Battle For Bonus Points

The Stiffs had to battle for bonus points after conceding a big score away at Caunton. This was our first visit to Caunton for almost 20 years and the ground would feature in any top 10 but for the lack of showers.

Leggy, with a new job in the bank, had a clear mind for once, but not clear enough to call correctly at the toss, and we were sentenced to chase leather on a rock hard pitch and a motorway of an outfield.

Our attack was weakened by Team Elliott being away at a wedding, and Cowlard playing at home. Caunton attacked confidently from the off, racing along at more than 6 an over throughout the innings. The Boss made an early breakthrough with The Adonis taking a smart catch at fly slip, but it was hard work for our inexperienced bowling attack.

Chris See-Soar came on first change and immediately got a wicket. The Caunton no.3 was clearly put off by Chris's new army haircut and Malc Healey took a great swirling catch at extra cover. Dimps announced he was donating his match tax to Chris to get his Barnet finshed off before next week. Later in his spell Chris yorked out another wicket finishing his spell with 2-32 off 6 overs.

Spin twins JB and Drurs couldn't find an inch of turn and the scorecard rattled along still further. Drurs squeezed out a couple of wickets with a stumping by Ernie and another catch by Malc.

With wickets in hand we went round the park in the last 10 overs. Caunton finshed on a massive 285-5 off their 45 overs, with the 16 year old no.4 reaching a fine 100 off the last ball. Leggy (1-62) and Drurs (2-69) took most of the punishment from their 12 overs to save the juniors from a harsh intro to League cricket. We didn't give up in the field and Dimps just shaded the fielding point with a perfect long barrier at cover point.

Tea was fantastic, and had most asking for positions down the order, so as to gorge on the couscous, onion rings, and vast fruit platter. Though the highlight was the home made sherry trifle topped with silver sugar balls, not seen since the 1970's.

With a weak batting side we aimed to get maximum batting points, with anything else a bonus. Ern and Drurs put on 90 in 20 overs until Ernie was LBW for 33, so plum that he actually walked! The home side didn't bowl too many bad balls and upwards of 8 an over was too much for us.

Malc took a while to get back into the groove, then hit a great straight 6 before being harshly judged LBW for 31. Paul Lay took the chance to get back into form and sprinted between the wickets to allow Drurs to bring up his century in the penultimate over.

We ended on 211-2 with Paul unbeaten on 18 and Drurs on 104.