Two on the Bounce!!

****Apology**** not for my rant, which is very valid, but apparently i put the first catch of the game down to Matt, and not Pops last week. Sorry! But you cant expect the best fine leg fielder in the club to be up anywhere where catches needed to be taken....

this week. On the back of a nearly convincing win against a strong Kibworth side, confidence was high(ish) heading into this week's game at the picturesque Medbourne. Winning the toss and electing to field first, Joe with his nails nice and dry this week took the first over, and soon learnt not to pitch it short to Barton. Ash Willan, really starting to get his rhythm back, bowled a nice tight line, putting plenty of pressure on their openers, and soon claimed the wicket of the dangerous Barton, bowling 3 good dot balls before tempting him into a drive(that was the plan but it was actually a cut as it was a little too wide) which he did well to reach and snicked to Will.
With Joe's spell finished, golden arm McDonald started his spell, and as usual, was soon in the wickets, bowling Preston, and then having Jarvis caught by Degs, diving??? at first slip. Matt also removed Clarke, caught by Ash, before Hall and Williams started a mini revival. It was not a week for spin, so Rich replaced Gibbo and struck in his first over, Williams LBW.
Then the madness really set in. Clarke was run out by "fine leg" Pops, setting off for run that was never there, and then to make it worse, Thompson was also run out by Pops when they tried to run a cheeky second to him! Rich then got his second wicket, Bell caught at point by Matt, and just to keep Matt's good day going, he then ran out Christiansen who also went for a cheeky second. Karl even had time to wave the ball around the stumps a couple of times before taking the bails off. Rich wrapped up the innings, bowling last man Burton for a duck to leave Medbourne 120 all out with Niffy gaining an over. Honourable mentions need to be given to Karl for his very tight bowling, and in general, it was the tight bowling that created the pressure that delivered the chances. Plus Will, who kept beautifully, standing up to both Karl and Rich even though the pitch seemed to behave a little lively at times.
A ridiculously fabulous tea. even with us all sitting there stuffed with pizza, quiche, fruit, cakes, salnies, etc. more and more food kept being delivered from the kitchen. amazing.
and then it was the Hayden show. Degs perished in the first over, chasing a wide one off Bell, and then Hayden had a shaky first over against Hall, just getting a single. Another single in the next over against Bell, and then Matt drove Bell for the only boundary that he conceded in the whole game. Hall's second over was slightly different, Hayden hitting one 6 and 3 fours to really get the Niffy moving. Bell then went through a spell of maidens, but it didnt really matter, as down the other end, Hayden was making hay. ten came off the leg spinner's Clarke's first over, with 3 x 4's coming off his second, and 3 x6's and a four coming in his third. All scored by Hayden.
During this spell, Matt had perished to Bell, caught behind, and Rich had been ably supporting Hayden in a partnership of 46....all scored by Hayden! After Hayden went for a very good 73, wickets came and went. Rich second topped scored with 9 off 4 balls...ahem......and the rest of the team chipped in with single figure scores. Losing 7 wickets seemed like it was going to put us in last weeks position, but it was the younger Hawker brother that guided us home this week, to another much needed 25 points.