Friendly Match vs the Baring CC, 10th August 2008, London Fields

Potentially Exciting Squib Dampened
by Jason Lord

London Fields 181 for 7 (30 overs)
The Baring 53 for 2 (9.4 overs)
Match Abandoned - Rain

I guess we should count ourselves lucky that during such a wet summer we have only had two games cancelled to date (Saracen Riffs and Victoria Lounge). Unfortunately the rain claimed its third victim in this game, just as it was shaping up to be very interesting indeed.

Our innings was a game of three halves. A fairly smart start from Steve Fernbank and myself got us to 71 for one off 11 and a half overs. Steve was then caught off the glove attempting a pull shot – a really sharp catch from The Baring ‘keeper.

This dismissal changed the tempo of the innings dramatically. Over the course of the next 10 overs, we only made about 30 for 4, owing to some improved bowling by the opposition and three of our batsmen getting bowled. We were 101 for 5 off 20 overs.

Thankfully, with Taz carrying on from where he left off the previous week with his strong hitting against Tower Ravens, we were able to make 80 off the last 10 overs, finishing on 181 for 7 off our allocation of 30 overs.

Taz made 45 not out – a really useful knock, batting with me (65 runs, including the only 6 of our innings) and then with Tony and Simon Yates doing some scampering at the end.

The Baring lost a couple of wickets to Simon Yates at the start of their chase. One batsman played on, another swung and got an edge which I held to my right at first slip. So excited were Vince (at wicketkeeper) and Taz (at gully) that they ran and grabbed me in a WWE Smackdown sandwich – thanks lads, but not ideal with a dodgy back!
The Baring’s number 4, Adam, looking like a man who was not, as they say, going to die wondering, clattering 25 in quick time. A number of his shots flew in the air tantalisingly near to fielders, but if any of them had been caught it would have been close to miraculous.

And then the rain came. We tried to tough it out, but with Paul Turley appearing on the boundary to check on the game, with a black hooded kagoule covering his head, he looked like Death himself arriving to signal the end of the game.

So it was off to the pub to use the loo as a makeshift changing room, have a quick natter with the nice lads from The Baring and a couple of pints.

Each side will have felt they had a good chance to go on and win the game, but we’ll never know.

We look forward to seeing The Baring again next year. It may be that we shall also come across them at the Victoria Park Astrodome as they debut in the VPL next season.
Finally, congratulations to Troy and his missus on the safe arrival of baby boy Bruno, whose inconsiderate arrival timing led to Troy having to drop out of our side.

Here's the scorecard:

London Fields Batting

Batsman	Scoring	How Out	Bowler	Total
Vince		bowled	Eric	1
Steve F		caught behind	Adam	26
Jason		caught	Russell	65
Alex C		bowled	Russell	1
Matt C		bowled	Adam	0
Will		bowled	Adam	6
Taz		not	out	45
Tony		bowled	Rob	4
Simon Y		not	out	3
Misha	did	not	bat	-
			Extras	??
Total 181-7 from 30 overs

Barings CC Batting

Batsman	Scoring	How Out	Bowler	Total
Laurence		bowled	Simon Y	2
Matt		not	out	14
Rich		caught Jason	Simon Y	3
Adam		not	out	25
			Extras	??
Total 53-2 from 9.2 overs

London Fields Bowling

Name	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Average
Simon Y	4	1	18	2	9
Misha	4	0	22	0	-
Will	1	0	4	0	-
Tony	0.4	0	0	0	-