Fillongley Cricket Club

Bablake 180 all out, Fillongley 183-5

As it’s a pain to write out scorecards I’m trying something else today. Please let me know what you think of this idea by leaving a comment.

This was definitely a day to win the toss, bat and make loads. Sun shining, a flat hard wicket and a strong batting line up. So we didn’t. Somewhere I have a double headed penny that my dad made for me at work. I need to find it!

Bablake started well and were starting to get their runs too quickly by the end of the opening bowlers first spells. When Andy Moore and Ian Webster came off having each bowled six the score was 59-1, with Bush and Pyott going well. Dave Slade and Tom Nightingale then came on and bowled their full 15 over spells, conceding less than three an over. Dave again took five wickets, including their top scorer and on the day best bat, Bush and Pyott, who was severely hampered by a torn hamstring but in whatever condition can do serious damage. Tom dismissed the Swaffield brothers and Tom Cowley. These two were bowled out after 42 overs, and the opening bowlers came back.

We could have been chasing 142 rather than 180. Sanders gave a chance behind before he and Paul Stidworthy (an old work colleague) made the total a bit more respectable.

This left 53 overs to get the runs. I felt that if we weren’t bowled out we should get the runs needed, especially bearing in mind that Bablake were short on bowlers. They started with spinners Swaffield and Cowley, who each bowled their full allocation of 16 overs. Opening partnerships haven’t worked out recently so it was a relief when Chris Hill negotiated the first over safely. Debutant Ben Fleming hit some top shots in a bright 21, while Chris performed the anchor role at the other end. Barber dropped to 3 but sadly his run continued. Stumped, though I thought he was actually given out by the umpire at he bowlers end. Good contributions from Aaron (25) and Pro (35) took us to 111-5 with 15 left. Pro batted with an injured hand and used Toms bat because somebody has to. Even though Bablakes openers had controlled the scoring rate we never needed more than five an over. Once they were bowled out the runs came more quickly and Phil Hammond (45 not out) and Tom Nightingale (36 not out off 31 balls) saw us home. It could have been a lot closer had Ron Barker not dropped Phil on 4.

Teas were good today. Some thought they approached Sheldon Marlborough standard but that is definitely going too far. Sheldon were the Barca of teas. This was maybe Everton, who are a lot better than Accrington last week.

A successful and enjoyable afternoon and we move up to 4th in the league now, above Bablake but 27 behind early leaders Nuneaton, with Bedworth to come next week.