Oh dear. Oh dear. Oh dear. Well I guess we're allowed one off week in a season. Rowington travelled to Badsey for what should have been an exciting clash between the winners of the north versus the winners of the south. All started well when Sam yet again won the toss and elected to field. Badsey have put some huge scores on the board this year and the Rowington guys braced themselves for some big hitters. But in a very peculiar opening over Sam Turrell (14 for 2 off 2) bowled 3 no balls and took 2 wickets. Dale (1 for 1 off 3) and Ollie B (3 for 2 off 3) got rid of the next 3 and it wasn't until the seventh over that Badsey actually got a run. Tom (14 for 1 off 3) was followed by a classy Ostler performance of 3 wicket maidens. A final wicket maiden from Callum left the home side 41 all out and yet the batsmen's figures were 8,7,2,1 and 5 ducks. "How can this be?" I hear you ask. Simple - we gave them 22 runs in wides, no balls and byes. Shocking, but never mind. We only needed 42 to win.

 

In our minds the game was already won and a change to the batting order saw Sammy T (2) open with Ollie B (16), while Ollie K, thinking he wouldn't pick up a bat, got changed and went for a walk. The pair of them started well until Sam played the wrong shot and was out LBW. Never mind, we thought. Ben (4) will come in and hit a few sixes. We'll soon be on our way home. He started with a quality 4 leading to a lost ball, before getting clean bowled. Never mind, we thought. Dale (0) will come in and show them how it's done. But the ball hit the wrong part of the bat and flew straight into the hands of the grateful fielder. Never mind, we thought. Ollie Brown's still there. He'll retire on 25 and come in again if necessary, until he too hit a ball perfectly into the hands of the waiting player. Oh dear, we thought, as the score hovered around the 25 mark. We might actually lose this. Callum (1), a hastily changed Ollie K (0) and Tom (0) did nothing to ease our nerves as they hit catches and lost wickets by the handful. Never mind, we thought. The skipper will come in and calm everyone down. And he did. For a bit. Sam (6) and Joe (0 not out) chugged along nicely knowing they had 10 overs to get the winning few runs which were proving so difficult to get, until Sam hit a catch. Suddenly all eyes were on Ben Webster (2 not out). 2 runs needed. 8 overs to do it in. He swung wildly at the first ball. He connected with the second. He scampered like a greyhound down the wicket, saw the ball still wasn't in the hands of the fielders and turned and ran the most important 22 yards of his life. The 22 yards which saved the embarrassment of the team who looked like they might throw this match away with the most shocking score of 40 all out. Never have we felt so relieved to see the end of a cricket match.

 

We can come up with all kinds of excuses for this terrible batting display but the fact is this match was very even. Bowling was good from both teams, catching was excellent and batting was poor. On a different wicket anything might have happened.

 

It was great to have Matty back and even better to see him take 2 catches. Joe played an important supporting role and Ben Webster was quality, having been dreaming his whole life of this moment. Please get back on track next week - that wasn't enjoyable.

 

Final Score: Badsey 41 for 10, Rowington 42 for 8.