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Last updated 06-Aug-2007.
Match Report
1st X1 v US Portsmouth.
Neil's calling of a coin gets no better and Sarisbury were sentenced to field on a beautiful hot sunny day, at last. Neil's back is still not right so Matt J and Joe opened. Joe started a bit wayward but settled down and his first spell went for only 3 an over. Matt was on the button from the start and made the batsmen work hard for their runs. However it was hard work in the heat and Matt bowled one over too many, 6 overs for 11 became 7 overs for 20. Now it was time for the spinners and I must say Danny slipped back into his first team place, replacing a holidaying Fred, as if he had not been away and taking a very fine caught and bowled early on. Both he and Keith bowled really well against batsmen who were determined to get on with things and. there was a critical moment when Danny was hit for 15 in an over. Many a captain would have panicked and gone back to the pace attack. Not Neil. Danny stayed and the scoring rate dried up. Their 24 overs yielded just 82 runs for 5 wickets. Keith got 3, 1 off a dreadful full toss. Both got hit for big sixes and we dropped some easy catches but the ground fielding was excellent. When the spinners finished, U.S. still had Zed Malik in, a big hitter waiting for the moment to try to get their total to a competitive figure. Now Joe returned but Matt was suffering from a sore leg so Neil chose Pete ahead of Chris for the closing overs. Both bowlers were expensive but both took wickets, Joe bowled a double wicket maiden and he richly deserved the rewards for his hard work. The important Malik caught behind off Pete without the big shots that we had feared. The last over was fairly typical, Pete was hit for a huge six then clean bowled the offending number 10 with a beautiful inswinger. U.S. had been on 154 for 5 after 40 overs but the planned acceleration didn't happen, they were 186 all out off 46!
Pete and Lester started briskly, putting on 47 in 10 overs before Lester went back to a straight one that stayed low and was adjudged LBW. Shortly afterwards Pete gave a ridiculously easy chance to mid-off who put it down. Big mistake. Pete simply hit the ball along the ground, finding the gaps with no more risks and making the game look easy. Chris was bowled off his pads when the score was 88 and Matt joined Pete and the scoring rate rose accordingly! Pete reached 50 out of 105 and then he began to open his shoulders. Matt took the supporting role and in the end U.S were looking a sorry outfit. Pete's last 50 runs came off 21 balls! His 121 included 21 fours and 3 sixes and came off 90 balls, very entertaining. The game was over in the 29th over and looked very one sided in the end. The team were well organised again and Simon's keeping was high quality, 3 more victims for the gloveman!
U.S. had no umpire so David had to do both ends, a very wearisome task as any umpire will tell you. I thought he had a good game again. The only other notable point was that the teas were undoubtedly the worst any of us had ever seen. The home side were very embarrassed about this and apparently they pay £120 per Saturday for them!
