futile things I have done.

The weather did hold during the morning and we made it out to Rotherwick.  James lost the toss and we were asked to bat.  Early considerations on the batting order centred on ‘phoning Wiggy to see how far from the ground he was; the fact that he ended up batting at eight shows what an ordeal his journey to the game was.

As it was Raj and Charlie opened the innings.  Raj went early on when he nicked a drive to the ‘keeper and Aygzz soon followed, for a second he might have thought he had got away with it as the bowler who was best placed to take the catch fell over but Hooper came across from mid off to complete the dismissal.

Charlie and James got the right bit of the score board moving with James carrying on with his imperious stroke play from the day before.  It was a surprise when he mistimed a drive to be caught at deep mid off and no doubt the Rotherwick players were pleased to see the back of him.

We then subsided to 71-5 and for the second week running it looked like we were up against it with the bat.  However, with the added incentive of trying to make sure the recently arrived Wiggy didn’t get in Big Al and James W knuckled down to their jobs.  They started to build a good partnership and had forced the field back when what had been occasional bits of rain became heavier and the players were forced from the field.

An early tea was taken and only a few minutes playing time had been lost when play resumed.  Big Al went to his fifty shortly after and with James W making a good 27 they put on a partnership of 110 for the sixth wicket; a new record for the sixth wicket in friendly cricket for T&TCC.

Wiggy finally made it to the crease for a few wild swings before James declared with the score on 207-7 giving Rotherwick and hour and twenty overs to get the runs.

Terry went early to a Puri full toss and just as the game started looking like it was going to get really interesting the rain returned.  Initially it was heavy rain but it soon turned in to torrential and the game was called off as puddles started to form on the outfield.

Bearing in mind the trying weather conditions and the truncated nature of the game this had been an enjoyable afternoon’s cricket.  However, things were about to take a nasty turn as in a freak accident after the game had been called off James dislocated his knee.  Our best wishes go to James for a speedy recovery and we hope to see him back on the field as soon as possible.  Also a big thanks to Aygzz who was an absolute star in taking control of the situation bringing his first aid skills to excellent use until the ambulance arrived; even the paramedics were very complimentary of his efforts both before and after they arrived.