Venue - Hampton Wick
A blustery but sunny day was the flavour of the weather for Crossbats encounter with the Rainmen.
Being a long weekend, Crossbats were sporting a couple of new faces to help with the numbers and once all
introductions were taken care of it was time for the toss.
Dunbar, with a firm game plan in mind, won the toss and immediately elected to bat.
In this, the second timed game of the season, Crossbats were looking to dominate and improve on their
previous timed game record thus far.
The responsibilty was handed to Winch and Nichols, who both looked positive from the outset. But it wasn't too long
before things started to wobble. Winch was first to go, playing on to his stumps, shortly followed by Nichols who was bowled.
Wright and Carter began to build a partnership, with Carter extremely lucky to survive after the simplist of catches was grassed
by the opposition feilder.
Unfortunately for Wright, Dunbar had relieved Reeve of scoring duties and sent him in to umpire. Cockeyed and not sure what to do,
Reeve was asked the question by the oppostion bowler after Wright's pads were rapped well outside the leg stump - Reeve slowly raised
his finger, having seen umpires on the TV do the same, and sealed Wrights fate, who had looked comfortable compiling his 13.
Dunbar's stay at the crease was short and painful, not being able to put bat on ball against the spin, he was soon dismissed for 4.
Van Vuuren looked in good touch from the outset, hitting strongly over the top and he and Carter began to make a stand.
Carter had played a fine innings and having seen his way to fifty, he was looking increasingly settled before suffering a brain freeze
and being stumped for a solid 51.
Van Vuuren's penchant for hitting finally saw him perish as the bowler was able to get one past the bat and into the stumps, not before
he had added a valuable 19.
Surprise package and new face Ross was in the mood for runs and saved Crossbats from a low total as he caressed the ball to
various parts of the ground. He was assisted at first by Van Vuuren, then by Spiro and lastly by the second new face White and finished
his innings 33 not out and helped the Crossbats to a defendable 161/7 declared.
Tea bought it's usual discussion of the night before, the night ahead and murmers of the Italian tour on the horizon.
Fed and watered, the crossbats returned to the pitch looking to seal their fourth victory of the season. Dunbar and Reeve started proceedings and
it wasn't long before wicket machine Reeve broke through, going strait past the defences of the opening batsmen. However, If Crossbats thought this
was going to be a cake walk, they were wrong.
As the new batsmen found his feet and crossbats couldn't find the edge, the Rainmen pair began reeling in the target. At 75/1 and more than 20 overs
remaining, Dunbar was concerned and consulted the brains trust on various tactics. It was decided to hunker down, tighten up and starve these batsmen
of runs and hope that a cheap wicket could be brought in the process.
And it came almost immediatley when Jones had the batsmen edging into the gully where a 'safe' Alistair Wright claimed the catch.
chances were coming but the ball wasn't sticking as a number of other opportunities went to ground, which may have proved the difference.
Jones, Reeve and Van Vuurenvwere all in the wickets but Crossbats were running out of time.
Meanwhile, during a spell of bowling from Dunbar, wicketkeeper Malcolm Spiro was struck by the ball and proceeded to make a song and dance about it,
which was ignored by the majority of the crossbats.....until such time as an enourmous egg appeared on his right forearm, giving some cause for concern -
With the most important part of his running style damaged and feeling somewhat wousy, Spiro left the feild to seek medical attention
or any kind of attention that was available.
Crossbats toiled hard and must have beat the batsmens edge over 20 times, with no result.
With the match drawing to a close, Dunbar had one final plan - bring on Wright for the last over and hit them with geniune hand grenade bowling.
The equation, 2 wickets.
3rd ball in and Wright struck. Enticing the batsmen to have a go, he found the edge and it was claimed by Winch. 1 wicket required, 3 balls remaining.
Crossbats gathered near the bat and began to chirp a little - 4th ball defended......2 to come. Wright delivered the penultimate delivery and it seemed
the wicket was on as the batsmens eyes lit up and he had an almighty swing ............ but it missed everything and with the final ball defended the game
ended in a draw.
Man of the match honours go to Carter for his 51, but notable mentions must go to Van Vuuren, Reeve, Jones and Ross for their contributions.
Thanks also to Lee White for for a good effort on short notice.
Though the match was drawn, the feeling was good and after a few beers with the opposition at the club, the bulk of crossbats
headed to what could be the new local, The Swan, in Hampton Wick. The evening went on into the wee hours, with Spiro nursing his arm,
healthy competition at the dart board and a lot of talk about nothing inparticular.