Sunday XI v Jesters 10th Jult 2016

An enjoyable game was had by all as M & B tied with The Jesters on Sunday. Good weather two umpires, what more could you want ! Skipper Armstrong won the toss and elected to bat. Brian Dixon and Jawad Murtaza opened the innings against the opposition's overseas state player, Turner. Turner not surprisingly proved a handful, even only bowling at 3/4 pace. Murtaza preferred the gentler offering at the other end as he dispatched Bridcut's third ball for 6 over mid-on and clipped the 5th through midwicket for 3. Bridcut exacted his revenge though by having Murtaza trapped lbw for a brisk 15 in his second over. Last Sunday's centurion Cameron Jacobsen was next to the wicket and together with Dixon were able to see off Turner's opening spell and attach the other bowlers. Dixon as always was strong on the drive and quick to dispatch the short ball to the boundary. Jacobsen was more circumspect early on but began to move through the gears hitting Thurman over mid on hit up the netting for 6. Jacobsen got careless though as he was well stumped by Gummer when he raised his foot and dismissed for 25. Colt Jai Chopra had a rare off day with the bat being dismissed early for 4. His departure brought a welcome return to the crease for Jamie Odell, playing only as a batsman. He used his reach to place and flick the ball well and added 38 with Dixon, before he was brilliantly caught by Gummer down the leg side off the persevering Chak for 16. Dixon brought his 50 up with a fine sweep but perished two balls later playing the same shot. Still a well crafted 51 which contained 8 4's. At 123 for 5 M & B could have collapsed but luckily Gunbarul found his touch again and supported by the dogged Atif Amin put on a valuable 41. Gunbarul smashed 2 6' and 2 4's in his innings of 33. One 6 straight into the sight screen and the other over square leg, smashing against the foot of the clubhouse wall. Amin perished trying to hit over the top whilst Gunbarul was cleaned up by Turner at the start of his second spell, whereupon he graciously elected to bowl spin at the tailenders. Joe Blackett and Matt Armstrong then put on a handy 29 in 3.2 overs to boost the total to a respectable 211. Both scored freely off the pace, with one over going for 15.

In response The Jesters got off to a flyer as the opening batsmen were served up a lot of wayward filth. Gunbarul was lucky to dismiss danger man Turner in his second over, with a short ball, which may have stuck in the wicket, which was top edged as he attempted to hook and was well taken by keeper Dixon, back tracking. Admittedly the strong wind at the River End may have had an effect. Gunbarul changed ends and was rewarded with the wicket of Mohammed, caught behind off a good ball. All along Aussie Gummer looked at ease as M & B's total of 211 looked within easy reach. Armstrong turned to pace off the ball with senior spinner Chris Butler and his partner Tom Allen. This slowed the scoring slightly. With Jesters only 2 wickets down at drinks after 20 overs, Armstrong turned to Jacobsen to see if he could make the breakthrough with his quick accurate spin. Jacobsen immediately got the key wicket of Gummer for 64, pinning him lbw. M & B now had an opening, which Jacobsen continued to exploit. Jesters batsmen couldn't get Jacobsen away and at the other end Butler toiled away defending the long Church side boundary. Jacobsen was rewarded with another wicket as Harris tried to turn the ball to leg and got a leading edge and was caught by Gunbarul, running in from extra cover. The spinners turned the screw as the run rate began to get beyond 6 an over. Butler finished his eight overs at a cost of only 27. Although it seems innocuous filth, he very rarely goes round the park. Armstrong replaced Butler with leg spinner Chopra, who had the long leg side boundary to defend. Although he bowled a few wides and short deliveries the Jesters batsmen could not find the boundaries. Jacobsen finished his spell with excellent figures of 8/1/18/2, having started his spell with 20 overs to go and only 2 wickets down. Armstrong looked to Jawad Murtaza to bowl the final two overs from the River End, with his flat spin. Murtaza had Doward stumped fourth ball but Murphy seemed to win the game for the Jesters by hitting his first ball over log on for 6 and his next over square leg for 4. Chopra bowled a good 18th over conceding no boundaries and Murtaza bowled an excellent penultimate over for only 5 meaning 7 were required off the last over bowled by Chopra. Despite a wide Chopra bowled a dot and a number of singles, which resulted in a couple of run outs, one courtesy of a fine throw from Gunbarul. With three required off two balls the batsmen swung and missed, unfortunately the ball wasn't retained which led to the batsman running one. Two were required off the last ball, which the batsman hit to deep square leg, where a bullet left arm throw from Jacobsen and quick take and breaking of the stumps, by Dixon, left the batsman well short as they despairingly ran through for the second run, to leave the game tied. Skipper Armstrong racked his brains to think of the last time a Sunday game was tied and he couldn't remember!