Eleven Man Team

The Firsts silenced the critics who had dubbed us a one man team, with a great all round win on the road at Long Whatton.

In team news, we were missing one-man-team Iggy, captain Tinno, and the Long Haired Buffoon, but stand-in skipper Bobby was able to call on Second team stalwarts Drurs, Cowlard and Kitch, to add experience if not athleticism.

KCC's pin up boy Tommy Randall was desperate to get his pretty-boy face on the official squad photo, so much so that he turned up a week early at the F of D, to find only Leggy for company, buttering bread for the Stiff's banchetto Italiano.

Meanwhile Jay was doing his utmost to avoid opening, reportly going via the Aslockton, rather than the Long, version of Whatton, wheel-spinning in as the bell was rung to start play.

The home side limbered up with all mannner of core skill drills. Meanwhile Strongy and Benji casually played keepy-uppy which was to come back to haunt later.

Bobby lost the toss and we were inserted with Drurs pushed in to open with XX Dale. This was a sporting wicket all day, doing plenty off the seam, with the odd shooter, and you never felt in.

We got off to a rattling start, riding a bit of luck, to get to 40, before Dale got a beauty to be caught behind off a thin inside edge for 14. Benji also got a jaffa that clipped the top of off for 5.

Jay came in out of form, and continued in that vein, scratching around for 40 balls for 10, making Shelley's book look like it was completed in braille. Patience paid off though as he cruised through the gears with some silky straight drives scoring 50off the next 30 balls on the way to a fine 60. His partnership of 130 with The Chairman was the backbone of our innings. Drurs went from zero last week, to hero this, with a patient 87, including 14 4's and a 6, before playing on in sight of three figures.

Some good slogging and unselfish batting took us to 211-8 at tea, Kitch smashing a huge six over mid wicket, off the inside edge!

Bashful Bobby had avoided a photo opportunity for his Wisden 'Cricketer of the Month' award for six months, mainly due to Wisden taking all of those six months to deliver his new bat, but was finally snapped by the Chairman's camera to celebrate his record breaking performance at Bottesford last season.

The usual majestic Long Whatton tea was a tad below previous efforts, but was still fine fayre, potato salad a highlight for those at the front of the queue, Grandma's recipe marmalade cake the treat for those bringing up the rear. Strongy jumped to the top of Super-scorer Shelley's favourite's list by clearing up the plates, hoovering up sausage rolls on the way.

In reply, Captain Baker had a Dad's Army attack at his disposal. Cowlard, Strongy and Mervyn trundled in with no luck, not helped by Benji and Strongy himself dropping clangers, regretting warming up with their feet rather than hands before the game, earning this week's detention from Mr. Tuckwell.

At 50 without loss we needed a wicket, and Bobby seized the initiative with a beautifully tossed up clean bowled. The home side reached 120-2 off 30 overs, and the game was in the balance. Our bowling though was tight, and ground fielding solid, as we strangled the scoring, with the required rate rising to 6, 7, 8 then 9.

Kitch bowled through tightly for 1-48, AC came back well to claim 2-55, Strongy finished well with 3-25, but the skipper was the pick with a finely flighted 3-39. Ben Thompson once again took the fielding point with safe hands under a skyer.

With storm clouds gathering, and an unlikely 40 needed off 4 overs, Strongy had the umpire reaching for the light meter with a throat high beamer. But we were well ahead on the Tuckwell-Lewis method and this merely delayed the inevitable, as we restricted the home side to 175-9. A great all round team effort that earned us 19 points.