Batting Blues Again.................

The Niffy 2’s headed into today’s game against Bitteswell having suffered the loss of 3 of last week’s winning side to the 1’s, but welcomed back Degs, Will and Gibbo.
Losing the toss should not have been an issue, but being asked to bat and losing Deg’s to the 1st ball of the game was not, err, ideal! Man of the match Ronald Mcdonald started repairing the damage and started to put on a few before Will was the next to lose his wicket and leave us in trouble at 20odd for 2.
Ben Sharpe and Matt then looked comfortable and in control and took the score easily up to 90-2 at drinks never looking in any real trouble. And from there, it all went downhill. Ben getting bowled to “ball of the day” (did we fine you for that), and Honest Matt walking for a caught behind led to a rapid loss of the rest of the order. It was a batting collapse of the highest order, with no-one deserving a mention with the final score of 120 never looking like enough.
With a lot of overs to defend, it was always going to be a difficult job to get anything from the game. A quick team talk asking the players for an honest performance and we were off. A couple of missed chances and a missed decision meant that the early wicket we were looking for wasn’t found. Bowling changes came thick and fast as the skip looked for a wicket taking combination, which came from the recalled Gibbo when the opener pulled one round the corner straight into the arms of Ben Sharpe.
More bowling changes came and went, but it wasn’t until the late introduction of Matt that we got any more wickets. Two good in-swinging Yorkers accounted for two players bowled, but that was the last of the good news for the Niffy. 38 overs were required by the opposition who took their time because they could.

Caribbean next week, so lets make sure we bring our best carnival cricket